*THE WORKER* Brisbane, October 19, 1895. Smoko-Ho.

*THE WORKER*

BRISBANE, OCTOBER 19, 1895.

Smoko-Ho.

THE Mackay  Workers’ concert and ball on the 1st October was a huge success.

IT is rumoured that Virgil Power and Arthur Rutledge are to be elevated to the Bench.

THE Salvation Army have raised£13,750 from their week of self-denial this year in Australia and New Zealand.

THE deposits in the Queensland Government Savings’ Bank increased last month by£24,036 9s. 5d. Put your money in this bank, citizens. You never know what is going to happen to a bank owned by “shindicators.”

THE contractor again! A telegram from Paris says that army contractors are perpetrating frauds on the State. Those who get others to do what they can better do themselves are sure to be robbed.

THE Mayor of Townsville is having quite a rosy time of it. Alderman M. Kiernan moved, and Alderman Lowry seconded, “That the mayor has not the confidence of the Council.” Carried. Then his worship snorted.

THE various newsboys of Brisbane have subscribed the sum of£4 9s. 6d. which they have generously handed over to the mother of the boy Cross who was run over by a cab and killed in Queen-street on the 26th ultimo. The newsboys know well how to sympathise.

THE Toowong W.P.O. is arranging a social to be held in aid of the WORKER Enlargement Fund. The Boot Trade Minstrels also talk of giving assistance to the WORKER by holding a concert in about five week’s time. Other kindred societies please note.

IT is said that an understanding has been arrived at between the Q. N. Bank and the Government regarding the fixed deposits of Government funds which were reconstructed. The deposits, it is hinted, are to be released conditionally that  certain railways are to be at once proceeded with and a fresh loan obtained.

IN Leith the Town Council lately erected the first of a series of comfortable and commodious lodging-houses at a cost of nearly£8000. This is too much against the interests of land-lordism, which is moving the  Government of Great Britain with the object of preventing the erection of Socialistic buildings by the Leith corporation..

THE Education Department has gazetted new school regulations, according to which the minimum age at which children may be sent to school is reduced from six years to five years, and the subscription lists for maintenance and repairs of buildings formerly issued by the school committees are done away with. (The general election is at hand !)

THE MelbourneChampionis doing some good work in the interests of sweated and underpaid wage-workers. If we all could stick to battling for the poor and also the unemployed, we should do much towards solving the Labour problem. The misfortune is the anti-Labour politicians generally succeed in dragging red herrings across the trail.

MISS Grace, one of the members of the  Cosme Settlement, in Paraguay, received£70 from friends to take her back to Australia. She at once decided not to accept the money. Lane asked her to reconsider her decision, the result being that at the end of ten days she still adhered to her determination to remain in the settlement and refused the money.

PROFESSOR E. W. Bernis. professor of political economy at theUniversity of Chicago, has been requested to resign from that institution because “he has declared in public addresses and papers that the semi-public corporations which enjoy franchises in the streets should pay for the privileges given them by the people and that not to do so amounts to robbery.”

SIR Henry Parkesdoesintend to get married shortly. We do not know whether it will be deemed to his credit or not that the reasons are financial, not sexual. Parkes has always denied that the late Edward Flood left him£500 a year. He has never denied that Flood left£500 a year to Lady Parkes, “whoever she may be.” during the life of the veteran. -Australian Workman.

THOS. Glassey passed through Maryborough last Monday, after a visit to Bundeburg. We noticed his literature consisted of “Merrie England” and “The Humanitarian.” In the carriage next him  rode a member of the Legislative Council and three swells, all bitteropponents of the Labour Party, and their literature comprised a pack of cards, two flasks of whisky, theCourier, Figaro, the Hawk, - The Patriot.

ALDERMAN Ned  Lowry summoned Alderman M’Kiernan at the Townsville police court on a charge  of taking part in a misappropriation of municipal funds. Mr. M’Kiernan being chairman of the meeting when£40 was voted to the mayor for the purpose of entertaining his Excellency the Governor. Lowry conducted his own case like a Trojan, but unfortunately the case was dismissed with costs against him. Ned deserves credit for his action on behalf of the ratepayers and if he only keeps pegging away on this line he will either defeat the fat  men aldermen  or drive them into a lunatic asylum.

SOCIALISM in our time is making rapid progress in the city of Glasgow. After twelve months’ working of the trams under municipal control the weekly receipts have increased over£1000, notwithstanding the substantial reductions in the hours of employe’s, increases in pay, and reduction of the fares to half penny sections, and the surplus profits will be applied to further public convenience and happiness. The gasworks shows the immense sum of over£640,000 for twelve months’ profitable operations, in consequence of which a further reduction in price to consumers has been ordered. The price is now reduced to 2s. 4d. per 1000ft. We hope Brisbane aldermen will adopt the Socialistic policy of the Glasgow Council.