AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10542, 25 August 1910, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyrcjet.] (Per Press Association.) THE COMMONWEALTH BUDGET. Received August 24, at 9.5 p.m. Melbourne, August 24. _ Mr Fisher (Premier) will deliver his" Budget on the 6th September. MASONIC. Sydney, August 24. Lord Chelmsford has been installed as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge 'of New South. "Wales Masons. There was an imposing ceremony. A MYSTERY. Sydney, August 24. The body of Ivy Alice O'Brien, a beautiful girl of 21, was found lying in the sandhills at Randwick early this morning. There are no marks of violence, but the clothing is covered with blood. ■ The case is one of great mystery. There are no signs of a struggle, but the girl's features show that her death was of a violent natvire. She left her home yesterday to collect some rents, and nothing more is known of her,movements. The marks of a two-wheeled vehicle were discovered near where the body was found. Miss O'Brien resided with her : parents, who were unable to throw any light on the mystery. The result of the post mortem has not been dis- ; closed. The police theory is that death was due to a certain operation. The., body was afterwards carted to Randwick, a vehicle having been seen near the. spot late at night. There. is no definite cliTe as yet. THE RICHMOND DISASTER. Received August 25, at 1.10 a.m. Melbourne, August 24. The special board appointed to enquire into the Richmond disaster has concluded its sittings. : LABOR SUFFERS DEFEAT. Melbourne, August 24. The by-election for the Kooyong scat iu the Federal Parliament to replace Mr Knox, retired, resulted in 'the return of Sir R. AY. Best, Liberal, who badly defeated the Labor candidate. STARVATION WAGES. ■ Received August 25, at 10:10 a.m. Hobart August 25. In the Assembly, Mr Woods stated that he knew of a girl dressmaker, in her fourth year, who was getting 6s a week, and worked four nights a week overtime without pay. She had to buy her own firewood, and when at honle sick through overwork her wages were docked. Another larger firm gave 4d for tea money, and compelled the girl to purchase on the premises for 6tl. He regarded it as slow murder. A TRIBUTE TO NEW ZEALAND BUTTER, Sydney, August 25. A deputation, interviewed the Minister for Customs requesting that effect should not be given to the following recommendations of Mr Lockyer, Collector of Customs, that the allowance for moisture in butter be reduced from 16 to 14 per centum, that the percentage of butter-fat be raised from 82 to S4 per centum, and that the trade mark be stamped on the boxes. Mr Tudor replied that whatever action he might take would be in the interests of the whole of Australia. He pointed out that New Zealand butter, which was graded and stamped, brought higher prices than Australian.

PRINTING BANK NOTES. Sydney, August 25. Several firms have offered to print bank notes, but the Government has decided to do the work itself. AUSTRALIAN POLITICS. Sydney, August 25. In the House of Representatives a Bill'to abolish inter-State Customs certificates was read a second time without opposition. The Australian Note Bill amendment, to place the control of the issue under a commission was negatived. Mr Fisher declined to accept an amendment providing for the payment of gold for the notes of each capital, saying that it- was unsafe to have too many points of attack in a time of panic. Progress is slow, and the House is still sitting till earl.v morning. In the Senate a motion to subsidise a cable service was carried without a division. M'r Poarce said the proposal was not- designed to bolster up the Labor papers. The House of Representatives Bill, to discontinue the book-keeping system wiLh regard to payment to the States, which costs £30,000 aimally, has passed through committee. 1 HOTEL BURNT. Sydney, August 25. The Cosmopolitan Hotel at Murwilluinbah, of 25 rooms, was destroyed by fire, it was insured. MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. Brisbane, August 25. Herman Schifcofoke, an elderly farmer, who had been eccentric for a considerable time, shot his wife dead, and then shot himself through the body, inflicting serious injuries, at his farm near Rockhampton. THE FEDERAL CAPITAL. r : ; Melbourne, August 25. The Argus has taken a referendum of Australian newspapers oil the question of the immediate establishment of a capital at Yass-Canberra, and- 78 answered yes, and 241 no.