AUSTRALIAN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 June 1911, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN.

VARIOUS CABLED ITEMS.

[per press ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.]

AUSTRALIAN TRADE WITH SWEDEN.

SYDNEY, June, 6.—The Swedish Consul-General hero says that there are now big possibilities for Australian trade with Sweden in wool and frozen meat.

REVENUE FROM LAND TAXATION , MELBOURNE, June, 6.—The Act-ing-Federal Treasurer, Hon. Mr. Hughes, now estimates that the new land tax will return a revenue of one million two hundred thousand pounds. He had previously estimated the amount at oiie million. Later. —The Federal land tax return’s already amount to £1,126,000. A large number of assessments are to be made. It is expected that the total will eventually ' exceed the estimate of £1,000,000 by over £200,000. INCREASED STOCK. SYDNEY, This Day—The number of horses in New South Wales at the end of the past year was 650,504, being an increase of 45,726. Cattle totalled 3,132,228, being 104,500 more than last year. Sheep decreased by 377,270 and now number 45,825,300 but pigs in creased by 83,695 and now number 321,644. LICENSES REDUCED. MELBOURNE, This Day.— The High Court refused to appeal against the recent decision of the New South Wales full court in connection with the local option poll. The Chief Justice said that the law provided for special licensing boards, whose decision, should be final and conclusive. The licenses, in question, had been sentenced to come to an end at a cei'tain date and could not be revived. LEPROUS RATS. MELBOURNE, This Day.—A rat, in a dying state, was discovered in a dwelling in a southern suburb and on examination, was found to be infected with leprosy. This is the second leprous rodent discovered in the same district recently. THE NEW WOMAN. MELBOURNE, This Day.— Two harem skirted women paraded the streets at Dimboola and used hatpins to force their escape from a demonstrative crowd, finally seeking police protection. A FAILURE. SYDNEY, This Day.—The Co-opera-tive Bakery financed by the unionists at the Barrier, has proved a failure and it has been decided to dispose of it. THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. SYDNEY, This Day.— Mr Woodford, British Commissioner on the Solomon group, reports that rubber and other plantations are developing at a great rate but native labour is scarce. IRRIGATION SCHEME. SYDNEY, This Day.—Mr El wood Mead, an irrigation expert, reports that the Barrenjack irrigation scheme, utilising the Murrumbidgee waters, when completed, will be capable of supporting 200,000 people. The schnne embraces 1,344,000 acres of land whereof 356,000 acres are irrigable. Water will be available for 70,0,00 acres next summer. THE DEFENCE SCHEME. MELBOURNE, This Day—Registration under the universal military service regulations has exceeded official expectations by many thousands. The defence department is confronted by financial difficulties owing to '.he an expected call on its resources. '! • e sum of £IBO,OOO WuS available L r the scheme, whereas the department is already committed to the extent of £220,000. BRITAIN IN THE PACIFIC. SYDNEY, This Day— The Daily Telegraph, in endorsing Mr Batchelor’s statement in London that the Pacific islands must eventually come under the control of Australia or New Zealand, says that the Commonwealth will come into contact with powerful neighbours at every turn and, in view of the impending struggle for the mas. tery of tin* Pacific, it is hardly likely that any of them will evince an inclination to retire from the vantage points already acquired. However, nothing is to be gained by refusing to look these responsibilities in the face. A JOCKEY KILLED. BRISBANE, This Day—A jockey named Hughes was killed while riding at the Rockhampton races. BOYCOTT ENDED. MELBOURNE, This Day— The Chinese are raising the- long standing boycott against the Japanese vessels. GOVERNMENT HOUSE. BRISBANE, This Day.—ln view of the New South Wales Government taking possession of the Government, house at Sydney, the Federal Government proposes to secure permanent possession of the Government house in Melbourne. Latei*, —In the Assembly, Mr Holman confirmed the proposal of the Government to take over Government House and transform it into a national library and museum and the grounds as a public park. He added that as a result of negotiations it had been decided to offer the Federal Government the use of the building for a few months longer but certainly not beyond the end of the present year. A STRIKE AT FIJI. BRISBANE, This Day.—The sugar workers at Ayr object to the present system of piece work and have struck for eight hours per day witli a minimum wage of 30/- weekly. . OBITUARY'. ADELAIDE, This Day— Lady Smith, wife of Sir Edwin Smith, died to-day. MOUNT MORGAN RETURNS. BRISBANE, This Day—The Mount Morgan returns for May show that the gold reduction works treated 8,949 tons, for a return of 5,900 ounces of gold. The copper reduction works produced 615 tons of blister copper, containing 600 tons of copper and 7,519 ozs of gold. The total value of the output is £86,917. A shortage of labor adversely affected the output . SHORTAGE OF LABOR. SYDNEY, This Day—The Government has appointed a Royal Commission to inquire into the alleged shortage of labor in the State. Its order Its order of reference includes, an inquiry into the general conditions of female and juvenile labour in shops and factories, the cause of the decline in the apprenticeships of boys to skilled trades and the practicability of using the technical classes as aids or substitutes for apprenticeship.

AUSTRALIAN FISHING GROUNDS. MELBOURNE, This Day—A Federal trawler is malting a commercial test of the fishing grounds off the New South Wales and Victorian Coasts. It caught five tons of marketable fish in nineteen hours, plenty more were available provided the vessel had the storage. , ' A MUNICIPAL LOAN. SYDNEY, This Day.— The City Council has made a new departure in regard to loans. It obtained £50,000 from the City Amusements’ Company at the rate of two and a half per centum,