AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 174, 23 July 1909, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

(By Cable.—rress Association.—Coryrlght.) {Received 1.50 a.m.) MELBOURNE, this day. Sir Frederick Holder, Speaker of the House of Representatives, was to-day attacked by a sudden seizure. His condition is serious. In the House of Representatives to-day j Sir Win. Lyne moved in favour of a bill Ito remove tariff anomalies. The debate was adjourned. j An amendment was made in tbe Old I Age Pensions Bill removing restrictions on Asiatics receiving pensions. j Mr. Deakin promised sympathetic conI sidervtion to a suggestion to place a provisioned lifeboat on Middleton Reef. The Federal Government has decided to provide £5000 towards a prize for an aeroplane suitable for war purposes, conditional on the public providing a similar amount. The gold yield last year was 721,2200z, gross value £2,8;")0,Oo"o—a decrease of 33,0500z gross, mainly owing to the closing of some of the deep lead mines. Victoria's output since the discovery of gold is 66,484,1320z, valued at over 282 millions. Mt. Lyell returns from June 17 to July 14 inclusive show that 29,555 tons of ore were treated, also seven tons of purchased ore. The converters produced 080 tons of blister copper, containing—copper 671 tons, silver 54,1 lloz, gold 851oz. The Bent Land Commission completed its report. It is understood that it exonerates the ex-Premier and finds he didn't benefit by the land transactions. SYDNEY, July 22. A court-martial was held on the flagship to-day, Lieutenant Ford, first lieutenant of H.M.S. Pioneer, being charged with desertion. He missed his passage by the Pioneer at Wellington, when the vessel sailed for Sydney, and was ordered to lose two years' seniority, and to be dismissed his ship, and to be severely reprimanded. For the first time on record, the gross earnings of the railways for the year just ended exceeded £5,000,000. The Premier (Mr Wade) declined to entertain a proposal that the Government subsidise £ for £ public subscriptions to the Dreadnought fund on the understanding that the money is handed to the Commonwealth for local defence. ADELAIDE, this day. Crime statistics show a steady decrease in the number of prisoners. The figures last year were the best on record, the prison population being 219, compared with 246 in the previous year. Parliament was opened yesterday. The Governor's speech foreshadowed three new railways to open up agricultural areas, a progressive land tax, compulsory purchase bill, and reference of the Murray waters question to the law courts. The House adjourned till Tuesday. The Labour party has decided to submit a no-confidence motion. BRISBANE, this day. Mr. Whittingham, who recently visited New Zealand to inquire into the frozen meat trade, was greatly impressed by the Dominion's methods. He is satisfied that they could be profitably followed by Queensland,