NEWS IN BRIEF.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 4 January 1928, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF.

BY CABLE—PHiiciS ASSOCIATION—COPYBIGHT •SYDNEY, lan. 3. During the past year the estates of 257 persons were sequestrated in New South Wales, as compared with 210 the previous year. LONDON, Dee. 31.

Revenue for the nine months was £•192,(51-1,312, an increase of £13,593,749 compared with the same period last year. Tile chief increases were- in death duties (£8,460,000), Customs (£4,495,000), excise duties (£3,771,000), postal (£2,400,000). Decreases were -shown in super-tax (£6,160,000), income tax (£4,593,000). Expenditure amounted to £642,855,701, an increase- of £17,415,092. The- sinking fund was increased by over £24,000,000. WASHINGTON,, dan. 1.

•It is announced that Oaria'da, in the first nine, months of 1927, displaced tho United Kingdom -for 'the first time as America’s, chief export market, and continued to be the leading exporter into the United States. Canada took 630,000,000 dollars-’ worth, or 18 per cent of the total of the United States’: exports. Australian purchases of American goods increased bv 1,850,000 dollars, or 1£ per cent. It is announced that the number of persons of the millionaire income class, in 1926 in the United States totalled -228. representing an increase- of 21 over 1925. Those with incomes in exceiss- of 5,000,000 dollars increased- from seven to fourteen in the- same period. The millionaire- group is reported to have had 490.000.000 dollars income. NEW YORK, Jan. 1. Thirty-two shops in the principal thoroughfare of the city of Galesburg. Illinois, were broken into and robbed last night. Every variety of establishment was entered, and all kinds of goods removed. A week ago 12 shops were entered by burglars, and the following night four more. All the burglaries are believed to be- the work of one- band, but no arrests- have been made. SYDNEY, Jan. 2. Extensive bush fires are raging in the Albury district, on both -sides of the border, and have caused heavy damage. An outbreak in the Hannorisville district (Victoria) is raging on a front of 30 miles, and is resulting in a serious loss of stock. MELBOURNE, Jan. 2.

The citv is swept hy a. duststorm from Central Australia, and the whole of the metropolitan area is drenched hy showers of red rain due to the- raindrops collecting the dust. LONDON, Jan. 2.

The council of the Royal Colonial Institute- is considering a. motion to change the name to Royal Empire Society

Newspapers contain an advertisement inviting tenders, returnable on February 29 for the purchase of the CVihltnomvealth Line. Particulars are disdosable only to bona fide tenderers and principals.

The “Evening Standard’’ says that negotiations are proceeding on the Continent for the formation of an inTernntiorihal zinc syndicate, including Britain, . Germany, Belgium, and Poland. Previous negotiations failed through the antagonism of 'American producers. Jt is understood that the Americans liow agree to the present proposals, which include a reduction of output by five per cent. Probable a European agreement will eventuate, MTowed bv a world agreement, including America. LONDON Dec. 31. . The Rt. Hon. J. H. Thomas, in a New Year message to his constituents in Derby, says the real peace and Lsecuritv at borne and abroad of which + here is evidence, gives a- firm foundation upon which to build the future. BRUSSELS. Jan. 1. An explosives factory in Lanacken wa-s Mown to pieces Five- persons were brought out dead, and it is believed there are five other deaths. NEW YORK, Jari. 1. Three persons were injured and much damage was done to property when the office of the Scranton (Pennsylvania;) afternoon newspaper, the “Sun,” was bombed as a result of a campaign conducted by that journal against the criminal elements in the city. New Year was just being rung in, and the large crowds in the adjacent streets were showered with glass and debris. The detonation damaged many buildings besides the “Sun” plant. COLOMBO, Dec. 31.

The Royal Air Force flying boats, which are flying from England to Singapore have arrived here. ADELAIDE, Jan. 2.

During a terrific sandstorm in the Morook district, houses were unro-ofed and a great many trees uprooted, causing heavy damage. The Government Meteorologist, -in a summary of the South Australian rainfall for the past year, shows that with one or two exceptions the total fall is everywhere below the average. The deficiency in most ca-ses u-auges from two to •six indues. '

SYDNEY, Jan. 1. A wireless message from Tulagai states the punitive force has returned to Tulagai with -10 additional prisoners.. The total is now 200 prisoners and 25' killed'. MELBOURNE, Dee. 31. A lire in the cellars of fclarbottle and Co., spirit merchants, St. James’ Place,j which its the centre of the city, caused enormous damage before it was sub-, dued. Thousands of pounds worth of gm and whisky were destroyed. The spirits were contained in huge vats and the firemen, while lighting the outbreak, had to face the risk of an ex-4 uloision at any moment. Thr causeol: the lire is unknown. LONDON, Dec. 31. ,

The funeral of the four firemen who were found iu the nuns ol' the Glasgow warehouse which was burnt at Christmas, was passing the Glasgow line station when the belts rang, resembling a tribute to the dead, but the guard of honour had to rush inside. The; funeral procession, including hundreds of firemen, police and public representatives, baited while the engines turned out to the lire. While the bones were being lowered into the grave a second alarm compelled linemen hurriedly to deposit the weratlns mud rush oil' to duty. MOSCOW, Dec. 31. The Soviet is issuing a three years’ internal loan of £10,000,000 to meet the needs of rural economy. The Soviet newspapers, reviewing the year 1927, declare the Viennese revolt and strikes generally prove that class war and levolutionary movements outside Russia, are increasing despite treacherous social democrats. The review adds that Great Britain i*> preparing lor war against the Soviet, the motherland of the world’s -prolet-ariat.’’