AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

North Otago Times, Issue 13236, 6 March 1915, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(rot Cable.—Vroi Aaiiiflallon.-Oopyrlght)

MELBOURNE, March 5. The Hon. M. Tudoi, Minister .for Tiade and Customs, tannounccd that from yestcidny, tho Govmnmput would pay duty on binn, pollnid,- oats, hay, and chaff previously paid for by importers, ' '" DECREASE IN OUTPUT. MELBOURNE, March 5. The output from one of the Broken Kill, mines,for six.months ended December showed a decrease from 913,000' tons to 550,000 tono. . " ' • :

.SUPERTAX BILL. PERTH,. March o. Tho .Ltgislativo Council has negi' tivefl the Supertax Bill. • ■ PREMIERS!:CONFERENCE/ /; .".". SYDNEY, March!'s. . The Hon. W. A.' Holman announces that at the forthcoming -Premiers' Cmference he intends to move that the States hand over their industrial and arbitration powers entirely to the Commonwealth, ,•.,•.. , : . BOOKERMAKER : A PARASITE. SYDNEY,,March 5. Mr Black, in advocating tlie:Totalisator Bill, declared that the bookmaker was a parasite who could be easily dispensed with. . , "

DEAB DRINKS NOT POPULAR,

SYDNEY,.March 5. The recent rise in .the price of drinks has largely collapsed, and the bulk of the publicans have reverted to the old tate,. , , : . WAGES. AT. JJMrL _. SYDNEY, March 15. TheHon, W, A, Holman, addressing a uiecftug -of Hie Labour Council, said that there -Was- a possibility of the workers 'further improving their wagca, but the, position was rapidly approaching the limit of what they .were able 'fo'do, by arbitration. mid' industrial legislation. The.next step at which they should aim was not so much the. getting of'wore wages, but to'make the. wages go further. Dealing-with the' increase in the cost of living, he denied; that it was due to the rise in wages. ', INCREASED PRICES, ' ' SYDNEY, March 5. • The Commodities Commission recommended an increase .of (id per ease in the price of petroleum and kerosene owing to increased freights from America.

' SOLDIERS AND DRINK.

'. . SYDNEY, March.3. , Judge Docker, dealing with n military prisoner, strongly condemned allowing., drunken coldiers to go to Hie front, and thus living discredit on •Australia. The Judge said that such men would do 'more harm to their own side than to the enemv,

NEW SOUTH WALES FOOD SUPPLIES,

■ . SYDNEY, Mnrdi 5. The Hon. W. A. Holman has announ-ced-that-the. Government proposed to create a market authority having complete control of the whole of the food supplies of Sydney, which would be first controlled by the Government, and afterwards handed over, Mr Jlolinnn

also stated that a Greater Sydney Council is about to be created, while he outlined a State scheme for dealing with and improving the moat, fish, vegetable, and fruit supplies. " 'The Hon, D. R. Hall stated that the Govern men t were starting a bread trust in Sydney by taking over a monopoly of the bread supply and .paying the bakers for their businesses on a basis of so much per ton, When- the State bakery was .first started the trust would be limited in area, but a State bakery would be able to sell bread at

Id per loaf below the present price, This would mean a saving to the people of £1,250,000 annually;

N.S.W. MINISTER RESIGNS,

Received March.. 5, at 8.155 p.m. SYDNEY, March 5. Hon, A; C, Carmichad (Minister v for Public Affairs) has resigned his portfolio. His seasons are unders}?o(.UoJ).e. .purely personal. No question affecting the policy of party Government is involved. Hon. W. A. Hoimaji stated that the resignation Was'a 1 {front surprise, and Cabinet had faileo to persuade Mr Carmiehael, Mr Carmiehael refuses to make a' statement, Receive March 0,1,40 a.in: ' SYDNEY.'MarcIi 5. ' Mr Carmiehael states that his resignation is largely a matter of personal difference with the Premier. A caucus meets on Tuesday to fill the vacancy, Mr. Holman fills the position temporariA STRAIGHT-OUT TRANSACTION. SYDNEY, Mardi 5. Hon. P. Flowers states that the mutton deal is solely between the Imperial and State authorities, without middlemen. ''' THE TOTE WANTED. MELBOURNE, March 5, ■ The Victorian Racing Club has decided to urge the Government to authorise the totalisntor.

PROHIBITION OP LEATHER EXPORT.

SYDNEY, March 15. The New South Wales Tanners' Association's urging the Federal Government to modify the drastic measures regarding the prohibition of the leather export to South Africa, New Zealand, and the East,-pointing out that half the tanners in New South Wales have been compelled to close owing to the congestion of leather which they, are,unable to ship.