AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20288, 22 December 1927, Page 12

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

THE NEW TARIFF SCHEDULE, ESTIMATED TOTAL BENEFITS. (Pre6« Association—By Telegraph— Copyright t CANBERRA, December 21. The Minister of Customs (Mr H. E. Prattcn), in a statement, shows that, excluding the benefits under the new tariff schedule, the estimated total bene fits under Empire preference to Britain for the financial year 1925-26 wore £7,981,000. For the "sam e year New Zca i land benefited to the amount of £230,000. | The advantage to Canada for the year ended September 30, 1927, was £235,000. 1 The valn e of concessions given to Britain under the new schedule is estimated to be ultimately £1,500,000 annually. It is estimated that the total benefit to Australia was:—From Britain, £571,000 in 1925; from Canada, £182.000 in 1927 ; and from New Zealand, £217,000 in 1926. COMMONWEALTH POPULATION. INCREASE FOR THE YEAR. SYDNEY, December 21. It is estimated that the population of the Commonwealth at September 30 last was 6,198,986, the increase for the year being 122,554, comprising 66,403 males and 56,151 females. The excess of binns over deaths accounted for 75,016, ancj the excess of arrivals over departures for 47,538. New South Wales leads the States with 2,385,339. NEW SOUTH WALES MINERALS. PRODUCTION FOR THE YEAR. SYDNEY, - December 21. The Department of Mines estimates that th G total value of New South Wales mineral production for the year ended December 31 next will be between £19,000,000 and £19,500,000. Last year’s output exceeded £20,000,000.

The Under-secretary, in a statement, says that the passing of some branches oLthe, metalliferous industry, notably gold and copper, is becoming increasingly evident, but in turn they are being replaced by others which have developed with the growth of the State. For example, the cement industry now contributes an annual output equal to that of the gold mines in the boom years. The estimated output of coal in 1927 will be approximately 10,500,000 tons, which is 300.000 tons less than the previous year. Tho increase in the price of coal, however, will lift the .aggregate value of the output to that of the previous year. About 24,500 miners are engaged in the industry. It is estimated that the production of silver, lead, and zinc from Broken Hill will exceed 1,400,000 tons, an increase of over 100,000 tons compared with 1926, when the value was £5,"760,000. The low price ruling for copper precluded profitable working on ores. No new discoveries of gold were made. TESTIMONIAL FOR EX-MINISTER. A .SUBSTANTIAL CHEQUE. SYDNEY. December 21. A cheque amounting to £3237, embodying tile amount subscribed ns a testimonial for tho former Minister of Lands in the Lang Ministry (Mr Loughlin), who was defeated at the recent, elections, lias been handed to Mr Loughlin. WATERSIDE WORKERS. NEW SCHEME OF PAYMENT. MELBOURNE, December 21. Th e proposal by Mr Justice Boeby to make inquiries regarding tho introduction of the system of payment by results for work on tho waterfront appears to be favoured by tho union officials at Melbourne. They believe that it, would eliminate stevedoring companies, which con tract with the owners to do work on a tonnage basis. The secretary of tho Wharf Labourers’ Union said that if the system was acceptable to the men it. would probably promote harmony on the waterfront. The union could contract for the loading and unloading of vessels. The work wou!(J not be so liable to stoppages , arising from disputes over th e interpretation of awards. Other officials said that to make piecework successful the middleman would have to be removed.

GREYHOUND RACES

-MONKEYS ACT AS JOCKEYS,

SYDNEY, December 21

An innovation was provided in greyhound races when in two events the dogs wore ridden by specially-trained monkeys. Tiio first event was a hurdle and (lie second a flat race. In both races tho monkeys retained their mounts. One dog after th c race cleared a 6ft gate, but I lip jockey refused to be shifted.