WEST AUSTRALIA.

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

WEST AUSTRALIA.

During the first week of September the officeis of the Central Board of Health examined perserved goods offered for sale in Perth. As a, result they seized and condemned 2023 tins of fish, meat, and milk, and 144 tins of Chicago potted meat. Further examinations are being made. Mr. Justice M'Millaa has been, appointed a Royal Commission to enquire into the charges made in the Legislative Assembly by Mr.' Bolton to the effect that highly paid' officers in the Government locomotive workshops of Midland' Junction have been in the habit of having private vehicles, windmills, and motor launches built for themselves by Government employees in Government time out of Government material. The litigation in connection with, the insurance policies of the late Harry Irwin Blake is not yet settled. He had insured in the National Life Insurance Company of New York for £20,000 and in otheT offices for £7000, and then com-, mitted suicide. The jury found that he took out the policies with the view of, committing suicide in certain contingencies, and that he committed a breach of the warrant in taking them out. The contracts were declared void. The case was taken to the Full Court on the ground of misdirection. In his summing up the Chief Justice said he had come to the conclusion that the learned Judge had misdirected the jury, and the effect of this misdirection on the minds of the jury had been such, as to give undue weight to the evidence of the motive' when considering the two questions which.,, were objected to by the appellant. That seemed to him to establish the fact that there had been a considerable miscarriage of justice, and that the new trial should be limited to the two questions to which' the appeal applied. He was therefore of opinion that a new trial should bo- grant- - cd. Mr. Justice Burnside and Mr. Justice Rooth concurred. Both expressed the opinion that the learned Judge had attached too much importance to the. motiTe, and had misdirected the jury.The appeal was accordingly allowed with," costs. Referring to the statement by cablethat an Italian Emigration Commission? was on fts way to West Australia,- the Premier (Mr. Moore) said he was 11117 aware of the impending arrival of any* commission, but the Agent-General (Mr.* James) had written to him on several' occasions to the effect that northernItalian agriculturists were » moot de-~ sirawc class of settlers, Mr. James,' in a letter, had stated : — "While travelling through Italy I constantly kepT, my eyes on the land and its cultivation^ and upon the appearance of -the country people. I am now more impressed than, ever with the _ conviction that Aus--. fcralia- cannot' acquire , a more valuable assot than a body of these industrious and temperate agriculturista. I strong-" ly urge your coraial co-operation in a.l. scheme which offers to us more co- t operation from the Italian Government^ th^n is given to any other country. The extent to which Italians have been, misjudged from the actions of so many' of those who have gone to WesternAustralia makes the Italian Governmentanxious that we should see a more representative body of those who repre-.* sent the real strength of Italy." Dl Turner, of Kalgoorlie, formerly of Melbourne, an authority on chest complaints, stated that he had, in the course of his practice here, discovered that, lung fibrous or cirrhosis was increasing- " ly prevalent on these goldfields. He had examined a large number of mine' employees, with a result somewhat" alarming. Many of the men were suf-" fenug from this type of lung complaint, and m no instance had any of theiC been working for more than six year*' in the local mines. The cause of affec-^ tion was the inhalation of dust particles * in the atmosphere. Hundreds of men and women walking about with lunes apparently 111 an affected condition would ' be grievously offended if told that anvthmg was wrong with them. The com- ' plaint had an opposite effect to tuberculosis, by which disease the lungs wer*. softened by the production of civities whereas cirrhosis affection hardened and restricted the breathing space. Dr Turner said that the matter was of sufficiently serious moment to warrant ' action by the State.