AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 17087, 4 July 1919, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

THE TOWNRVILLE TROUBLE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Gablo Association. BRISBANE, July 4. The railway workers at Charters Towers refused to man a train carrying police reinfox cements to Townsville 3> SEAMEN'S STRIKE PROSPECTS. MELBOURNE July 4. The Coal Board have postponed the operation of the lighting- restrictions in view of the changed outlook caused 1 by the m'c«pect of the resumption of negotiations by the conference of parties concerned m the seamen's strike. COPPER NEEDED. "' MELBOURNE, July 4. Mr Watt hae invited thy Premiers of the States to a conference at Melbourne to consider a proposal to reopen the copper mines FEDERAL POLITICS. MELBOURNE, Julv 4. The Nationalist Conference of tfedaral .members agreed to include in their platform the maintenance of a White Australia, the policy of a qualification period before naturalisation to be considerably extended, the adoption by Australia of the principles contained in the Whitely Reports of the British Recofstruction Committee, and the continuance of protection of the sugar industry. VICTORIAN CABINET. MELBOURNE, July 4. Major M. Baird succeeds Mr Bowser as Chief Secretary, and has also taken the portfolios of Labor and Health. PEACE 1 CLEMENCY. MELBOURNE,. July 4. The Victorian State Cabinet has decided to reduce the sentences of prisoners on the proclamation of peace. CRIME STATISTICS. SYDNEY, July 4. (Received July 4, at .12.10 p.m.) The annual report of the Controller of Prisons shows that the total number of convicted prisoners received, in N.S.W. gaols during the year was 8,077, being one in every 1,874 of the population, this being the lowest on record, and 365 less than in the previous year. The number of convictions in the Police Court during 1918 was 5,528, being 276 less than in 1917. The principal cause of the decline was the great improvement in the social and economic condition of the people. INFLUENZA. •SYDNEY, July 4. The N.S.W. Peace Committee are urging the State Government to postpone the peace celebrations until August in view of the prevalence of influenza. A Red Cross report states that during the past week there were 100 cases fewer than in the previous week. MINE OFF GABO. MELBOURNE, July 4. The Navy Office reports a floating mine off Gabo Island.