AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20290, 24 December 1927, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

RAINS IN QUEENSLAND. THE DROUGHT BROKEN. (Pies» Association—By Telegraph —Copyright ) BRISBANE, December 23. Rains have fallen at Longreach and district, and it can now be said that the drought in the central, west, and northern districts has broken. There are still a number of isolated places that have received little relief. Floods are threatening in some places, and the railway lines are blocked owing to the creeks and rivers running high. MYSTERIOUS AEROPLANES. SMUGGLING SUSPECTED. PERTH, December 23. Two mysterious aeroplanes were recently observed on the north-west coast of Western Australia. Suspicions are entertained that they ar e being used to smuggle opium into Australia. They are apparently operating from some island near Java. BUSH FIRES NEAR PERTH. MANY STATIONS THREATENED. I PERTH, December 23. The bush fires have spread with alarming rapidity in the- Carnarvon district, and only heavy thunderstorms can avert serious loss to all stations between the Wooramel and the Gascoyne Rivers. An aeroplane pilot says that the country is burning for 40 miles. Most of the stations affected have mustered tlieir stock, and their losses will be light. THE WOOL EXPORT SEASON. NOW AT ITS PEAK. SYDNEY, December 23. The wool export season is now at its peak. Nearly half of the Australian clip has been shipped. The statistics show that 947,597 bales, valued at £22,500,000, have been lifted from Australian ports for Britain and the Continent sinc e August. Although foreign shipping companies secured most of the largest individual consignments, British lines lifted the greater part of the clip. To date 12 British lines have secured 681,000 bales, worth nearly £14,000,000, while the vessels of six foreign companies have taken 366,000 bales, worth £8,000,000. The approximate amount of the freight earned by British vessels is £872,000 and by foreign ships £549,000. CUSTOMS DUTY ON BUTTER. NEGOTIATIONS WITH DOMINION. SYDNEY, December 23. According to the Daily Telegraph, a stalemate has been reached in the Federal Government’s negotiations with New Zealand in connection with the increased Customs duty on butter. Som e weeks ago the Federal authorities asked the New Zealand Government to concur in the Increased duties. New Zealand objected, and demanded the full six months’ notice, according to the tariff agreement. The Federal Government, having granted a similar concession to New Zealand with regard to wheat and flour, was optimistic that the six months’ notice would be waived in regard to dairy produce, enabling the new duties to operate from January 1. It is now under consideration that two Federal Ministers proceed to New Zealand and place the position before the Prime Minister, with a view to securing a compromise. It was in anticipation of the full duty coming into operation at the beginning of the year that the Stabilisation Committee raised the export bounty under the Paterson scheme from 3d to 4d per lb as from the 12th inst. While New Zealand butter is admitted here on 3d per lb duty, the Australian price for local consumption cannot be stabilised at a rate that will yield the producers an adequate return, to secure which the organisations of th© dairy industry have been working. For the time being the position, as it affects the Australian dairyman and the price he receives for his product, is uncertain.

STAMPS BILL REJECTED. MELBOURNE, December 23. The legislative Council rejected the Stamps Bill, whereby it was proposed to increase the stamp duty on cheques from Id to 2d. YIELD OF RAW SUGAR. ESTIMATE FOR NEXT SEASON. BRISBANE, December 23. In bis annual report the director of the sugar experimental stations states that during the ’ast three years over £5,000,000 has been received in Australia by the export of sugar, and £6,000,000 has been paid annually in wages. The estimated yield of raw sugar In Queensland for the 1927 season s 433,000 tons.

Christmas Island, in the Pacific, is so named because Captain Cook landed there on Christmas Day, 1777,