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NE WS OF THE
DAY
BUSY CANBERRA
Full Cabinet sat for three ses
sions at Canberra yesterday. The
meeting began at 10.30 a.m. and
did not conclude until late at
night. It adjourned only for
meals. . Ministers described the
Rgenda as one of the longest they
had faced for some time. Most
Ministers are remaining at Can
berra at the week end in .readi
ness for the official opening of
Parliament on Monday. They
are all wearing "Vote Yes" but
tons in their coat lapels, dis
tributed amongst them by the
Minister for information (Mr.
Calwell). When the House of
Representatives meets on Mon
day, after hearing the Governor-
General's- speech in the Senate,
Mr. Curtln will move motions of
condolences In the deaths of
Messrs. M.- Blackburn and J. H.
Prowse. Aflor Mr. Curtin's speech
reviewing Ills overseas tour and
relevant matters arising out of
It the House will adjourn until
next day. In the evening a fare
well dinner will be tendered by
the Parliament to the Governor-
General (Lord Gowrie). On Wed
nesday evening a dinner will be
tendered by ihe Parliament to
Mr. W. M., Hughes in celebration
of his 50th anniversary as a mem
ber ot Parliament. Attention was
directed yesterday to the fact
that Mr. Hughes is the only
former Prime Minister of whom
no portrait is exhibited in the
King's Hail at Canberra. A bronze
bust by F. Derwent Wood is
there, but no portrait. The ex
planation is that three have been
painted of Mr. Hugnes, and he
has, rejected 'them all.
Soldier Preference ,
- - Ever, since the Discharged Ser
vicemen's Preference Act. be
came operative there have been
public criticisms of the working
of the legislation in the State
public service. Only this week,
Mr. Cremean, Deputy. Labor
Leader, raised the matter in the
Legislative Assembly, while in
the Arbitration Court Judge
Drake-Brockman has made .its
(provisions inoperative for cer
tain sections of the . Victorian
railways. Apparently the anoma
lies which have arisen have, wor
ried the Government also. Yes
terday, the Premier and the At
torney-General (Mr. Macfarlan)
held a conference with depart
mental heads and the chairman
of the Public Service Board (Mr.
D. D. Paine), and the Discharged
Servicemen's Board (Mr.> D. C.
Robertson), and the Crown
Solicitor , (Mr. Menzles) : to -dis
cuss : administration. The Pre-,
mier- stated after the -con
ference that some /misunder
standings had been cleared up,
and he felt sure there would
be no insurmountable diffi
culties: associated with the prac
tical application of the act.
.When- the Legislative Assembly
meets on Tuesday, Mr. Cremean
intends to seek release of official
reports- of certain departmental
heads on the working of the
act.
Deep-Seated Problem
The announcement that the
Railway, Commissioners will Im
mediately adopt the suggestion
of "The Age" that appeals - be
made-through station amplifiers
to passengers on country trains
not to unfairly monopolise seat
ing accommodation, particularly
when fellow passengers have: to
stand, will be welcomed: by coun
try travellers. Many of these
have had, the .unenviable experi
ence of trying , to maintain .their
balance- for long distances
amongst bags - and- portmanteau?
In draughty- corridors, a balancing
act .which reven . a contortionist
would find: rather exhausting
either in winter or sumrner.' It
was "news" to- learn,- however,
that: there Is no recognised poet
in the department, as It Is not
so very long, since Victorians were
frequently appealed: to officially
to patronise the.railways in. such
terms as "IF you're suffering from
strqin; . gq , ...to -' Healesvlllei- by
train'," ' or,' with the; idea" 'of' im
proving . the - health of the com
munity and ; of .getting ; more
freight: for . the department,' _ ."If
gbod/health'sVnot your long isult,
start at once. and eat more fruit."
Howevery , the commissioners have
Intimated: that: they will be .will
ing to. consider the use of "suit
able masterpieces by. amateur
bards."; They have , already re
ceived: one:. suggestion: "Lift, your
arm u-ests; .be .a sport; the' seat-:-.
Ing space is very short." As an
alternative ..(they -might . corisider
-the. following' "If: you want us to
help you, move up a bit— make
room for two."
They Also Suffered
. Apart, from the thousands of
shivering souls left in the. silvery
wake, the recent' heavy frosts
also (.caused considerable damage
In the world , of vegetables. The
results .'of that .damage are ' how
apparent at 1 the markets and In
the -shops, and it has 'brought
about a.n : acute shortage, of more
than one or two comiiriodltles;
Cauliflowers; of which some time,
ago there' was a glut, .are now
arriving In only, limited quanti
ties, while cabbages, lettuces and
more especially peas, have been
similarly affected. Had the frosts
not occurred there would : now
(have, been . a,. bountiful supply of
all varieties. According, to- whole
sale traders,- however, deliveries
should soon be on the up grade,
with .' normal; supplies offering
Within., the next, week or ten
days., ,
Soil Conservation ' -
/. Big . extensions are being made
by. the Soil; .Conservation /Board
in its. fight- against soil erosion.
It was announced yesterday that
12 demonstration areas had now
been established in' various parts
of the State for the benefit of
land owners, There are two at
Molesworth, and others at Omeo,
Strath Creek, Yarck, Thornton.
Eurqa, Woodstock, Bacchus
Marsh, Kooreh- and Walpeup.
Experimental areas are also in
'operation . at Earlstori, Violet
Town, Omeo,. Emu and Berririial.
The Premier said yesterday that
land owners' were co-operating
admirably In the experimental
and ..demonstration work." . Mr.
Dunstan added that evidence of
the growing Interest in soil con
servation was shown by ' the
number of land owners now in
specting soil-saving methods
being demonstrated by the board.
Many farmers had adopted the
principle of. contour iurrowlng
with, excellent results.
University Calendar
A sign of the Improvement in
the, war, situation is the publica
tion. of the Melbourne University
Calendar for .;1944, which con
tains information useful to the
general public, as well as to.teaoh-
e-rs arid students, , Last year the
publication was suspended owing
to -war conditions, but sections of
it were printed separately in the
faculty nand books. Ihe latest
issue contains, inter alia, regula
tions of the University, tables of
fees, lists -of ( scholarships; and
prizes; a list cf contributions to
sciencf and literature published
by members of staff, research
workers and students, announce
ments ror 1944; also names of the
members of the University coun
cil, boards, and faculties, commit
tees and staff.
$