INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 25

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, xJay 31. | The Minister of Home Affairs denies the rumour that Sir William Van" Home, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, is coming to Australia to advise the Government regarding the construction of a transcontinental railway. The Minister adds that any expert advice on the subject that is wanted can '•>& got locally. | June 1. The next Federal. Estimates will include a substantial sum for wireless installations along the coastline, in addition to the high-power stations already agreed upon. The stations at Sydney and Fremantle will have their range extended to 1250 miles. The Commonwealth revenue for the past 11 months was £10,665,188 —an increase of £657,924 on the corresponding period of last year. ' June 2. Rowdyism at. football matches has become so rampant that the State Premier is considering some drastic means for the repression of" practices which are spoiling the game. June 3. The latest estimate of the Commonwealth Treasury in connection with oldage pensions indicates that the expenditure for the past year will be close up to the original estimate of a million and a-half j sterling. | June 6. The Commonwealth Postmaster-general sought to obtain an injunction to restrain a firm of publishers from publishing a private telephone list, but the High Court dismissed the application on the ground that private publishing was not an infringement of the law. It is probable, in view of the inevitableness of reduced returns to the State from the Commonwealth Treasury, and the impossibility of financing out of revenue some of the more urgent public works, that the Victorian. Cabinet will shortly float a loan, '

SYDNEY, May 31. Diphtheria is rampant throughout the city and suburbs, the -hospitals beingtaxed to their utmost. It is, however, of a mild form, and the mortality is remarkably low. The : most virulent cases are those which affect children up to five years; older children appear not to suffer severely. The court found Captain Meaburn, master of the "steamer Wyreema, responsible for the collision with the Currajong 'on March 8, and n'dered him to show cause why his certificate should not be dealt with. June 3. The price of bricks has been raised '4s, and is naw two guineas per 1000. The increase, which is greatly hampering building operations, is said to be due to the Wages Board raising wages on the brickmaker. On the other hand, it is pointed out that an increase of Is per 1000 would meet this demand. The Federal Attorney-general is inquiring into the case, and, if necessary, will take action, against the brick combine. A nurse named Withey has-been found guilty of the manslaughter of. a young woman by "means of a certain operation. She has been sentenced to 14 years' penal servitude. During the past three days the seismograph at the Observatory' recorded some important shocks. The largest was on June 1, which was the most important since February. A preliminary tremor reached Sydney at 4 in the afternoon, and the principal phase commenced five minutes later. Long waves continued for 19 minutes. ADELAIDE, June 6. In the course of an address to the Anti-gambling League the Premier (Mr Verran) said that gambling would receive no shelter from him. He believed that if the totalisator were removed they would have a better citizenship. BRISBANE, May 31. Four policemen refused to take the oath of allegiance, not because they were disloyal, but because they wanted to be expelled from the force. They were, however, fined instead, some of them to the extent of a month's pay. June 3. Captain John Strachan's action against the Brisbane Newspaper Company, claiming £SOOO as damages for alleged defamation, resulted in a verdict for £SOO damages and costs for the plaintiff. FREMANTLE, June 1. Mrs Hawkes and her children have sailed for England. Her divorced husband is a passenger by the same PERTH, June 3. In connection with the wreck of the Pericles, a salvage company has been formed with a capital of £6OOO. It will commence operations next week. Three hundred tons more of the cargo in the Pericles have been salved. The masts of the vessel are now visible. The Labour Congress has resolved in favour of raising the salaries of members of Parliament to £4OO per annum. It is contended that the present salary of £2OO is totally inadequate as a living wage. June 6. During the voyage of the steamer Strathlines from Baltimore, Captain Gunn mysteriously disappeared on May 28.