AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 66, 15 September 1906, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

COMMONWEALTH. ■ Under the Commerce Act provision is made for placing upon goods exported from tho Commonwealth a brand signifying that they h id been approved for export. The Minister for 1 Customs has approved of a design for this brand. It consists 'of a large six-pointed star enclosing a circle, around the rim of which appear the words "Commonwealth of Australia," and within are tho words "Approved for export." This brand will bo placed on all packages and other coverings for goods exported from Australia, which are contained in tho schedule of the Commerce Act. Regulations concerning the privileges granted to non-commissioned officers on retiring have been printed. They provide that warrant officers, , after five years' service in that rank, may have the honorary rank of lieutenant, and if of less than five years' service they aro permitted to retain the rank of staflsergeants and sergeants. After five years service in the rank of staff-ser-geant or sergeant they recive the honorary rank of warrant officer, but if of less than five years' service as_ such they retain tho rank of non-commission-ed officers. Below the rank of sergeant they may be allowed to t retain their rank. These privileges' ', include the right to wear the uniform of their corps, with the addition of the letter R on the shoulder strap. Warrant and non-commissioned officers who retired before 1905 do not share these privileges. On the 4th inst., according to the special correspondent of the Sydney ,Morning Herald the Government received a severe rebuff over the Preferential Ballot Bill. An amendment was submitted, designed to* test tho feeling of hon. members as to whether tho bill should be disfigured by the omission of the definite article from the k first lino of the first clause, or whether a serious effort should be macV to amend the voting system. Tho Government was defeated by 26 votes to 18, although it had the support of a few Labour members, including Mr. Watson._ There was a timo when the caucus appeared to favour the principle of this bill. 'Today one Labour member (Mr. Hutchinson) stated candily that the. result of preferential voting would bring "about a combination of parties against the, solidarity men. Dr. Carty Salmon oxpressed a somewhat similar opinion, by stating that the rejection of the bill would destroy the only chance of bringing about tho two-party system. ' So_ preferential voting, deprived .of solid caucus support, went by the board. This Ministerial defeat may result in the Prime Minister's rejection at Ballarat. The Commonwealth is defending an action for damage alleged to have been done to property by bullets from the Randwick Rifle Range. The defendants contended thit they always took proper and reasonablo care for preventing the escape of bullets from the' Randwick Riflo Range's, and that such bullets as were mentioned in plaintiff's declaration escaped from the range unavoidably, and without negligence on the part of ! the defendants or their servants. In the course of argument the Chief Jus--tico said that he would tell the jury, as a matter of law, that tho Comonwcalth was bound to make the range safe at all hazards. That was founded on English authorities, and the Cpmmonwcnlth had no greater power in such matter, than any private individual. • Lieut.-Col. Antill, formerly musketry instructor, give it as his opinion that bullets could escape from the rifle range aad 'Strike properties at the back. To the. best of his belief the bullet found in a figtrco ab-^ plaintiff Evans's house was not driven in with a hummer, but fired into tho tree. Ho also thought that the damage to the lattice-work and tho paling fenoo wero from direct hits. In order to make the range safe the barrier would have to _be raised sixtyfour feet.