COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3184, 1 April 1911, Page 7

COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

EXPLOSION DUE TO OARELESS'- ' NESS. - [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.} BRISBANE. March 31. Inquiry has disclosed that the recent explosion at Yyan gen refreshment room was caused by gelignite which a workman had placed in a. basket and forgot about

THE SYDNEY CUSTOMS FRAUD. SYDNEY, March 31. Besides the penalties imposed for the motor frauds, Turner will have to pay £4200 under-paid duty. TAKING THE CENSUS.

An army of collectors fs out distributing cards for the census-taking on Sunday night.

THE FEDER AL NOTE ISSUE. MELBOURNE, March 31. The Federal note issuqjs over £4,500,000. The gold reserve is £1,525,000. OVER ZEALOUS COUNSEL REBUKED.

At the Federal Arbitration Court the president warmly rebuked counsel appearino - on behalf of ■ respondents m the engineers’ dispute, for alleging that members of tli© union, not only bi o-.vG agreements with impunity, but weie encouraged to do so by the Government. Tlie president declined to listen to such remarks, and would not allow the Government to be spoken about in a disrespectful, exravagaht way. MORE BIG NUGGETS. Two more nuggets, weighing 270 ounces, have been found at the \\ oa.lliawp mine. AUSTRALASIAN '-'BAPTIST CONFERENCE. The Rev. Gordon, of Victoria, lias been elected president of the lasian Baptist Conference.