AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 121, 20 May 1909, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] THE COMMONWEALTH FLEET. MELBOURNE. May 19. Nine artificers, who have been selected by the Commonwealth to tak© part in the construction/of Australian destroyers, have sailed for London. RAIN AND DAIRYING. (Received, May 20, 1 a.m.) f SYDNEY, May 19. Good rain ranging to over two inches has fallen in the coastal districts, and has relieved the dairying situation. Feed was getting very scarce. A WINDFALL FOR CHARITIES. ' ADELAIDE,, May 19. Several valuable city properties in the Martin Estate have been sold for £56,000. Under the terms of the wall the Adelaide Hospital received £21,----000, the Children's Hospital £10,000, and private beneficiaries th© balance. j ASIATIC WORKSHOPS. - SYDNEY, May 19. The State Premier has promised legislation against the long hours worked in Asiatic workshops. He states Vthat the existing laws had ■proved ineffective to stop the unfair competition against Europeans. THE BROKEN HILL TROUBLE. SYDNEY, May .19. , The Sydney Amalgamated Miners' Association has instructed its delegates riot to endorse the action of the combined unions at Port Pirie, deciding to resume work. A referendum will be taken by Broken Hill miners to-day -and to-morrow on the question of resuming work.

A SEAMEN'S AGREEMENT. SYDNEY, May 19. The Conference between the Coastal Steamship Owners' Association and the Seamen's. Uiiioii resulted in a satisfactory agreement in. regard to working hours and rates1 of pay, both sides making concessions. The agreement will have a currency of, three years. • NEW ZEALAND'S LIQUOR LAWS. ; SYDNEY, May 19. Mr Bruntnell, Secretary of the New South Wales Alliance, referring to Mr Rankings report of the New Zealaiid licensing laws, said it was :as fair a, report as could be expected from a gentleman who had hurried through the Dominion in three weeks: Mr Rankings bogey seemed to be the skeleton in the no-license cupboard, or in other words drinking in the home. There was. no evidence to support this, which was merely assumption. y