Assorted News April 20, 1895.

*THE WORKER*

BRISBANE April 20, 1895.

Smoke-Ho.

Ten acres of land is considered a large farm in Japan.

THE latest rendering of an old motto; “Do others and see that they don't do you.”

“A STARVING man has a natural right to his neighbour's bread.” - CARDINAL MANNING.

Peter White, A.W.U. delegate, was from latest advices, in the hospital at Hughenden, and not at all well.

THE director of the Sydney Benevolent Asylum makes a special appeal for charity so as to save 1000 children from starvation!

MORETON Frewen, the bimetallism lecturer, now in Melbourne, has such faith in the prospect of an increase in silver values that he has purchased the Central Broken Hill Co. for an American syndicate at £1 per share, or £150,000.

THE Rev. A. C. Hoggins (of St. Barnabas', Ithaca) will deliver another lecture in the Trades Hall on Saturday evening, the 20^th April, entitled “The Dismal Science and its Transformation.” The lecturer deserves a large audience.

SINCE the A.W.U. started a co-operative store at Hughenden, rations are quite 25 percent, cheaper than before the store was established. If small co-operative efforts can do this, what might be done by municipal and State co-operation, in other words by Socialism?

AT a conference of the Independent Parliamentary labour party of Great Britain it was decided that a tax on all unearned incomes should be advocated with a view of providing a State pension for all persons over 50 years of age, also for disabled workers and widows.

Mr. George Black, M.P., in a lecture on “Individualism” at Leigh House, Sydney, quoted the following: “Communism means to every man according to his need; Socialism means to every man according to his deed; Individualism means to every man according to his greed.”

W.C. CURTIS, Secretary A.W.U., says he will be satisfied when the drapery department of the co-operative store is in full swing – that is, as near satisfied as he ever intends to be. He bars a man who is satisfied, as he appears to be only a little removed from a fat bullock running in a good paddock.

Jack Hoolan's Mundic Miner referring to the Townsville Herald says; “During good times it cracked up anything and everything, and when hard times arrives it sits in the ashes and utters barren curses on the Labour Party. Well, this portion of the labour party curses back at it heartily and unmistakably.”

BISHOP Thornton objected to the performance of a skirt dance at a church bazaar, and the “dander of the ladies is riz.” The ladies' committee has forwarded a letter to the Bishop calling attention to his utterances, and asking him to state definitely wherein they have sinned. Skirts will be a lot of trouble to that Bishop yet.

A RAID has been made by the municipal authorities in Brisbane on the shops of several respectable grocers, and sundry weights and scales have been seized for not being up to the standard of avoirdupois. Cheating customers by light weights is not considered robbery in the ordinary sense by some of the unco guid. “It is merely a matter of trade.”

DURING the festivities held in Longreach on the occasion of Governor Norman's visit it was remarked that all the eatables and drinkables required for the various gorges (with the exception of ginger beer and lemonade – which were not in great demand) were fetched up from the coast. Even the ladies required as partners at the squatters' ball were imported for the occasion.

GRANT Allen's new book entitled “The Women Who Did” is likely to produce a great sensation in the reading world. It is the story of a woman who, though pure and spotless, refuses to bind herself by any marriage ceremony, religious or secular. Stead, in the Review of Reviews, severely condemns it, and even hints that it will be the death of Mr. Allen's literary reputation.

CHAS. R. Wilde was brought before a St. Kilda (Vic) court for not paying a fine of 17s. for keeping an unregistered dog. He said that he was only earning 8s. a week at Gippsland, and his wife hawked goods from door to door. He had now no worldly possessions, having recently been sold out. A few years ago, as their worships knew, he was worth £20,000, but the banks had ruined him completely.

Sir Chas. Lilley and Sir Bruce Burnside, arbitrators in the great dispute between the New Zealand Government and the Midland Railway Company, have adjourned the case owing to the difficulty of finding a suitable umpire of equal rank with themselves. What is wrong with the women of New Zealand ? Cannot one of them be selected as umpire? This would get over the difficulty of rank and establish a precedent as well.

THE fat man Socialism in our time recently met in combat in the Melbourne City Council. It was over the question whether the council should undertake the lighting of private premises with electricity. The fat persons, with tears in their voices, trotted out all their stale arguments about private enterprise and competition, but with no avail. So far as electric lighting in Melbourne is concerned Socialism in our time has come to stay.

THE attempt on the part of the Courier to make the Labour party responsible for the failure (if failure it be) of New Australia is mean and cowardly. Communism and Socialism have no real connection with each other. Socialism is already to some extent an established fact, as witness the post office and other State departments; Communism is a lofty ideal which can only be realised by perfect men and women. The fact that men can not fly is not exactly evidence that they cannot walk.

AT a meeting of the Hughenden Town Council and some of the towns people an effort was made to get some of the ratepayers' money for drinking purposes for the Ministerialists visiting town. The mayor and Alderman Curtis objected, so admirers had to feed the Government party. It was argued by one alderman that if ratepayers' money were spent in shouting for the Premier and party, the money would come back threefold. What an exalted opinion these men must have of the Government when they declare they could be bought with food and drink?

AT the meeting of the Wellington (N.Z.) Eight Hours' Demonstration Committee it was proposed to elect Mr. D. P. Fisher a life member of the committee, but there being no provision in the rules to meet the case, the by-law committee was instructed to draft an amendment in the direction required. This honour is well deserved, for no one has worked harder in this and other causes pertaining to the betterment of the condition of workers, organised or unorganised, than Dave, who has served us well in every office from the lowest to the very highest. Dave Fisher, of the Typo. Society! Why, it is easily remembered that he was president of the Maritime Council, of the Trades Council, the Typo. Society, the Seaman's Union, and other bodies at one and the same time. A first-class organiser, too. Yes, this is the least honour that can be paid you, Dave. D.P.F. Holds a frame in the time-room of the Government Printing Office. His many friends and acquaintances 'neath the Southern Cross will be interested in this par.