What with the "retiring " disposition of our leading politicians and "striking " characteristics of our workmen, an Australian correspondent ought not to be at a loss for something of interest to write about. Scarcely had Mr, Carruthers retired from the New Soath Wales State Premiership and the Attorney-General, Mr. Wade, taken his place, when the leader of the Federal Labour Party, M: ition, withdrew from active participation in polities. His retirement will be a the Commonwealth. He is an educated man of sound common sense and of moderate views. As leader of the Labour Party he has ever exercised restraining influence, too much 80 to please many extremists among his followers.
It is quite possible that his retirement is partly owing to the fact that he finds it more and more difficult to control them. There is not the slightest doubt that the views of many strongly aggressive Socialists out here are far in advance of those held, or at all events, expressed, by their late leader. Mr. Fisher, who represents Wide Bay in the Federal Parliament, has been chosen as Mr. Watson's successor in preference to th other candidates—Messrs. Hughes and Spence—both of whom are strong men. He is a Scotchman, I believe, and some twelve years ago won a seat in the Queensland State Parliament as an advanced Socialist. The future alone can show what sort of leader he will turn out to be. One has grave fears that he will never exercise the rostral ing influence of his predecessor in Federal politics, and it is quite likely that he will be driven before the wind of Socialism in whatever direction that wind may blow.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.