AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2553, 30 August 1915, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

HOPELESSLY AT FAULT CRITICISM OF DEFENCE - ' OFFICERS Bj Telegraph—Pross Association—Co ' Melbourne, August 28. In tho House, Mr. Finlayson, member, for Brisbane, commenting on the - Defence 'Department, alleged that there \ had been misapplication of funds and misplacing of orders at the' outbreak of war. The Ministers. and officers lost their heads. After a year of organisation they were still hopelessly at fault. , The conditions revealed at Liverpool were no worse than at other camps. The control of supplios, works, and tilings necessary for carrying out thd'.defence system, apart from the. actual prepar- '. ing of troops, ought to be' taken out of the hands of the Department, which .was absolutely incapable., •■. ■ ' INCREASED POSTAGE RATES. % ■ Melbourne! August 28. .]■. In the House, the l'ostraaster-Gen-eral (Hon. W, G, Spence) introduced a Bill to increase the inter-State telegraphic rates, also the newspaper rates for magazines, reviews, serials, newspapers, and catalogues printed and pub- , lished outside Australia. The rate is increased from a halfpenny for foui) , ounces to a halfpenny for two ounccs. EARLY CLOSING OF HOTELS. Adelaide, August 23. _ The Assembly has passed' the Sit ; o'Clock. Hotel Closing . Bill without amendment. ' , 1 ' Perth, August'2B. In' the Assembly, the Bill providing for a referendum on tie early closing of hotels was read a second time. . : MACHINE CUNS. Sydney, August 28. The Government te ordered the manufacture of ten machine guiis at the Walsh. Island works. v .. ——— ■ ■ ■' v , DEFENCE LEAGUE FORMED.' ' Sydney, August 28. An Australian Defence League has been formed. Its object is the excluding of Germans from civil, military, and Parliamentary appointments, and boy? cotting German trade. WHEAT SHIPMENTS. Melbourne, August 28. The Attorney-General (Hon. W. M. Hughes) states that tlie agreement witn Gibbs, Bright, and Company, and the Elder, Smith Company m regard to wheat shipment included a chartering remuneration of fourpence J?er ton mstead of a commission of o per cent., which is returnable to the Common- . wealth. The' fee paid the firms is .subject to revision after half a' million tons have been chartered. PRICE OF BUTTER REDUCED.Brisbane, August 28. ■ The merchants have reduced the wholesale price of butter to 1405.. which, is £18 per ton;below the price m tho Proclamation. AUSTRALIA'S FICHTINC FLEET. LAUNCH OF A DESTROYER. (Rec. August 29j 3.50 p.m.) ; Sydney, August 29. ; The destroyer Torrens has been 'sue- . cessfully launched.. Her sister ships, the Derwent and Swan, will be ready, for their steam trials and launching re-: ■ spcctively in oil© month's; and two. 1 month's time; The cruiser Brislwua ' will b'o launched in October. ' . ' BROKEN HILL MINERS. • 'A COMPULSORY CONFERENCE, ' . [ Sydnoy, August 27. . , "In connection with the Broken Hill , miners' demands, the. Judge of tie Arbitration Court: has summoned tha Miners! Unions to a compulsory confer- . ence in Melbourne, conditional that there is no. cessation of work.. OBITUARY. s . (Rec. August 20, 3.50 p.m.) : Sydney, August 29.: . ' . Frank politician and pasJ toralist. . •