AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 16, 19 January 1905, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

EMPIRE DAY. (Received 9.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The Earl of Meath lias written to the Right Hon. G. H. Reid concurring in the suggestion that Empire Day should be celebrated on the King's Birthday.

* IMPROVING BIRTH-RATE.

(Received 9.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The births in New South Wales last year were 38,097, the largest number since 1897, the birth-rate being 26.77 per thousand, as compared with 25.28 in 1903.

PLAGUE-INFECTED RATS.

SYDNEY, January 18. More plague rats have been found in the vicinity of the outbreak at Clarence River. One was found to-day at the North Coast Company's wharf in Sydney. Precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease.

CYCLING.

Sl r DNEY~, January 18. The cycling carnival has begun here. The Summer Wheel Race resulted as follows: Lawson, 1; Ellegaard, 2; Clarke, 3. It was a splendid race, and a desperate finish. Won by a foot. Time, lm. 59 3-ss. International Half-mile: Ellegaard beat Farley by a length and a half. Time, lm. 5 1-os.

RECENT SHELL DISASTER.

SYDNEY, January 18. Admiral Fanshawe reports that a search made in Jervis Bay has resulted in the discovery of about forty practice projectiles and portions of others, but no dangerous shells were found. The space to the rear of the targets may be considered free, of live shells. There may be one or two stray shells in other parts of the bay, but he hopes there is no possibility of a recurrence of the recent accident in which a boy was killed while playing with these projectiles.

THE NEWCASTLE STRIKE.

SYDNEY, January 18. The hearing of the cases against the Newcastle wheelers has been postponed on the application of the Crown till Friday. Counsel for the wheelers intimated that they intended to refuse to plead in order to raise the question of jurisdiction. The general situation remains unchangedT The mine officials arid the representatives of the Employers' Federation will meet to-morrow to discuss the Attorney-General's proposal to resume work. It is rumoured that a proposal will be submitted to the miners' delegate boards which, if adopted, will settle the strike within a day. The opinion is expressed that the only possible way of achieving this will be for the miners to decline to support the striking wheelers.