AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 97, 21 October 1904, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. FEDERAL CABINET'S VIEWS. (Received October 21, 10.25 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. The Federal Cabinet approves of the establishment of an Empire Day, but prefers to celebrate the King's Birthday rather than swell the already long list of holidays by holding a Queen Victoria Day. MARRIAGE WITF DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER. REPRESENTATIONS TO IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT. MELBOURNE, This Day. The Federal Government intends to make earnest representations to the Imperial Government to take steps to recognise, in England the legality of marriages with a deceased wile's sister contracted in the colonies. OLD-AGE PENSIONS. MELBOURNE, This Day. The Federal Hou&e of Representatives has appointed a Select Committee 1 to report on the best means of establishing old-age pensions in the Commonwealth. FEDERAL POLITICAL SITUATION. THE TARIFF COMMISSION. MELBOURNE, This Day. It is understood that the Labour Caucus has decided to support Mr. leaaos in his threatened attack on the Government on the proposed appointment of a Tariff Commission. fit was announced some time ago that an agreement had been effected between the Liberal-Protectionists, aa governed by Mr. Isaacs, and the Labour Caucus, as represented bjj Senators Higgs and Pearce, under which, .it will be competent for the allied parties to raise the .fiscal issue, and, if they should reach the Treasury benches, to propose to remodel . fhe tariff in a number of ways. It was not intended under this arrangement to make a general revision. The work was expected to be confined' to a number of duties on industries which, more particularly in Victoria, are said to have been struck badly by, and are now languishing under, tie Federal tariff. One of the difficulties in the way of an agreement was the objection which might be raised by the freetraders in the Labour Party to any increase iiPthe tariff. It was in view of this, and in view, also, of the need for the two sections of the caucus to agree, that Mr. Higgs and Mr. Pearce were chosen as the representatives of the party. Mr. Higgs is a strong protectionist', and Mr. Pearce a strong freetrader. The understanding arrived at was considered to be sufficiently elastic to enable both the freetrade and the protectionist labour men to subscribe to it. It was to the effect that the freetraders were not to be restricted in their attitude towards individual duties. That is to say, they should have the right reserved to them to deal with each proposal on its merits.] A TERRIFIC DUST STORM. (Received October 21, 10.10 a.m.) ADELAIDE, This Day. Very hot weather was experienced here, the thermometer registering 95 in the snade. A terrific dust atom caused the residents to use artificial light at midday. A fioe- rair is now falling — the best since July. A ROUGH VOYAGE. TWO OF THE OROYA'S CREW INJURED. . . PERTH, This Day. The Oroya experienced a terrific gale during the voyage from Adelaide across the Bight. Two winches and 1 one of the forward deck bridges were carried away completely. Two of the crew Were badly injured. FIRE ON THE DORSET. DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £12,000. PERTH, Tkis Day. The damage to the cargo of the steamer Dorset is estimated at £12,000. The cargo injured consists chiefty of tobacco and Yankee notions for Sydney. The fire has again brpken out in the coal bunkers and is still smouldering. ISLAND NEWS. BRISBANE, 20th October. The German steamer Prinz Sigismund has brought the missing boat's crew of the ship Aigburth. The men landed on an island thirteen days after the wreck They were kindly treated by the natives, and subsequently went to Mundock Island, where the Chinese attended to their wants until they were sent to Whilhelmshaven. ■ News has also been received that all tlie murderers of missionaries at New Britain except one had been captured and punished. _ The captain of the Sigismund saw no sign of Russian wa J rships between Singapore and New Guinea. RIFLE SHOOTING. (Received October 21, 10.25 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Hobbs secured £4, Ching £3, and Ballinger and Franklin £2 each in the Longfierd aggregate. Hobbs also won £2 in the members' match. "A GENERAL AUVANOE" Is our latest cable news of the Russo•Jap. war. The advance of Messrs. Adolf Neuman and Son in high-class tailoring has been so significant as to place thorn in the foremost ranks of tailoring in this city. Our largo Btock of seasonable suitings is ever changing. Suits to measure from ninety shillings at Messrs. Adolf Nauman and 8on» High-elm T*ilor«, 61, WilUe-Btreel,— Advt.