AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14868, 20 December 1911, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

By Telegraph.— Awociatlon.—G-vyTignt. ' TORCH TOWED -TO SYDNEY. - (Received ' December 19, 9' p.m.) ■ I -".',',;'". V- Sidney, December • 19. ■ ■ H.MS. Psyche,- with the disabled"'gun--boat Torch in tow, has arrived from Noumea. The Tdrch lost '■ her propeller while cruising ofi New ; Caledonia -? (probably through touching an uncharted rock), and reached Noumea under sail. ' ; , ■■'•' ' '*.■'?■■:. \ ' ■A-'^'S. : ; ; ■ '■■li'.vr*'-'':""'"" -■■^■'M:-'' i 'fV'^(^'' ! ''i S ; NEW SOUTH WALES INCOME TAX. (Received December 19, 11-5 p.m.) :'• -. •::'••- '■';/•'• Sydnet; December' 19. .'/; ' The Legislative Council ,has passed the. Income Tax Bill, which', the Government stated would shortly be repealed,- and introduced in a; different form. The House . adjourned till February. . * • STRANDING ; OF THE BROOKLYN. -.-»' t_ -in Sydney, December 191 The cargo of the steamer '.Brooklyn, which, went ,ashore at Crookhayen.'ithas . been saved. ' The vessel has been handed to the underwriters. COMMONWEALTH AERIAL POLICY. " - Melbourne, December 19. 1 The ' Federal Government ;:> has i decided that' an advertisement be issued ' for - two competent aviators at. a salary of .., £400 each and travelling expenses. The Govern-, ment accepts no liability for• accidents: > It is'also calling for tenders in England . for two monoplanes and two j biplanes. . ____ ' ''^'"■y^:'''~ :: r-' : : .-.■■:,; ; ---A .v' , '" ; ''^ v ';il;--■';"}'J'-'-'r • " PLUMS" FOR ; IMPORTED MEN. Sydney, December. 19. _.' • The Teachers' Conference, after a long debate resenting , what was termed the' plums of the Department going to imported ..officers,, confirmed the principle that where practicable Australians should) be appointed to vacancies. ■• ■ ■ FIRE ON A STEAMER. Adelaide, December 19, ■ A-fire broke out on the steamer Biele-i • feld at Port Pirio, and is still burning. . She has a '■;■ cargo i of 15,000 bales of wool and a thousand tons of sulphur. (Received December 20, 1.10 ajn.) Adelaide, December 19. The fire on the Biefeld is out. The damage to the ' cargo is chiefly duo tq water. :It is serious. '- ■ .' 'J. A STRIKE OF CAB-DRtVERS. , Sydney, December 1 19. - Cab-drivers - are striking " against the proposal ,to hire £ vehicles at six ;to seven shillings ■a- day. j- About a hundred " are • affected. NO MOUNT LYELL, SETTLEMENT.. Melbourne, December 19. ; The conference of the representatives of the Ni. Lyelli Company and : the: miners* delegates ended abruptly without a settle-, ment. ■ •. : * ; ■- : r:: :.-'■-.:,:/, N.S.W. WHEAT YIELD. . ~ Sydney, December 19. The Government statistician's latcsti estimate of the wheat yield is 23,372,000 bushels, being an average of ; 10.31 bushels to tho acre. The market is easier, and quotations are id lower. • ENGLISH LAWN TENNIS TEAM.. Melbourne, December 19.. • The council of the Victorian Tennis As* sociation has decided ,to instruct ,its dele*. ■•■» gates to the Australasian Association -'to support a proposal to' bring . but an; AllEngland team next year, including Dixon, Beamish, and Lome, the Davis cup players, - provided that the team comes under the auspices of tho English Tenuis At, sociation. ''..••.. '" ■ | '•■. W.i .'.