AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Evening Star, Issue 14515, 5 November 1910, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

A large seizure of opium was made by the Sydney water police early on tho morning of October 19. Two Chinese were arrested, .-uid 125 tins of opium, valued at about £SOO, secured. • Spurioii3 coins are being circulated in Stawell (Victoria). A man named Roes was paid with a counterfeit sliilling, and a sovereign presented at the London Bank had been "sweated" to such an extent that it was 4s under value. Bernard Molkentin, a piano-tuner, aged thirty-three years, met his death on the 22nd Ojtober at Millicent (Victoria). Ho was riding a motor bicycle across Millicent bridge, when the machine crashed into the side of tho bridge, and the rider was killed instantaneously. Frank Birtles arrived at the Perth Poet Oflice at four o'clock on the afternoon of the 22nd ult., having completed his selfimposed task of cycling round Australia. He set out from Fremantlo on October 30 of last year, and has covered 9,200 miles in eight days loss than a year. Tho natives were found by Birtles to bo troublesome in some parte, and he had a spell of fever in tho noith-weet, but otherwise he came through well. A unique experience in election contests is narrated by Edward Campbell, who acted as deputy returning officer at Richmond on tho day of the General Election. Four generations of a family recorded their votes. Thero wa6 Mrs As'hton, who is a native of the district, aged 94 years; her sons, aged between 60 and 70; her grandsons and granddaughters, 40 to 50 years of ago; and her great-grandchildren, whoso ages range up to nearly 30 years. A fatal accident occurred at Wirth's Circus, when showing in Numurkah (Victoria). A young man named Cooper, one of tho employees, was assisting to erect the main tent, the kingpolo of which had been temporarily guyed up, when one of tho circus ponies ran into tho guy rope. The ropo slipped over the pin, and the kingpolo fell on Cooper, who wa6 6tooping at tho time. Several persons called out in warning, but it was too late. In lu's terribly injured condition tho unfortunate man was taken to a 1 * 1, where ho was attended to by Dr Harbison, but ho died two hours later.

In the Queensland Assembly the Premier eaid that during the eight months of the current year they had received more immigrant than during the previous twelve months, but still tho number was inadequate. During the lifetime of the preeoat generation or its successors, Australia would have to struggle for her position in tho Pacific, for tho mastery of which a great national struggle would lake place. When that time arrived, Queensland, with half a million of people, would be nowhere. If by spending £35,000,000 within the next twenty years they could add 5.000,000 to the population of tho State, it would bo £35,000,000 well spent. —The Troubles of Broken Hill. — The Broken Hill mines are again in want of men. A number of Australians have lately left there to take part in South Australian harvesting operations, and others have left for eewer and road-making work in Adelaide and Melbourne. In the meantime a deal of conduction work is going on along the line of lode, and tho mines are running short of labor. The fear of industrial trouble at the end of the year has, no doubt, induced many men to leavo for other work, but the mining position is so good just now, especially with the improved price of metals, that when tho industrial worry is overcome Broken Hill will progress again for a lengthy period. Tho developments at tho southern end of tho line of lede are of an encouraging character, whilst at the northern end the B. H. Junction mine is restarting, and the B.H. North mino is looking healthier than ever. Said a leading mine manager :—" The mines require, and thero is immediate work for them, carpenters, masons, bricklayers, and laborers. This is for construction work. Moro than that, I want, as to some other mines, experienced miners and trackers and mullockers. Tho scarcity of theso men is limiting work. Tradesmen and gocd miners can get work at once." Another manager said :—" I wanted two carpenters recently. I could not got them, and had to wait a fortnight before I could be supplied." Even though the B.H. Proprietary mine is a present doing nothing underground, the output of ore just now is heavier than at any previous period in the field's history. Wages are being paid under the award given by Mr Justice Higgins about two years ago, and there is no fear of theso rates being" reduced. —A Gang of Forgers.—

A telegram from Sydney, dated October 21, stated :—There is a further development in connection with the reports of the possibility of the Federal notes being forged. It has been stated in a certain quarter that thoro are a gang actually at work in Australia at present negotiating for a big coup in forged notes at the time of the issue of the Government paper. The gang are. eaid to consist of a foreigner, who is the brains of tho venture, an American, and an Australian. Each of the men is described, and the three are said to be as unscrupulous as they aro cunning. Tho Sydney police have received from the German Consul information of a daring fraud which took place in Germany hist month. On September 10 the Court jeweller, Otto Koch, of Frajikfort>on-Maino, was victimised of precious stones to the value of 1,402,600 mark 6 by two individuals who have since disappeared The two escapees are supposed to have left Europe, and, of course, the Sydney police havo been provided with the detail's of the fraud on the chance that the men may bo in Australia. No doubt the police, of the other States have been furnished with similar report*. Tho police will be on tho look-out for any jewellers similar to that described- It these are the men whom rumor has connected with the Federal notes forgery, then there is another party to be accounted for—tho Australian member of the gang. If. is somewhat significant that an individual who some little time ago was supposed to bo operating with forged notes urxl spurious coins in this country lias not been heard of lately. Of course, the Police Department does not offer an opinion as to the worthiness of the rumor, which points to particular men as being concerned in any pcesible forgeries. Itis believed, however, that they are in possession of information which they deem it inadvisable at tho present time to disclose. —The Japanese Policy.—

.Mr Miki Saito. who has been appointed to act us Japanese Consul-General hi place, of Mr 8. Uycno, arr'ived in Urbbans by t'he Ynwata. Alaru. 'ln reply to a question villi reference to the recently-formulated emigration policy of the Japanese Govevnmeiil, lie si id that the Government's .sole aim now wan to keep the Japanese on Japanese noil, to fie.;d its laborer who hitherto have gone, to foreign countries oversea to Formosa and Korea. ''That is only a temporary plan?" lie was naked. " No," he replied ; "it is permanent." On the question of Australian trade, the. Consul-General mid there was a very excellent opportunity at the present time for the initiation of a large wool export fron< Australia to Japan ami her colonies. "When .•i.ro you going to invade Australia?" asked someone. "The invasion of Australia." said the Consul, '" is beyond the- bounds of possibility. As I said be/ore, we want to keep our people at home." —Politicians at Law.Mr John tho defeated candidate in tho JJelmore electorate, has issued a writ for alleged Jibei against Air I*'. Flowers, the damages claimed being£l,ol)o (says tho 'Sydney Morning Herald'). Speaking at an electioneering meeting held in Davlin's Even.*.ig Star Hotel, Mr Flowers, it is alleged by Mr English, made a statement " that there was no doubt a secret compact bet.veen Mr Wade and Alderman English." Mr English points out that as he was a pledged candidate, and had duly signed the platfoim of that party, the remark complained of to a largo extent militated against his chance of success m the election.

Then, some little time before the day of the election, a circular headed 'The Cat Out of tho ißag,' in which practically the

Bame words were used, was scattered broadcast throughout the electorate. The leaflet was signed by Mr Farrar, as secretary of Mr Alinahan's Committee, and waa printed in ihe 'Worker' office. Mr English, through his solicitors, wrote to Mr Flowers, demanding a public apology. As the letter remained unanswered a writ for libel was issued. It was served on Saturday last. In the meantime the proprietors *of the ' Worker' newspaper bad been served with a similar writ. Mr Flowers said yesterday: "1 understand the alleged libel was in a statement •supposed to have been made by me to the effect that there was an arrapgement-be-tween Alderman Englkh «'.nd Mr Wade that no Liberal should run tor Belmore, and bv that means, if he won, Mr Wade would"have a leg in. He is apparently suing me for £I,OOO because I aro supposed to have called him half a Liberal. V. it would he have sued me for if I had caiied him a whole Liberal''''