AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12240, 8 April 1903, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright, STRIKE OF BAKERS. Brisbane, April 7. The strike of operative bakers is not causing inconvenience owing to the sufficiency, of non-union labour. One unionist was fined £7 with £3 costs for leaving his employment without notice. NAVAL DEFENCE. Melbourne, April 7. Sir John Forrest, Federal Minister for Defence, denies that there will be any negotiations to give effect to the -naval agreement prior to the meeting of Parliament. TASMANIAN MINISTRY. Hobabt, April 7. The Ministry has resigned. Mr. Propsting is forming a Cabinet. THE PACIFIC CABLE. Brisbane, April 7. At the Chamber of Commerce in discussing cable routes a suggestion was thrown out that the Pacific Cable Board should send out a pushing representative to Australia to secure contracts for that cable. It was* decided to join the Melbourne Chamber in protesting against a ten years' agreement with the Eastern Extension Company. Perth, April 7. The Pacific Cable steamer Iris, which unexpectedly arrived from London, encountered the recent cyclone, and suffered some damage to her steering gear. She sails for Sydney to-morrow. NEW SOUTH WALES RAILWAYS. * SruNET, April 7. If is believed that the railway revenue for the current year will show a shortage ox a-quarter of a million, which is largely attributable to the drought. FAILURE OF THE LABOUR PARTY. (Eeceived April 7, 11.26 p.m.) Sydney, April 7. At a mass meeting of the Boot Clickers' Association there was a motion on thebusiness' sheet censuring the president for attacking the Labour party in the press.., The mover, however, failed to put in an appearance. The president admitted making the attack because the party had'! openly violated their principles. During: the maritime strike they had been told: that once trade unionists sent their own j men to Parliament the millennium of labour j would be. reached. What a miserable | failure the result had been the Tamwortkl election had proved. The people were finding them out. The Labour party were doomed. They had been taught that the British race were. the pioneers of political and religious freedom, by which every, man and woman had the right to express his or her political opinions. It seemed' irony, for the very people for whom the principle had been won had been the first to abuse it, and had endeavoured to put down anyone having the courage of his* opinions. A vote of confidence in the president was carried by an overwhelming majority. A CYCLING RECORD. (Received April 7, 10.13 p.m.) Sydney, April 7. Beauchamp established an Australasian five-mile record for a motor-paced race... Hi* covered the distance in Bm. 20 4-ss. LOSS OF MEMORY. (Eeceived April 7, 10.13 p.m.) ■SydneYj April 7. An extraordinary development has occurred in the Auburn murder case. Woolford, the principal Crown witness, has lost his memory, and cannot recall the facts of Long's death. The medical opinion is that the witness may, under a few days' treatment, recover his memory. THE VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT. (Received April 7, 10.13 p.m.) Melbourne, April 7. Parliament has been prorogued. The Governor, in his speech, referred, with gratified feelings, to the fact that the stress ol the drought over the larger portion of Victoria had happily diminished. VICTORIAN RAILWAY SERVANTS, (Received April 8, 12.52 a.m.) Melbourne, April 7. The Locomotive Drivers and Firemen's Association has finally declined to comply frith the request of the Government to sever . their affiliation with the Trades Hall. The Premier states that the Government are determined in the matter, and there will be trouble unless one side or the other yields,.