AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17268, 18 September 1919, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

«. EMPLOYMENT OF SOLDIERS. A a QUEENSLAND LEGISLATION, i fa A. and NZ- BRISBANE, Sept. 17. j, Replying to a deputation from the Em- n plovers' Federation protesting against the * Employment of Soldiers Bill, Mr. Theo- * dore, Minister for Labour, said that if the c Bill could not be operated without inflict- ( ing injustice it would be abandoned; but, j personally, he considered it would operate fairly. CO-OPERATIVE DAIRYING. STATE CONTROL NOT WANTED. MELBOURNE, Sept. 17. A conference of farmers adopted a resolution favouring co-operation and opposing the Government control of the dairying industry. — 1 COMMONWEALTH PEACE LOAN. < i MONEY COMING IN SLOWLY. 1 c SYDNEY, Sept. 17. < Applications for the peace loan are ma- ) terialising very slowly, despite an active ' campaign. The Colonial Sugar Company ■, subscribed £100,000. ; [The Commonwealth Peace Loan has been f floated for £25,000,000. Subscriptions » close on September 23. The loan is repay- '• able in December, 1927, and is free of State income tax but subject to Federal income tax. The rate of interest payable ' is 5 per cent., but certain concessions are } offered which, if availed of, will make the ' effective rate of interest 5$ per cent, over the whole period of the l%in. It was an- : nounced that the Government hoped the ' amount required would be subscribed voli untarily, but if necessary compulsion would : Ibe applied. A large aggregate sum of ! Australian loans will become payable duri ing the next 10 years, and the greater '■ 1 proportion of this amount was, and prob- ' I ably still is, held in London. Therefore the financial prospects are important. Advices received from London indicate that it is unlikely cheap loan moneys will be available there during this period. The prevailing rate is now 5A per cent, and there is no present expectation of any decline.) HIGH PRICE OP BOOTS. LARGE PROFITS DISCLOSED. MELBOURNE, Sept. 17. The Profiteering Commission is inquiring into the price of boots. Evidence tendered showed that profits ranged from 27 to 50 per cent., the latter for women's boots. FARMERS AND POLITICS. NEW PROGRESSIVE PARTY. SYDNEY, Sept. 17. The Farmers and Settlers' Conference instructed the executive to invite the executives of all primary producers' associations to unite in one political body, known as the Progressive party, to secure j I representation in the eext Parliament. J