AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3247, 7 June 1916, Page 23

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

A conference of the industrial section of the Labour party views with grave concern the possible extension of the British Compulsion Act to British residents abroad, and calk upon the Labour movement to strenuously resist conscription in any form applying to citizens of Australia. Letters received by the English mail state that congratulations from all quarters were showered on Lieutenant Bran-

don, who wrecked a Zeppelin during a raid on the Thames Mouth. The Queensland Farmers' Union passed a motion urging the adoption of conscription. During May 2155 fresh war pensions were granted, increasing the commonwealth's actual liability to £236,824. A new regulation under the War Precautions Act requires owners of kinemas to submit to the Chief of the General Staff all films relating to the war or to facts connected with the war, or which 'depict anything in the nature of a cartoon that might offend the people of allied or neutral countries. Mr Higgs, Federal Treasurer, states that the next commonwealth war loan will be placed on the Australian market early in June. The Ministry has been empowered to borrow up to £50,000,000, but it is understood that its intention with regard to the new loan is not to fix the amount, but to take as much of the £50,000,000 as is offered. PROSPECTUS PUBLISHED. SYDNEY, June 1. The prospectus of the third war loan has been published. The conditions are the same as for previous loans, but the amount is unlimited. The currency will be till 1925. Applications will close on August 1.