INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 22

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, June 8. Judge Murray’s report on trial by jury in Papua is confirmatory of the conclusions reached by Judge Bevan in the. Northern Territory—i.e., that trial by jury is distinctly unsatisfactory in cases where a white is accused of an offence against a native. June 9. Over three million acres of wheat have already been sown in Victoria, which is half a million more than in 1913, when a record crop was reaped. Juno 10. As a result of the Federal Government releasing stocks of frozen meat which would otherwise have been exported, prices of meat in the local market are between 2d and 3d per lb cheaper.

The Federal Executive has approved of the following lighthouse dues: —Any ship of less than 4500 tons, 8d per ton; 4500 tons and upwards, a lump sum of £l5O. The dues apply to a first arrival at any port within three months after her last payment of dues. Ships calling at one port only en route for ports outside Australia will be charged half these rates. Government vessels, and ships provisioning, or coaling, or in distress are exempt. With the object of preventing the manufacture of synthetic spirits, and ensuring that spirits shall be made only by proper distillation, the importation into the Commonwealth of the ingredients of whisky, rum, brandy, cognac, or oil of cognac has been prohibited. June 11. In the Federal House of Representatives Mr Mahon, in confirming the announcement that Sir George Reid’s term of office would not be extended, said that six years was long enough. Any official absent from Australia over that time lost touch with Australian feeling. In connection with the alleged smuggling of Chinese into the commonwealth, two officers have been despatched to other States to search vessels arriving. Ten stowaways, recently discovered arriving in Brisbane from China, will be repatriated by the next vessel. It is stated that the smugglers charge the Chinese £l4O per man. June 14. There was a daring daylight robbery at Drummond’s jeweller’s shop in Collins street. At 10 o’clock this morning a man smashed a window with a muffled mallet, and an accomplice seized a tray of diamond rings, valued at £3OOO, and rushed through the Royal Hotel, One man held up the pursuers with a revolver while the other locked the door leading into Fleming place. Both escaped. It is authoritatively stated that Mr Charles Schwab, the American steel master, intends establishing works in Australia at an early date. SYDNEY, June 8. Cotter, a signalman, charged with causing the death of Robert Thomas, a victim of the Binalong railway smash on April 17, was acquitted. Sergeant-major Cribble and a civilian named William Samey were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, with hard labour, for stealing war stores —namely, 72 drums of oil and 11,000 cartridges. The Judge ordered the return of the stolen goods to the Government as a warning to those purchasing Government stores. Dalgety and Co. have compiled a record showing that the Australian overseas wool exports from July to May 31 decreased by 486,237 bales. Mr Hall (State Attorney-general) has informed the millers that plenty of wheat is now coming forward. A branch of the Yokohama Specie Bank is being established in Sydney, with, the object of facilitating Japanese and Australian commercial transactions. June 9. Four Chinese were remanded to-day on a charge of assisting smuggling in some of their countrymen. The prosecution alleged that the Federal authorities were on the track of a big system, and had not concluded the necessary inquiries. The ■weather is bitterly cold, with heavy snow on the high lands. The first auction sale of fish caught by the State trawlers was responsible for a decided lowering of prices. The Government is arranging for a depot to refrigerate and carts to distribute the fish. June 10. A stiff south-west gale is blowing, with, widespread rain. The rough seas are causing shipping to shelter. Heavy snow has fallen on the highlands and to the foot of Mount Victoria. An allegation of the adoption of trust methods by the Oil Distributing Company has been referred to the Commodities Commission. The death is reported of Mr Alexander Huie, father of the editor of the Christchurch Sun. June 11. Milton Withers, charged with theft from the Tramways Department, was acquitted and discharged. The evidence showed that the keys of the strong room were constantly changing hands, and anyone in uniform could get possession of them and take impressions of them. Another fbm pleaded guilty to a charge of selling a drug not accurately described —namely, Vitadatio, and was fined £2. The prosecutor on behalf of the Crown alleged that the bottle and contents cost Is; the defendants purchased it for 4s, and sold it for 6s 6d. The rain and gale have cleared. June 12. Four hundred applications have been received for police women, New Zealand being represented among them. No appointments have been made yet. The Colliery Mechanics’ Wages Board has decided that the state of the industry does not warrant increases in wages. June 14. A commission is investigating 2076 claims for compensation in connection with the Government seizure of wheat.