occurred curly this month has death of Mr. John Brown amoved one of the most astonish-ug men in Australian life, He has jor many years been the storm entre of coal strikes and labour roubles and yet hi and specially Richmond Main are con-dered to be the best—equipped ines in the world. My. Brown has his Rife evaded publicity. of a personal nature and although the same of John Brown had become Imost_as famous as John Gilpin thing was known of the man per-anally and so far as photographie productions in the press were con-erned but one or two served every purpose, Even as a racing man the! act that he never allowed horse om his stud to be sold wrapped m in mystery. Ie won the Mel-currie Cup in 1900 with that re-narkable three-year-old Prince route. He is slated to have pos-essed a curiously suspicious nature ud his innermost friends could not count for this peculiarity of his Fears ago he fought. " long law suit, vith members of his family and nly secured o decision after it had een taken to the Privy Council. Phere he secured appointment as nonaging director until death of he firm of J. and A, Brown. He 8 7Be years of age and until a ow hourrs before he died had never ad a doctor in attendance upon im. The firm, whose undertakings bread throughout the world owes unch of its present prominent posi-on to the astute business acumen {John Brown. At the time of his oath the coal dispute which at one ime threatened to make Pelew _and Richmond Main collieries he storm centre had arrived at a workable understanding.
The Liquor Poll Next Saturday the people of Vieoria will east their votes upon the, prohibition issue, The question of 0 license hus been fought in a nanner previously unknown to \ustralia. Speakers have pence rated into the remotest districts ud the no license advocates have ad a hearing which he most optimtie of them could hardly have ex-A One point in the favour of license party is the present of unemployment, throughout he country. The fact that it is due 9 trade depression and to the huge alling off expected in this year's col cheque does not enter into the ublic's mind, The arguments that ne closing of breweries and hotels I prevent the working man spend-gri his savings in drink ensure lore employment and lay the foundations for national thrift, are cing listened to and the women, ho are a great factor in this poll, re suite to vote solidly in favour the reform. The queer part is nat the Government, who will be impelled to favour the wishes of people should the election vote no" haw settled numerous farmers t great expense in the wine-growig areas of the State. All this money will necessarily be lost and millions expended upon irtiga~ on and soldier settlement where tactically wine grapes are the sole arnings of the holdings will also 0 by the board. As for the seters who "have studied under government supervision for yea make their holdings profitable it impossible to imagine that they be compelled to revert back to other form of farming without ceiving some compensation for wasted years of their lives, The ficulty is where is the money com-to compensate anybody as the present Gov ent has found it necessary to comence an opossum hunt to obtain ency for unemployment now rife. he result of the election will prove ry, interesting—if not tragie—ould the "No" party be success (The result of the poll has been mounced in favour of "no change."
Economy in New South Wales Queensland and New South ales are setting a good lead to the her States in the Commonwealth the matter of economy. Queens-ud initiated it by reducing the laries of their members of Parliaent, The Railways Commissioner South Wales commenced it hat State by agreeing to reduce his salary by half until such times as the finances of the railways warranted its being again increased, Now the New South wales Treasurer has proposed that a 10 per cent. reduction of salaries should take place' throughout the entire publi service of that State. It is also proposed that each public servant should take one week's holiday in every ten. In New South Wales as in Victoria there is a considerable namber of what are termed Porary employees" in the civil service. Many of these men have been employed for ten to twenty years and yet do not come under the term of permanent staff. In the ordinar course of events these unfortunate men are the first whose services are versed with and the permanent an, who is inclined to object to the proposed reduction of salaries fand the enforced holiday seems will: ing to allow the temporary man to lose his job. Any clear-thinking citizen naturally views the Tre surer's proposal as the better one of the two especially us the dis-pansing with the services of the temporary would mean a large number of men thrown on to the labour market which is already overflooded.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.