Melbourne, Feb. 9.
Naturally this is the silly season in politics, but some Ministers at least are doing the best they can to supply copy for the newspapers. Mr. Hughes, the Prime Minister, has been and still at this moment is touring the several States, correcting misapprehensions, and allaying discontent. He was once the secretary of the New South Wales Wharf Labourers' Union, a militant body which would as soon drown an objector as pillage a case of beer. Though physically a weakling Mr. Hughes fought with his tongue, and acquired the invaluable gift of invariably carrying the war into the enemy's camp.
He went over to Tasmania the other day and listened to the complaints of the local wiseacres to the effect that the coastal trade provisions of the Navigation Act were killing the tourist and fruit export trade of the island State. The Prime Minister replied, quoting figures to show that the last tourist trade was a record one, and that the very ship he crossed over in was prepared to take just eight times the amount of refrigerated fruit cargo offering. Hie satirically urged the people to skip the last 25 years and bring themselves up to date, while he congratulated them upon the fact that the great Cadbury cocoa and chocolate combination has recently established huge works, employing several hundred_men.
It is but a few weeks ago that a section of the Tasmamian politicians were talking secession from the Commonwealth. Un doubtedly foolish talk, but since entirely discounted by the enthusism which has followed Mr. Hughes throughout his somewhat lengthy tour of the island.
Mr. Hughes has now about completed tours through South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. He has visited New South Wales, and within the next few days will go to Queensland and Western Australia. It is interesting to note that as he passes through the several capitals the hostility of the press, always bitterest in Victoria, is over-shadowed by the friend-lines of the people. At his back Mr. Hughes has not only strong and sympathetic support from the members of the Returned Soldiers' Leagues, but also from that great body of radical opinion which withdrew its support from Labour party, what time that body refused conscription, sought to prevent recruiting and resolved that the time had arrived when the Germans should be asked to give us peace.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.