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Thursday 27 June 1901
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THE DISMAL SCIENCE.
Last night a society formed fourteen years ago in Sydney for the study of political economy ceased its independent if chequered existence and became a section of the Royal Society. Some of us may remember the men by whom and the ideas with which the Aus- tralian Economic Association was started : may remember, too, the quiet and valuable work it did in its own circle, and while ac- knowledging regret at the close of that chapter, feel gratified that the organisation continues, albeit under a changed name. There is sturdy and patriotic work for such a body to do in the maintenance of economic truths apt to be forgotten or ignored, in the presentation of unpopular views, and the leavening of current political opinion with the results of observation and thought. The pro- cess may be slow. The politicians and their audiences are apt to think that to them be- longs the last word on any subject of politics. The economist knows that the panacea of the hour is often but a triumph of hope over experience. There have been so many Utopias ; yet none of them remains. So the burden of economic studies tends rather to discount experiment and sickly resolution with the pale cast of thought. This perhaps is why Carlyle flung at it his gibe of a nick- name, the dismal science, and why it seems to repel rather than attract " the young men who in the course of time might be called on to take part in the councils of their country," regretfully referred to last night by Mr. Teece. But though it may be over sanguine to look for a measure of popularity for such an organisation, that is not a circumstance which detracts from the real usefulness of the work of the section, or ought to discourage the gentlemen who keep it together. Pro- phesy unto us smooth things is as of old a path to popularity, but the man who is in- tent on placing his best powers at the service of those who manage the political affairs of the country so as to bring out the permanent conditions of national prosperity is engaged in no ignoble task.
Clerks of Petty Sessions.—The Public Service Board notify that the following officers were successful in passing the examination of petty sessions officers which was recently held under the provisions of Public Service regulation. The names aeo placed in order of merit :—M. H. Cleeve, clerk of petty sessions, Ballina ; H. H. MacDougal, assistant clerk of petty sessions, Redfern ; H. F. W. Fletcher, assistant clerk of petty sessions, North Sydney ; C. Wenholz, junior clerk, petty sessions office, Parkes ; W. S. Bromhead, junior clerk, petty sessions office, Gundagai ; G. Dunckeur, clerk, Central Police Office ; S. J. Hamblin, clerk of petty sessions, Penrith ; T. W. Cohen, clerk of petty sessions, Kiama ; H. T. Adams, clerk of petty sessions, Brewarrina ; P. E. Addison, clerk of petty ses- sions, Wentworth. The examiners appointed for the examination consisted of Messrs. J. L. Camp- bell, examiner-in-law to the board ; C. N. Payten, stipendiary magistrate, Sydney ; and T. E. MacNevin, police magistrate, Parramatta.
Another Case of Smallpox.—Another case of smallpox has occurred at the Quarantine Station. The patient is a man named Michael O'Brien. He is 56 years of age, and was a passenger by the Ormuz. It was found that he was unwell on Sunday last, and he was placed in a ward for observation. Yesterday Dr. Tidswell (acting president) and Dr. Millard (assistant medical officer), together with Dr. Salter (who is in charge of the Quarantine Station), diagnosed the case as one of smallpox. This new development is ex- tremely unfortunate for the people who are de-
tained at the station. These are 56 in number, besides those who are sick, who now total 23. The persons who are under detention would, had all gone well, have been liberated on Monday last. The usual term of isolation is 15 days from the date of the possibility of contagion, in the case of those who have been successfully vac- cinated, and 21 days with respect to those who have not been vaccinated. It may be mentioned that Michael O'Brien had declined to be vacci-
nated. The passangers by the Ormuz have already been quarantined for about a month, and they will now have to stay on for whatever fur- ther period the Board of Health may decide.
The Mail Steamers.—Yesterday the Messageries Maritimes Company's steamer Armand Behic left for Marseilles. The vessel had a lengthened stay
here, owing to an accident to her machinery, but Mr. Brasier du Thuy, the general manager, met the difficulty by extending to the patrons of the line such facilities as lay in his power. As will be seen elsewhere, the steamer had a fair number of passengers from here, and these will be added to at the ports of call. The English mail of London date May 24, ex Oceana, was de- livered yesterday in the city, and the mail steamer will be here on Saturday next. The Mariposa is to leave here on Saturday for San Francisco, via Auckland, Samoa, and Honolulu. Since she arrived here four days ago the vessel has re- mained in the stream, where her cargo has been discharged into lighters. To-day the Japanese mail steamer Kasuga Mara will leave Circular Quay for Hongkong and Japan, via the usual ports. Her passenger bookings show that the business of the company is steadily increasing.
New Steamers for the Australian Trade.—The
Eastern and Australian Steamship Company has just ordered a large steamer for their increasing trade between Sydney, China, and Japan. Their last new boat, the Eastern, has proved so satisfactory that the company purpose placing on the line a larger vessel. She will be faster and possess more cabin space than any of the company's present fleet. Captain S. G. Green, the marine superintendent of the com- pany, is to go to England to look after the work, and Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., the managing agents of the line in Aus- tralia, predict that with the additional facilities which a high-class steamer of the kind indicated will afford, there will be an ample re- sponse in respect to excursionists to China and Japan. The A.U.S.N. Company has ordered a new fast passenger steamer from Messrs. Alexan- der Stephens and Sons, of Linthouse. The new boat is to be superior to any of the vessels at pre- sent in the company's well known fleet, both in respect to size, speed, and equipment. The same company has also ordered a smaller steamer for the Australian coastal service. She is to be built by Messrs. Gourlay Brothers and Co., of Dundee. Messrs. Huddart, Parker, and Co. have coming from the Blyth Shipbuilding Company a large passenger steamer, which has just done her trial trip. The whole of the saloon accommodation is entirely on the upper deck, and is beautifully
furnished.
The Full Court.—On Friday next the Full Court will sit to deliver four judgments which were reserved last Term. One is Cooper v. Sparke and another Richards v. Elliott.
Death of General Howell.—By the mail which came to hand from America this week news was received in Sydney of the death of General Josiah Howell, who was the first general manager in Australasia of the New York Life Insurance Company. General Howell left Australia about six years ago to take up a position in a large real estate firm in San Francisco, and died at the ripe age of 72. He had been in failing health for three years past. His death will be learnt with regret by a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances. During his stay in Australia General Howell was a prominent member of the
Athenæum Club.
Railway Fatality.—A boy named Arthur Bryant, aged 14, lately residing with his parents in Union-street, Erskineville, died in Prince Alfred Hospital last evening from injuries re- ceived in the railway yards at Macdonaldtown. It appears that yesterday morning he was return- ing home after delivering breakfast to his father, a railway employee, and unobserved he got on the platform of a carriage attached to a train which was being shunted to the washing-sheds. At the bottom of the gradient the car ran into another one, the deceased being crushed between the wood- work. As soon as discovered he was attended to by two doctors. One of his legs was fractured, and he also sustained internal injuries. He was removed to Prince Alfred Hospital and died as
stated.
A proclamation by his Excellency the Lieutenant-
Governor appears in the " Government Gazette " declaring that the municipal district of Penrith is subject to the provisions of the Municipal Loans Further Validation Act of 1897 as to the sum of £3000 borrowed, the repayment whereof, with interest at 6 per cent. per annum, is secured by debentures issued under the common seal of the municipal dis-
trict for the sum of £100 each, which said debentures are payable to bearer at the council-chambers, Pen- rith, on July 1, 1900.
On Friday last a gathering of the officers of the bridges staff, Public Works Department, presided over by Mr. E. M. de Burgh, Engineer for Bridges, was held at Aaron's Exchange Hotel, for the pur- pose of saying good-bye to Mr. P. N. Christie, who has recently been promoted to the position of Mechanical Engineer to the Harbour Trust. At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. Christie was presented with several tokens of the esteem of his fellow officers, with whom he had been associated for some 11 years prior to his transfer.
Mr. C. G. Hatte, of King-street, Newtown, initiates to-day a great fair, which a catalogue in- forms us is the twenty-first held by him. In the catalogue will be found a concise account of " the Fairs of the World."
From the Australian Depot, in Pitt-street, we have received the second edition of Webb's spring cata- logue for 1901—a publication which is worthy of the Royal Seed Establishment at Wordsley, Stourbridge, whence it was originally issued. The book conveys an admirable impression of the magnitude of the enterprise of Messrs. William George and Edward Webb, a firm which claims the distinction of being the largest seedgrowers in the kingdom.
At the Darling-road Superior Public School, prior to the breaking-up for midwinter vacation, Miss Lake was the recipient of a lady's handsome travelling companion, which had been forwarded from Deep-
water to mark the esteem in which that lady was held by the teachers and pupils of that place. In making the presentation Mr. Wallace, the principal, read a complimentary letter which had been forwarded by Mr. S. Mitchell, of Deepwater, testifying to the good work Miss Lake had performed while in the
school there.
Mr. W. G. Gee, late general secretary of the Public Schools' A.A.A., will be entertained at a farewell social this evening at the Elite Hall, Queen Victoria Markets. Mr. Gee is going to Maitland to fill a new position to which he has been appointed.
At the weekly meeting of the Sydney Debating Club Mr. Vider moved,—" That the policy of the See Ministry does not meet with the ap- proval of this club." Among the speakers were Misses Golding, Messrs. Hodgson, Steel, Doull, M. J. Wilson, and Levy. Mr. Vider having replied, the motion was negatived by a small majority.
The bazaar which was held on Saturday afternoon last at Bolingbroke, Albion-street, Waverley, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Eyrick Rainsford, was a success. The sum of £5 was realised by the sale of various kinds of ladies' work, dolls, &c. It has been decided that £4 shall be handed over to the Children's Hospital and the balance to some local charity.
In respect to the prize distribution in connection with the Sydney Church of England Grammar School for Girls we are requested to state that Miss Elsie Besnard should have been mentioned as receiv-
ing Miss Gilfillan's first prize in music.
The following public holidays have been pro- claimed :—Police district of Grafton, July 4 ; dis- trict of Peak Hill, July 17.
Mr. T. M. Drynan, of Wahroonga, writes as fol- lows :—" I have no desire to pose as an expert, nor do I desire to claim that I am more affected than my fellow citizens by the increase which appears to me to be going on in the smoke nuisance. I am aware that our worthy Mayor is working with the view to give us a city replete with the best sanitary ad- vantages, and is, I understand, taking steps to abate this smoke nuisance. I trust all our citizens will aid him in his meritorious work. I am credibly informed that to consume their smoke will mean no infliction on our manufacturers, but rather an economy ; that the smoke represents so much waste heat, or evidence of only partial combustion. I am informed that there are effective bylaws, and that it only requires a firm
hand on the part of our authorities to put down this growing nuisance and menace to health."