INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 22

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, October 19. The Federal Cabinet will meet on Wednesday to consider the appointment of Sir George Reid’s successor as High Commissioner. October 20. Mr Justice Higgins has called a compulsory conference of the Storemen and Packers’ Union and the employers in all States except Westralia, owing to the employers’ refusal to grant the increased wages demanded Owing to the war the associated banks will not apply to the Government to proclaim Melbourne Cup Day a statutory holiday. October 21. The State Secretary (Mr J. Murray), commenting on the Westralian Horseracing Parliamentary Committee's report, said that the introduction of the totalisator in Victoria was desirable from a revenue viewpoint, but it could not bo introduced.

while the Government was taxing all the profits of racing clubs. The latter would have to run the totalisator, and how to divide the profits was a problem. There was no chance of a Bill passing this session. Though the majority of members favoured the totalisator, they were far from agreeing over details of the Bill. October 22. Mr Tudor has announced that the Federal Cabinet has approved of the establishment of a Federal Institute for the manufacture of vaccine, serums, and antitoxins. The commonwealth note issue has been increased to £43,000,000. October 23. The High Commissionership has been definitely offered to Mr Fisher, and it is anticipated that he will place his resignation before a meeting of the caucus on Tuesday. October 25. Soaking rains have fallen throughout the State of Victoria. SYDNEY, October 19. Altogether there are 80 cases of smallpox in the Newcastle district. At his bankruptcy examination J. Earle Hermann estimated his liabilities at £23,162, and his assets, shown as book debts, at £52,874. The City Council has approved of the Union Steam Ship Company’s scheme to erect handsome and commodious offices at the corner of George and Market streets on the most approved American ideas of steel construction. It will be the first building of the kind in Sydney. The Master Bakers’ Federal Convention resolved that Government control of food prices was not beneficial and should be discontinued. October 20. The New South Wales Labour Caucus has approved a proposal to introduce a Bill this session providing for the opening of hotels at 8 a.m. and closing at 10 p.m. October 22. Samples of the new season’s wheat have been shown. The grain is well filled and of excellent colour. The Cabinet has abandoned the idea of dedicating Government House and grounds to public° pleasure, and has decided that the State Governor shall reoccupy it. The present vice-regal residence will be transformed into a hospital for returned soldiers. The Federal Cabinet to-day discussed the question of Sir George Reid’s successor as High Commissioner. Though nothing was divulged, the newspapers accept it as a foregone conclusion that Mr Fisher will succeed him. October 23. The New South Wales Railway Commissioners’ annual report shows that the railway earnings decreased by £50,709, and the tramways’ by £17,934, as compared with the previous year. The Hon. Mr Blade has announced his intention to introduce legislation to prevent juveniles from smoking. October 25. Since Friday 20 more cases of smallpox have been discovered in Newcastle. Mr Black, in a letter to the press, denies that he said he intended to prevent all smoking. What he said was that the prohibition of juvenile smoking was one of the reforms upon which he had set his mind, and he hoped he would eventually carry it out. BRISBANE, October 19. It is estimated that the sugar crop next season will be 170,000 tons. October 20. A mass meeting passed a resolution urging the Government to take a referendum on the subject of the early closing of hotels. October 21. The Queensland Government has taken over 7000 sheep owing to the belief that sheep were being sold for consignment to New South Wales meat works. October 22. A compulsory conference has been called for next Friday in connection with the decision of the Brisbane branches of the Federated Marine Engineers’ Association and the Federated Seamen’s Union to strike for improved wages and working conditions. PERTH, October 21. In the Legislative Assembly Premier Scaddan, in introducing the Loan Estimates, said West Australia received last year £2,610,245 of loan money, including £1,808,331 from the commonwealth loan, while a credit of £1,189,424 had been carried forward from the previous year. The Government had spent £2,521,508, and there remained a credit to the general loa 7l Luxi ol £1,278,341. He estimated the expenditure for the current year at £2.103,331, leaving an estimated shortage of £830,000. October 23. The West Australian Taxation Commissioners’ report gives 10 years’ totalisator statistics. It shows that £3,517,359 passed through the machine, returning £87,446 in revenue tax at the rate of per cent. In 1906 the investments totalled £223,200; last year they were £484,881.