Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-11

Cotter, Queanbeyan, and Molonglo
But the more that part of the world
is examined the less hopeful 1t ap-
pears
The Typographical report furnished
to the minister for home affairs by G.
S. Scrivener, a surveyor of the New
South Wales lands department, is un-
favorable in every respect. Each OF
the streams is described as incapable
of providing a supply of water suffi-
cient for both domestic and electric
power purposes. The country through
which a railway connecting the pro-
posed capital with the sea at Pervis
bay would pass is of such poor quail
ity that Mr.. Scrivener thinks the in
vestment would be a poor one; and TO
make Jervis bay a suitable harbor
would in his opinion, involve an un-
justiflable expenditure.
Effect Depressing
These views have naturally had
rather a depressing effect on the spirits
of those who favor the Yass-Canberra
locality, and resolute efforts are being
made in New South Wales to depre-
ciate Mr.. Scrivener's qualifications for
the work he undertook. He is repre-
sented as having started with strong
prepossession in favor of Dalgety and
charged with deliberately selecting the
least favorable site at -Canberra,
and then going out of his way to con-
denim it.
His conclusions and opinions will
have to undergo the strict scrutiny
of a committee appointed to frame
final recommendations for parliament;
but they are not reassuring in the
meantime as regards the latest find
of the capital hunters" Later re-
ports, however, go to indicate that, Mr.
Scrivener Notwithstanding, the federal
capital will rise on the ground of Yass-
Canberra.
The commonwealth parliament no
longer possesses a monopoly Of public
attention. The labor party, sore and
sulky, continues to harness the gov
ernment by attempts to count out the
house and other petty devices for an
noyance. so far without success. Its
members rise one by one to indulge
in time wasting TRADES of personal
abuse, less and less reported as they
become staler. A growing impauence
is felt with the placid Indifference to
these provocations displayed by Prime
Minister Deakin, whose Fabian tactics
are little to the taste of the aggressive
sections of his supporters in and out
of parliament. If patience Is polite
at present it is not politically inter-
esting or stimulating to the public.
Murmurs are heard, especially from
"stalwarts' in New South Wales, who
have recently joined him principally in
order to put the caucus in its proper
place. "War to the knife" having been
tempestuously declared by the labor
leader, it seems strange that the threat
should be met with quiet and indif-
ference as if it were only the tantrum
of a froward child. Certainly the he
roles of the platform dwindle when re-
delivered in the federal chambers;
they are evidently more feebly reared
and sometimes threaten to die away
into the ordinary dullness of purpose
less debate. Yet the situation is just
as serious as ever.
Labor Party Isolated
The Labor party is isolated, fighting
with it's back against the wall, and
conscious that an election next year
is full of peril for all its members in
all the states. The leagues are ready
for contest today-can scarcely hope
to be better prepared; know their ad-
versaries are not yet really united and
are wholly unprepared for an immedi-
q F Everything combines to convince
them that "now's the day and now's
the hour" for a dissolution. Their
battering rams are in full swing
against the new governments incom-
plete battlements. 1t must be most
exasperating to find their blows met
not by resounding reprisals. but by the
soft methods which, if they do not turn
away wrath, make it's violence appear
idle and ridiculous
AS the danger of a premature dis
solution gradually recedes from view
the labor members threats of whole
sale obstruction are being qualified and
conditioned. The. want of confidence
debate drags tediously. The man in
the tram turns from the newspaper
reports of it even in their abbreviated
form under the impression the federal
crisis has passed 1t does appear to
be passing.
Under present conditions no form of
alliance between Mr.. Deakin and Mr.
Fisher in parliament could prevent or
mitigate the bitter opposition which
Fishers party in the constituencies is
determined to give to the election of
any of Deakin's supporters.
Among the counter attractions Of
fered to citizens who are politically