Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

NEWS OF THE DAY.
Monetary Commission's Report
.More than a year lias elapsed since
the Royal Commission on Australia's
Monetary and Banking Systems began
its investigations, and allnough the pub-
lie sittings were completed before tho
end of last year, members of the com
mission arc still busily engaged in the
preparation or tneir report for tho Com
monwealth Parliament. In the course
of its Inquiry the commission held 103
public sittings, and heard evidence in
all States. The report will be one of
considerable size, and as it will contain
information on many phases of banking
and currency, practical and theoretical.
It should be of interest to students of
economics, as well as to the general pub
lic. The chairman (Mr. Justice Napier,
of South Australia) and other members
of the commission who live in other
States arc leaving Melbourne for the
Easter holidays, but will return next
\veck to continue their work on the re
port at the commission's office in Shell-
buildings, William-street. It . is expected
that the report will be completed about
two months hence.
Labor Party's Conference.
Whilst most people are enjoying the
Easter holidays members of the Vic
torian Labor party will be busily en
gaged putting their house in order for
forthcoming elections, and wrestling
with industrial, economic and social
questions. The conference will last for
four days, from Good Friday to Easter
Monday inclusive, nnd with the excep
tion of Easter Sunday, on which day
there will be afternoon and evening ses
sions, three sessions will be held each
duy. It is a significant fact, and shows
a want of consistency, that whilst mem
bers of the Labor movement are advocat
ing a shorter working week, they have
no qualms about holding conferences
which last for twelve hours a day or
more. This predilection for intense ap
plication and work on Lhelr part may be
set down to the desire of showing that
they have the interests of the workers
at heart, but it is notorious that much
of tho timo Is wasted in tile repeated
reiteration of salient facts, and well-
worn platitudes. Most interest will be.
centred in coming events on the political
horizon, and the formulation of methods
of furthering the best interests of the
linf?V YinHHn Tv» (lair. MnoKil 4- 1-.
"VUJ I"""1" Lily UVUi-
tures of the Communist party for a
united front at the forthcoming Federal
elections is certain to cause on animated
discussion, but there is very little doubt
about the result. The Labor movement
has shown over and over again that it
has nothing In common with tire Com
munist party or its numerous subsi
diaries, and that it regards tho latest
proposal of the party to support Labor
candidates as an attempt to foist on its
shoulders another "old man of the sea."
Sustenance Investigation.
Despite all its imperfections, the Vic
torian system of unemployment reliei
war easily the best in ' Australia, and in
many respects it had been copied oy the
oilier States, the Minister of Labor (Mr
Mackrell) said yesterday. He added that
Victoria was the only State that segre
gated its unemployment taxation fund
to ensure that It could be applied to no
other purposo than that for which it
was raised. Sustenance payments could
be regarded as a dole in very few in
stances, the majority of the recipients
giving work in return for their allow
ances. Referring to his visit to New
Zealand, Mr. Mackrell said he purposed
making exhaustive investigations Into
the placement system of unemployment,
relief in that Dominion in the hope that
it would present some features that
might be applied with advantage in Vic-
toria. Many centres in New Zealand
would be visited during his investiga
tions of the system which, he believed,
was even in advance of tho system in
England. Ills visit would be of a reci
procal character, as the Now Zealand
authorities were anxious to learn what,
they could ol the Victorian system, and
he would give them all the information
at his disposal. "It is my desire that
tho whole Victorian system should be
placed on a better footing, and at the
samo time I hope that a reduction of
unemployment taxation might be pos
sible, added tho Minister. Mr. Mackrell
and the officer -in charge of the Susten
ance department (Mr. F. W. Frawlcy)
will leave for Sydney by train to-morrow
and will Join the Awatea for Wellington
on ' Saturday. During Mr. Frawiey's
aljscnce, Mr. J. J. Sullivan will be in
charge of the department.
Board's Unhappy Experiment.
Even those householders who have suf
fered the expense and inconvenience of
burst water pipes since tho Metropolitan
Board last year decided to insist on the
provision of Insulators, a policy now
ignominiously abandoned, could hardly
speak with greater feeling on the subject
than Mr. E. G. Ritchie, who was the
board's engineer of water supply when
the installations were first made compul
sory on new services. Mr. Ritchlo yes
terday expressed regret, not at the un
pleasant sequel to tho policy that had
been adopted, but at the fact that the
board had been forced to withdraw. He
hoped that tho abandonment would oo
only temporary, and when asked why
Insulators supposed to have been tested
and approved by the board had proved
so unsatisfactory in service, he suggested
that the insulating material in the first
samples submitted had been belter than
those turned out subsequently when there
was a heavy demand for them. In spite
of Mr. Ritchie's hopes, however', it is
likely that even the board will have
learned its lesson, and will view with
some suspicion experiments wmcn have
not been adequately tested. Tho one
gleam of comfort for the commissioners
is that the suffering has been experienced
by members of the public, and not by
members of tho board.
Questioning Child Suspects.
Investigation of methods adopted by
the police in questioning child suspects
was promised by the Chief Secretary (Mr.
Bailey) yesterday in replying to a deputa
tion from probation otllccrs. Members
of the deputation claimed that state
ments obtained from children after pro
longed detention nnd questioning were
often tho only evidence against them,
and urged that no signed statements
should be taken from children under 12
years except in the presence of their
parents or guardians, or a probation
officer. It was suggested that children
on remand should bo placed in private
homes instead of the Royal Park welfare
home. One speaker said there had
been cases of children being taken from
their beds nt 1 a.m., and questioned at
a police station until 4 a.m. Mr. Bailey
said the matter would be discussed with
the Commissioner of Police in conjunc
tion with the general method of dealing
with suspects. As far as truant chil
dren were concerned it might be desir
able for cases to be henret in the chil
dren's courts so that the children could
give evidence, Instead of merely having
the parents lined at courts of petty ses
sions.
Speedy Police Patrol Cars.
As part of the programme designed
by the new Police Commissioner (Mr.
A. Duncan) to increase the efficiency
of the Victorian police force, two new
cars havo been ordered for tho police
wireless patrol to replace cars now con
sidered out of date. The new cars will
be of the Alvls make, which have not
hren used by the Victorian police. The
chassis have been ordered from England
and the special bodies and wireless ap
paratus will be made locally. The Alvis
errs ordered are rated at 31.48 horse
power developing 124 horse power at
claimed they can travel at 100 miles an
hour under a full load. The cars have
four forward speeds and can accelerate
from rest to 60 miles an hour througn
gears in 12.8 seconds. They have six-
cyhnder engines. The capital cost will
bo lower than that of the two cars being
replaced, and they will also be? much
more economical regarding fuel consumP'
tion and maintenance costs. In addi
tion, they are regarded as much more
flexible than any of the cars at present
used for police patrols here. The same
type of car has been used lor some
time by the flying squad of Scotland
Yard. Evidently therefore it has been
tho experience in this regard which lias
led the Commissioner to choose Alvis
cars for the Victorian police force.
Three chassis are now on tho water, and
should arrive here in about three weeks.
Two of these will be immediately handed
ever to the Police department to lie fitted
cut for their special patrol purposes.
A Judge's Confession.
Defects in the mechanism of a motor
truck were alleged in a case in the
County Court yesterday, and the ex
planation of these involved voluminous
expert evidence and the use of many
technical expressions, which Judge Was-
ley endeavored bravely to comprehend.
A witness said that, after certain re
pairs had been eflected, the work was
abandoned and the truck was allowed
to stand in a garage for several months.
Tho truck was still in their possession.
Glancing anxiously at the clock, his
Honor exclaimed, "I wish they could
find a new buyer for it, so that wo could
get rid of this case !" Counsel for
plaintiff assured hLs Honor that he had
expressed fervently the desire of his
client. Ho apologised for the undue
length of the suit, but pointed out that
it could not possibly be shortened. Judge
Wasley intimated that the case would
have to stand over until May, and that
In the meantime he would probably visit
some engineering establishment to ac
quaint himself with the mechanism of
tho motor engine. He drives a car, but
confessed he was not an expert me
chanic. When counsel for both sides
hastened to offer to arrange tho visit
his Honor replied "No thanks; I shall
go where I will hear independent testi
mony."
Abuse of a Privilege.
Action is being taken by the Licensing
Court to deal with the evil that has de
veloped out of the system of granting
pi-iuiius i/u accused victuallers lo serve
intoxicating liquor with meals after 6
pm. This week tho court was ap
proached by several licensees who were
anxious to have the period of tholr per
mits extended. The hotels concerned
are in the metropolitan licensing dis
trict, the inspector lor which opposed
the requests on the ground that the pri
vilege had been abused by permitting
drinking long after bona-fidc meals had
been consumed. Tho court decided that
the applications should not be grunted,
and thd chairman, Mr. Hoarder, inti
mated that it desired to warn offending
licensees that the abuse of the permit
concession would lead in every case to
the termination of the privilege until
such time as the licensing inspector and
the court had been satisfied that a more
satisfactory practice had been estab
lished. This attitude on tho part of tile
court having been announced the licen
sees concerned wore allowed to wilhdruw
their applications.
Carnegie Gift of £5000.-
Advice has been received by Mr. Frank
Tate, president of the Australian Coun
cil for Educational Research, that the
Carnegie Corporation of New York has
made available £5000 to bo administered;
by the council over three years for tho
development of libraries in Australia. In
conformity with a resolution previously
adopted by the corporation, the money
Is to bo used not for assisting indivi
dual libraries, but to raise the standard
of Australian libraries, and to cducntc
the public regarding tho urgent neces
sity for improved facilities. Tho money
will be devoted to specific purposes, such
as tlic support of the free library move
ment in the various Australian States,
and in this direction the council will
be guided by the advice of the principal
librarians. Known as the library group,
these librarians meet from timo to time
to keep the Carncgio Corporation in
formed of library developments. The
Alunn-Pltt survey of libraries carried out
under the auspices of the Carnegie Cor
poration of New York disclosed that Aus
tralian library services compared very
unfavorably with other countries. The
campaign will be officially launched in
the Town Hail within the next few
weeks.
Mayoral Powers.
Commenting yesterday on the extra
ordinary position which has been re
vealed as a result of investigation into
the powers of mayors of municipalities,
following a dispute at Collingwood coun
cil, the acting Premier (Mr. Old) said
tire Government would consider the
desirability of an amendment of the
Local Government Act to "clarify the
position." It appeared wrong that a man
who hod been elected mayor should
therefore be able to assume dictatorial
powers, and it was impossible to believe,
for example, that the Legislative As
sembly would give similar powers to a
Speaker, or tho Legislative Council to a
President. It was pointed out In "The
Age" yesterday that in the opinion of
officials of the Public Works department
an omission in the act made it possible
for a mayor to over-ride a majority
decision of his council.
Restricting Sluicing Water.
To assist slulcers for gold in the Castle-
malne and Bendlgo districts the State
Rivers and Water Supply Commission
lias been supplying water for sluicing
purposes lor some months at the usual
concession charge of one-third of a penny
per thousand gallons. Owing to the pre
sent dry conditions throughout tho Coil-
ban district, however, and consequent in
creasing demands for water for irriga
tion and domestic requirements, the con-
tents of the storages are being rapidly
diminished. As supplies for domestic, in
dustrial and irrigation requirements must
take precedence to sluicing supplies, the
commission, in order to safeguard these
requirements in the event of a dry win
ter being experienced, has decided that
it must discontinue the supply of water
for sluicing purposes from 31st March
unless heavy rains fall and substantially
increase the quantity of water In the
storages in the meantime.
"Daughters are the Thing."
Sir J. M. Barrio, who wrote Daugh
ters Are tho Thing, would have felt
very much ot home at the Rotary Club
luncheon at the Freemasons' Hall, Col
lins-street, yesterday. It was a fathers
and daughters' day, and Rotarians, the
light of pride In their eyes, proudly
ushered their womenfolk to table and
played the perfect host. Unhappy the
man who could not boast at least one
daughter — the record was three daugh
ters. one daughter-in-law and a daugh
ter-in-law's friend. Even tho youngest
were considered fair game, and small
girls not yet in their teens found them
selves in the fortunate position of hav
ing an extra hour or so off from school
to see their fathers In this new and
fascinating role. For the daughtcrlcss
and bachelors begging, borrowing or
stealing was the order of the day, and
many introductions were phrased, "The
daughter of my nephew," or "My sis
ter's little girl." All else falling, several
members brought their wives 1 There
is an accredited saying that few
Rotarians can continue to rule their
households with an iron hand after
their wives and danchters have attended
a club lunch !
Dangerous Railway Crossing.
Claiming that it was a constant men
ace to tho lives of school children, a
deputation representing the Dandenong
shire council and other organisations in
the district yesterday sought to enlist
the help of the Minister of Transport
(Mr. Bussau), in prevailing upon the
Railway Commissioners to replace a level
pedestrian crossing at Noble Park with
a safer typo of crossing. The spot is
ono at which a number of deaths have
occurred in recent years, nnd it was
claimed that the provision of Interlock
ing gates would be the most suitable
safety measure that could be provided.
Mr. E. Gillard, head master of the Noble
Park school, stated that the Railway
department estimated that inlerlockbig
gates would cost £600 to lnstal and
£300 annually to staff, which expendi
ture it considered was not warrantod.
He contended that tho Commissioners
were evading their responsibilities with
regard to the safety of the public, and
that where life was endangered mone
tary cost should be a secondary con
sideration. The removal of the gates to
Hcatherton-road would also, give a fillip
to the development of tho district. Mr.
P. O'Donoghue (progress association pre
sident) said that there was no more
dangerous crossing in Melbourne. Mr.
Bussau emphasised tho financial disabili
ties of tlio department, which prevented
it carrying out nil the safely measures
it might consider necessary, and sug
gested that the fact that not ono rail
way passenger had been killed in ten
years showed that tho department was
not ignoring its safety responsibilities.
Ho believed the Victorian railways were
the most up to (lute, from a safety point
of view, in the world.
$