Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-04-15
Experiment of Government
In Operation Under
The Southern Cross

laide. South Australia, before his dc.
parture for home in the steamer Ven
iura, after spending vacation Of
three weeks in Honolulu, as the guest
of Mr. James Lyle kindly granted an
! interview ~ a Bulletin representative
upon experiments of government in
I Australia. New departures in popular
government made in the different self
governing colonies of Auetralasia, and
latterly in the federation known as the
| Commonwealth of Australia, are topics
Of worldwide interest. Mr.. Kirby gave
the following succinCt body of infor-
nation in reply to a series of ques-
tons:
LAND LAWS.
The IOrrens system of land titles
and registration was first formulated
and became law in South Australia at
the instance of Sir Richard TOrrcns.
II is one unmodified system throughout
Australia and gives abundant satisfaC-
ton. Lands granted by the crown be-
fore the enactment of the Act may be
brought under the new system and are
generally brought under but not In all
cases.
Corporations Go Hungry.
Since responsible government there
have not been any grants to corpora
tons or railways of large or small
areas Of land. The national policy is
for the State to own railways, trans,
wharyes and water supply.
uG,uth At,gtruII,, L. -, gp-
cure the completion of the twelve hun
dred mile gap between her Northern
railway and the Port Darwin railway
by means of an immense grant Of many
millions of acres Of Land. But the rest
Of Australia resents this.
Graziers and Settlers.
I'm the outside districts land Is held
on lease for ~ years for grazing pur-
poses. In the settlement areas land is
sold by the state at from two and a
half to five dollars per acre, with TWEEN
~ years TO pay the purchase money
! But near the cities the Government is
bringing back great estates, cutting
them up and selling to the farmer at
five per cent per annum on the pur-
chase money. This is a perpetual rent
but there Is a movement to allow the
farmer in these cases to buy the free
hold. The sale by the large land own
ers at present Is optional. but there Is
a strong move 10 give the power 10
compel TO sell large landed estates foI
division.
Working Mems Homes.
, Apart from this is the Working
Mems Block Act Of South Australia
which enables the government in the
ueighborhoOd of towns and cities "a
buy land and to sell or perpetually lease
blocks of say two acres on which the
man must reside, and which he must
improve and cultivate. Some thou.
sands, of working men in South Aus,
tralia are on these blocks. 1t has made
them very comfortable and taken them
away from the drink and has been d
great mOraliZer.
Taxing Unimproved Values.
South Australia and New South
Wales have tax ON the unimproveC
, land values according to Henry George
and do not find the slightest difficulty
in working 1t. Henry George came tC
Adelaide and examined the govern
ment books, as South Australia was
the first place in the world to put his
system to the test, and he was charmed
10 see how easily 1t could be worked
Our State is perfectly satisfied with il
and will never again tax improvements
, till 1t has fully exhausted unimprOveC
land values
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
Municipal government only par
TALLY prevails in Australia but Soutl
, Australia, being founded by Englisl
Radicals and full of political ideas an'
reflections, has a complete system 0
city, district and county government.
Social Philanthropy.
- Without adopting socialism as
doctrine the people Of Australia ar
filled with the idea that the communit,
: should help the individual. Through
out Australia there is a system of pub
J. lie hospitals to which the poor can e
, and obtain first class nursing and ply
sicians free Of charge. Benefit socie
llSS' SoipoIdtlOubI etC', suDSCIlDe an
obtain tickets for each subscription q
Q five dollars which entitle one patien
TO entrance.
e old-Aee Pensions.
IN Victoria, New South Wales an
New Zealand there are old age pen
sions for all men and women owe
sixty-five years OF age who need tn
!. same. The feeling in favor OF thes
J. is so strong that we all expect tn
a commonwealth government to max
J. the pension national The pension ma
i. be made payable to hospitals an