Not the least striking result of the appeal to the people has been the flat refusal to alter the constitution in the direction of taking certain powers away from the States and giving them to the Commonwealth; also of giving the Commonwealth power to nationalize monopolies. The Government, led by Mr. Hughes, asked for these powers, and in many quarters it seemed certain that they would be granted. The more moderate section of the Official Labour electors voted in favour, but. the extremist section voted against. The moderates have always wanted gradually to change the Australian constitution from being one of Federal to one of Unified Government. The extremists feared that if the powers were granted they would compromise their efforts to bring about a form of Soviet government on the same lines as that of Russia. The conservatives, liberals and radicals only gave the proposals a half-hearted support, and probably the final impulse to vote "No" came from the fear that the extreme element might win, at the elections, and thus commence its task of unifying upon Soviet lines with the work already partly done. In the end an emphatic "No" was cast against constitutional changes, despite the fact that the Government seeking them was triumphantly returned to power. It seems probable now that specially elected conventions will be called together to consider exactly along what lines alterations in the present constitution, which is admittedly imperfect in many ways, shall be made. Subsequently the decisions of the conventions will be submitted to the people.
BREAKING oF THE Drovanr.
Early last November the condition of many of the pastoral districts was such as to call for some notice, and the anxiety and heavy losses persisted right up to the end of the month. Then the first signs of the approach of the monsoons in the north and northwest made themselves felt, and very consider. able rains have fallen over the more eastern portions of the continent.
The most distressing stories of losses of stock—cattle, horses, sheep and lambs—came from the central portions of New South Wales. anyone who cared to do so could buy sheep at 2/- per head, cattle at 25/- and horses at little more. In fact the only reserve on any stock was the value of the hides. The carcasses lay about all over square miles of country, and the hawks, the crows and other carnivorous birds figuratively darkened the skies as far as the eyes could see, gathered round the unaccustomed feast.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.