OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 244, 8 January 1889, Page 3

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

[from oub own cobbespondent.J th* holidays: capital and labor. Sydnxy, Dec. 24. Ih order to get my share of the general holiday-making, I am writing a day or two earlier than usual. This, however, will not matter very much, for all the world is far too busy merrymaking to have much time for “ making history ” —in other words, for making materials for paragraphs. Business, banking, even restless and unquiet politics, are all Buffering from suspended animation. Only the caterers for amusement are busy, and reaping a harvest, and those who have to furnish means of transit to theatre, or concert, or picnic, or excursion. I must not except, however, the unfortunate newspaper man, who deems himself fortunate if he can manage to suspend publication for a single issue. Anent this question of holidays, I Cannot help remarking that those who do the least work seem to come off the best and those who do the most work are very scurvily treated. The Civil Servant, the bank clerk, and so on, get the beet-part of a week on fall pay. Humbler workers have to be content with what they can get, and have their pay docked. I don’t want to be cynical in the midst of general festivity, but I can’t help remarking that it will be much happier for the community generally when there is a little Bore equity in these matters. A curious correspondence has been going on in the press on the subject. A large number of writers, all presumedly of the salaried class, urged strenuously that Monday should he a general holiday. Their employers, whose rents and bills know no holidays, objected quite as strongly. To many of them, before Christmas Day gave hopes of a to which they have long been strangers thought the pertinacity of the holi?*iy agitators very inconsiderate. In most Instances, however, the employees had their way—a fact which exemplifies once more the fair growing power of the labor element—which bids to dictate its own terms very shortly if, indeed, in the meantime it has not driven capital out of the field. The great predilection, too, which is shown for “ billets ” by young men whose ability and energy show them to be capable of far better things, is a disquieting sign of the times, showing as it does that the avenues to success in private enterprise, with which every new country ought to abound, are largely monopolised or closed up. This is a question much more worthy the attention of our legislators than the perennial feud between the "ins” and the “outs.” POLITICAL “JOBBERS.” The last named redoubtable personages have been having a very lively time indeed. Following the snub which was given to the Government by the hostile vote on their proposal to lease the tramways, the report of a select commission appointed to enquire into the making of roads on private property at the public expense has caused another scandal. The commission has not yet finished taking evidence, and strenuous efforts were made by those of its members who were supporters of the Government to prevent the pablication of a progress report, permission being obtained only by the casting vote of ths chairman, who is a violent Oppositionist. When the report was laid on the table of the House, an effort was made by Mr McMillan, a member of the commission and a supporter of the Government, to prevent it being printed until the whole of the evidence had been taken. In the meantime, however, the Opposition organ, the Star, by some means which may be easily conjectured, got hold of the report, and published it in a late edition in full. Then came a comical piece of business. The Premier was raging. He declared that the report must have been in the printers’ hand? before it was presented to the House, and La moved that the publisher of the Star be called to the bar of the House to answer for his breach of privilege and to state from whom he obtained the document. Now this was a motion which in the present state of parties it would take some weeks to discuss, and very reluctantly Sir Henry recognised this stubborn fact and withdrew bis motion. Mr McMillan, also, found himself checkmated >7 the publication of the report in the Star and withdrew his opposition to its being printed. This was a bit of sharp practice ” on the part of the Opposition and the Government declare that they have been unfairly treated. But the public, who are interested in knowing the facts and knowing them as soon as possible, are thankful that a little light has been let in on what appears to be a very shady transaction. The enquiry might have lasted till the Greek kalends* it the Government had had their way. As it is, it seems established beyond the possibility of doubt that some forty or fifty miles of roads have been made through private property by the unemployed—made too, on the most elaborate scale, like the walks, one witness said, in the Botanic Gardens, thereby laying out the estate like a park, and immensely enhancing its value. It goes without saying that Ministers and members of Parliament are very largely in this ” swim,” as they are in most others. Formerly it used to be thought that the advantage of being in a position to get prior information as to where railways were going to run, or where minerals had been found, was sufficient reward for the ardent patriot who wished to increase his wealth while serving his country. But the appetite tor dishonest gain is not by any - means delicate or scrupulous. Therefore, we must not be surprised when more pronounced developments come to light. The present Government came into office on the

cry of “honest administration.” So far as they have got, however, there does not seem to be a great deal to choose between them and their predecessors. “ NOSE SO BLIND AS THOSE WHO WON’T SEE.” It is of course gratifying to note that, even by his most rabid detractors, the name of the Premier has never been mixed up with the “ jobs ” with which his colleagues are assailed. Still, the supineness which permits jobbery may be as detrimental to the public interest] as the roguery which commits it. Without venturing to assert that the rumors with which the air is filled are relations of sober fact, I think few persons can be found to maintain that the Premier’s action or inaction divests him of his proper share of responsibility for their existence. The colleagues of a reforming Minister ought, likeCtesar’s wife, to be-above suspicion. But when the names of the ministerial team were first announced, it was felt that with one or two of them at least, something very like a miracle would have to be wrought before so happy a desideration could be attained. But this was perhaps inevitable. Ths species " Minister ”is a suborder of the genus “ politician.” And the whole of the genus seem to be liberally tarred with the same brush.

- BISHOP BABBY’S BESIGNATION. Bishop Barry has definitely announced his resignation, much to the regre’. of those who rejoiced in seeing so learned, so able, and liberal a prelate at the head of the Anglican denomination. By many, it is loudly declared that if more disposition had been shown by the different sections of that great body to work cordially and harmoniously together, the Primate would have remained in his colonial see. It cannot be denied that gratuitous difficulties were thrown in his way by the illtimed bitterness of party zeal, particularly in the matter of the Cathedral raredos. But as Dr Barry’s reason for retirement is the illhealth of his wife, who is compelled by it tc reside in England, it does not appear thai under any circumstances his stay could hav< boen much prolonged. A little more “ sweet, ness and light ” on the part of the Lov Church secretaries would have smoothed tbi Biskbp’s path, no doubt. But it wouh hardly have affected his good lady's health, o: modified the Australian dimatejto a sufficien extent to enable her to live in it.