AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 16351, 17 February 1917, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright Australian and N.Z, Cable Association.

MELBOURNE, February 16. Air Hughes announces that he has arranged that a portion of the 3,000,000 tons ol wheat purchased by the Imperial Government shall be convertor! into Ilnur prior to shipment—sufficient to employ the .mills for some months. The Prices Board lias fixed the price of bran at £3 l.os ex mill, and pollard at £5 ss.

It- is expected that the selection of the National Ministry will be coni-to-morrow.

SHINE! , February IG. A man entered the Newtown branch of the Government Savings Bank and grabbed a bundle containing 720 £1 notes, but two clerks chased and captured him. Subsequently Joseph Ryan, aged 31, was remanded on a charge of stealing notes. It is stated that be recently arrived from New Zealand. a- ienr-storey building in Dixon street, occupied by various tenants, was gutted by lire. The damage was in the visinity of 1:20,000.

IFe building of the bridge to the North Shore, lias been postponed until after the war. because the necessary material cannot he procured. Mn Holman has promised that the question of the hour for closing hotels s.tall he submitted to a referendum before any alteration is made.

February 17,

Mr Holman lias announced that no provision lias been made for recording tin' votes ot soldiers abroad at the fort! looming elections.