Journal of the Parliaments of the Empire. Vol. I., No.
2. [Empire Parliamentary Association, Westminster Hall. 7s. 8d. net.)—Mr. Howard d'Egville has issued the second part of this valuable quarterly Journal with commendable punctuality. The summary of the session at Westminster up to Easter is well dome, but of course British readers will turn. first to the excellent summaries of the proceedings at Ottawa, Melbourne, Wellington, and Cape Town. In this part, too, there are some interesting pages on the Australian State Parliaments. A New South Wales Act provides " that every employer shall give preference in employment in any profession, business or industry to a returned soldier or sailor who is capable of performing such employment, as against any other person offering his services at the same time." What wouldthose of onr trade unions who seek to boycott ex,soldiers say to this Act ? A Victorian Licensing Act makes the war restrictions permanent, allowing the sale of drink only between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. A Queensland Workers' Homes Ant defines a " worker " as " a person who is employed In work of any kind and who is not the owner of a dwelling-house In Queensland or elsewhere, and whose net income does not exceed £280 per annum." The definition, drafted by a Labour Government, would of course exclude hundreds of thousands of our miners, railwaymen, cotton operatives and others from the class of " workers." A similar New Zealand Act defines a " worker " as " any person employed in any capacity in any Industry or calling, whether by an employer or on his own account "—in other words, every able-bodied citizen. The debates on questions of the franchise, naturalisation and the admission of former enemy aliens into Canada and Australia deserve notice. Indeed, the Journal is full of instructive and important matter.
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