AUSTRALIAN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2842, 7 December 1892, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

MILITARY RETRENCHMENT.

Sydney, Decembers. The Government intend to make large reductions in the military estimates, in which they will he guided to a considerable extent by the report of the recent Commission.

THE BROKEN Klhh UNEMPLOYED.

The Premier has requested the South Australian Government to convey the Broken Hill unemployed at reduced rates to places where they are likely to obtain employment at harvesting. Sir 3. W. Downer declined to do so, and Sir G. R. Dibbs has. sent an offisial to deal with the question, and send the unemployed at Government expense to any pla.ce where they can get employment, whether in South Australia or Viotoria. Sydney, December 6. A deputation, including thirty-one members of Parliament, presented a petition to the Minister of Justice today, asking for a remission of the sentence passed on the leaders of the Broken Hill strike. The - Minister made a vigorous reply, saying that he did not consider the sentences excessive, The men had taken the law into their own hands, and he declined to treat them differently from others who had broken the Jaw. It would be a farce to release them after serving five weeks only, Their offence demanded something more than merely nominal punishment There has been a heavy fall in silver shares. The Proprietary dropped 15s, and Biock 10, 12s 6d.

THE HARVEST,

The wheat harvest i» expected to reaph 7,17 6,000 bushels with an average of 16| bushels to the acre, the highest on record. It is estimated that 7,250,Q0Q bushels will be required for consumption, and 620,000 bushels for seed purposes,

VICTORIAN FINANCE.

Melbourne, December 5. The rovenue for the first five months of the financial year shows a decrease tf j£l 89,000, as compared with the cqrrespqndmg period of the previous year..