Thus we may expect to see an increased Labour activity in the State Legislatures, which perform much of the work which in England is done by Municipalities, and less in the Federal Parliament.
This need occasion no alarm. The States are many years behind Great Britain in their social legislation, and most of the measures in the programme of the Labour Party (e.g., workmen's compensation, taxation of land values, better inspection of factories, and better sanitary laws) have either been for many years the law of England, or are advocated by one or other of the political parties. All these proposals are denounced as 'Socialism' in Australia.
The timid, indeed, may take heart from the experience of New South Wales, where there is simply no evidence that the legislation which has been supported by the Labour Party has had any prejudicial effect upon capital or industry. Capitalists have grumbled, as Englishmen always will, but the statistics of our industries show a steady growth both in the amount of capital invested and in the output. Even during the depression caused by the unprecedented drought, the industries affected by the Arbitration Act showed a steady expansion; while no manufacturer or other person has ever yet adduced evidence to the Court that an award has worked harshly, although the request for complaints of this nature has been repeatedly and publicly made. Yet, to judge by the vague declarations of politicians and leader writers, one would imagine every industry was being throttled. It may be so—indeed, it must be if the newspapers say so—but the official returns, which are supplied by the manufacturers themselves, furnish no evidence in the affirmative, and much to the contrary. It would be idle to quote figures, which change from year to year and are open to misconstruction, because the latest information is always available to any inquirer at the office of the Agent-General for New South Wales, Victoria Street, Westminster. During all the period, too, that New South
