IN AUSTRALIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17882, 30 August 1918, Page 5

IN AUSTRALIA.

SEDITION BILL. SYDNEY, August 29. In the Assembly Mr W. A. Holman, introducing the Sedition Bill, said that tho measure would operate for the duration of the war and six months thereafter. After debate the Bill was read a first time. , (A cablegram received from Sydney on June 18 said:—As a result of the recent disturbances in the Domain arising out of returned soldiers objecting to the utterances of certain speakers, Mr Holman announced in the Legislative Assembly that the Government intended to introduce at an early date legislation providing that any person found guilty of seditious utterances shall b 0 disfranchised for'a period of not less than four and not more than ten years, ■ and shall be incapable of holding any public office. Such person shall also be prohibited for not longer than six months from speaking in certain prohibited areas. A warm discussion followed, the Opposition severely criticising the proposal.)

COPPER. MELBOURNE, August 29. The Acting-Prime Minister, Mr W. A. Watt, announces that the contract for the sale of Australia's copper output to Britain has been renewed for sis months.

THE WHEAT POOL. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrigili ' MELBOURNE, August 29. Mr Watt, the Acting Premier, conferred with the Wheat Board and urged the necessity for the disposal of the surplus wheat even at a lower price than the farmers considered reasonable. The present overdraft on the wheat, he said, was £14,000,000. Attempts to sell the two years' surplus had bee»_ unsuccessful.