MISCELLANEOUS CABLES

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16547, 12 June 1919, Page 7

MISCELLANEOUS CABLES

« The price of gas has teen increased in Sydney to 4s 7d per 1000 feet. The Labour Conference continues in Sydney amidst the rowdy sections, bnt little "actual business has been done. It is stated in Vienna that General von Mackensen is leading the Hungarians against the Czecho-Slovaks. It is reported from "Washington that Illinois State unanimously ratified the Woman's Suffrage amendment. It is announced that the British and Federal Governments aro to Bpend £50.000 each on exploring the Papuan oilfields. The Bendiojo-Melbourne express train, while travelling at a fast rat© between Harconrt and Castlemain, plungbd down a steep embankment. Fourteen people were injured, but not seriously. Paul Freeman, the minor who is detained in Sydney, as an undesirable, has started a second hunger strike, and is taking nothing excepting lemon juice and water. He declares that water does him no good, while the lemon juice will make hie blood poorer. It is now believed in Melbourne that the man found dead on the roof of a railway carriage, climbed there to escape the ticket inspector. The oscillation and smoke caused sickness and the regurgitation of food, vhich choked him. A disastrous moorland fire between Aysgarth and Mash am, in Yorkshire, has ratted for four days. Ten square miles of country has already been swept barren. Many sheep have been suffocated and roasted, and thousands of birds destroyed, mostly fledglings. It is expected (says a London message} that a modified form of premium bonds will bo introduced in respect of the coming Victory Loan, which aims at misinc £1.000,000.000. There will probiblv he annual drawingswherrby ths bonds drawn will be redeemed with the bonus. The "Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" states that if the Chinese Peace Conference at. Shanghai fails to compose tho internal differences, it is likely that the Great Powers will tell tho Peking and Canton Governments that Chinese peace ,and unity must be re-established before the Powers assist China to develop her resources. Disquieting anti-Japanese demonstrations are reported in the Yangtse Vallev, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Canton. A resolute boycott of Japanese shipping in many centres is gradually affecting the imports of Euronean poods. This is a resnlt of the Peace Conference's solution of ther Shantung problem.