AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16050, 16 October 1915, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

LIST OF CASUALTIES. NEW ZEALANDERS INCLUDED. (Received October 15, 11.20 p.m.) Sydney, October 15. The 93rd casualty list has been issued. It gives the following figures—Killed in action, 1 officer and 31 men, including Private H. L. Jones : died of wounds, 7 men : died (if disease, 6 men : wounded, 95 men. including Lance-Corporal T. C. Wilson ; ill, 2"i officers and 216 men, including Sergeants C. H. Ton X. P. Doherty, Privates J. Ohishnlm, H. C. Finnerty, W. E. Bradley. in hospital in London ; ' 'orporal \V. Morgan, in hospital at Bombay ; Signaller R. Hay, disembarked at Malta : Private W. J. Heatley, in hospital at Ghezireh : Private R. H. Baker, Second Auxiliary Convalescent Depot. AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS. WAR EXPENSES £171,188. Ki* reived October 13. 9.50 p.m.) Melbourne, October 15. The annual report of the Australian branch of the Red Cross states that receipts disbursed since the outbreak of the war total £171,188. CHARGES AGAINST KIDMAN. OFFICER DENIES BRIBERY. iUei-eived October 15, 11.16 pin.) Sydney, October 15. fn the case against Arthur Kidman and others in connection with war supplies. Major Page gave evidence that Kidman admitted that flic tender in another name was his. Kli'man explained that it was done in a hurry, and he regretted it. In regard to tenders in the names of How and Simes, which he opened, witness had not the slightest suspicion that they were not genuine. In reply to questions, Major Page denied receiving any money or consideration from Kidman. ARMY INSTRUCTOR FINED. ASSAULT ON PRESSMAN. (Received October 15, 11.15 p.m.) Melbourne, October 15. Sergeant-Major Parker was fined £5 for assaulting the sub-editor of the newspaper Truth by pouring a bottle of ink over him because the paper described the sergeant-major as belonging to the " cold feet brigade." Parker, who is an athletic trainer at the military camp, is the lather of six children. He offered for the frqnt, but the Department told him he could be better employed training troops. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BUDGET INCREASED TAXATION. Adelaide, October 15. • The State Treasurer has delivered the South Australian Budget. The revenue for . the past year was £3J)73,310, which, owing to the uut precedented drought, fras £153,533 below the estimate. The year's expenditure was £4,662,395, leaving a' deficit of £470,448 after allowing for thj previous year's credit balance. The estimated revenue for the current year is £4,760,830, and expenditure £4,751,902, showing a surplus of £8928. An outline of ne*w taxation proposals foreshadowed a reduction of the income tax exemption from £200 to £156, the exemption in the case of soldiers being £300. An increase- in the receipt tax from Id to 2d is proposed, also a totalisator tax of from 2l to 5 per cent. An increase is proposed in the unimproved land value tax of a id in the £. VICTORIAN FINANCE. RETURNS FROM STATE WORKS Melbourne, October 15. The Victorian Minister for Finance, Sir Alex. Pe>acocke, has delivered his Budget, which contains no new taxation proposals. The revenue for the past year was' £10,248,761, exceeding the estimate by £17,402. The expenditure was £11,444,231, exceeding the estimate by £212,872. The deficit amounted to £1,195,470. The estimated expenditure for the current year is £11,477,602, including an increase of £298, for extra interest on debts and £110,000 for loss on imported wheat. The Minister stated that the State coal mine showed a profit for the year 'of £10,640, while the profit on the* shipbuilding yard was £2333. The State cool store and the beet sugar factory both showed small losses. LIVERPOOL CAMP. LOW MORTALITY RATE. Sydney, October 15. Replying to criticisms of the conditions at Liverpool camp, the commandant replied that there was no training camp of the same size in the Empire with as low a mortality. BULGARIANS IN AUSTRALIA. TREATED AS ENEMIES. Melbourne, October 15. Mr. Fisher has announced that Bulgarians in Australia will now be treated as enemy subjects. NEW ZEALANDER KILLED. Sydney, October 15. Private J. A. Rogers is reported to have been killed. His relatives live in New Zealand. PATRIOTIC FUNDS. _ . . . Sydney, October 15. Trie various patriotic funds of New South Wales now total £1,907,000: those of Victoria, £1,064,000^