AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13363, 3 March 1909, Page 7

AUSTRALIA.

United Press Association —By Electrio Telcgr&.ih—Copyright. RAILWAY RATES. SYDNEY, March 2. A settlement lias been reached between New South Wales and Quensland on the vexed question of border railway races. PLAGUE RATS. Three more plague rats have been discovered about the wharves at Miller's Point and Darling Harbour. BROKEN HILL. In connection with an application from the Broken Hill Methodist Circuit for financial assistance while tho mining trouble la-suj, it was stated that witnin tlie past two years the population at. the Barrier hud decreased rrom 45,000 to 30,000. [According to a message to the "Sydney Alornmg Her aid" last week weo financial statement issued by the combuieKi unions showed that the total amount of strike funds received since January 4th was £11,940, oi which £8044 represented union donations, etc., and £.1831 union levees. T/no expenditure amounted to £10,531, leaving £14</<j in hand, the expenditure included i.W2I for the redemption of coupons -£0623 at Broken ±liU and £27!*' at Port Pirie. The coupons represented about £450 per week at Port Pirie and £974 per week in Broken Hill. Tnese sums covered a period of seven weeks as regards the Proprietary, and five weeks as regards Jbiock x\). Had these two mines been kept in mil work the wages paid in Broken mil and Port Pine would have amounted approximately to £88,800. - The mine employees had thus- lost about £78,200. Other industries in Broken Hiii, Port Pirie, and elsewhere had suffered in consequence of the strike, so it could be fairly assumed that the workers had already lost between £90,000 and £100,000 over the dispute."| FEDERAL REVENUE. MELBOURNE, March 2. The Federal Customs and Excise revenue for eight months is £7,817,535, as compared with £8,063,626 for the corresponding period- of last year. ' MUSIC IN AUSTRALIA. ADELAIDE, March 2. Madame Melba proposes to organise choral societies in the different States and arrange for a number of operatic productions under one of the best training masters in Europe. TASMANIAN REVENUE. HOBART, March 2. The Tasmanian revenue for eight months is £46,988 less than.that of the corresponding period of last year. MUTUAL LIFE AND CITIZENS' COMPANY. (Received March 3rd, 12.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, March 2. At -the annual meeting of the Mutual Life and' Citizens' Company, the chairman stated that the results secured had been the best on record. There had been- 11,485 new policies, assuring £1,878,294. The total number of policies in force was 265,561, assuring £18,850,000.