NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3343, 10 April 1918, Page 36

NEWS BY CABLE.

AMERICAN WHEAT. Chicago reports tuo yjsioio wheat supply at B,y4is,v»'Jo ousneis. I'iic Lamed iTesa Washington correspondent reports taut I&j.vviU.uvj busucia ot ivnoat iii Jiouch America- are awaiting shipment to the Ailios. Xue State i/eparfciui.ut ],s negotiating with Brazil and Uruguay lor tuo utilisation oi tuo interned German vessels ior the South American trade. This will rcieaso ooj,uOu tons of shipping lor the transport ol wheat to Europe. MEAT SUPPLY. Tho Imperial Government Las entered into a contract With the Commonwealth Government lor the supply oi two million pounds of corned bocL A sub-committee of the Imperial Dominions Department has reported to tho board of Trade on a scheme for meat supplies alter tho war, which will render the Empire self-sufficient. In accordance with a resolution passed at the last Imperial Conference, the .Board of Trade is submitting tho report to a conference of High Commissioners with a. view to their drafting recommendations for the Imperial Conference.. THE WOOL CLIP. The War Offico has fixed the price of tho British wool clip of 1918 60 per cent, above the average for June and July, 1914. The total imports of "wool into Great Britain this' year are nearly half a million bales. ! INDIAN BORDER RAIDS. Tho Press Bureau states that the Indian punitive operations against the Harris raiders continue satisfactorily. The Marris retired to the hills and offered no resistance, confining themselves to isolated _ raids, in one of which one European and six Indians were killed and three wounded. The tribe is showing signs of surrender. The Khotran tribe has already submitted. A NOVEL PROPOSAL. Tho Independent Labour party conference at Leicester' debated the most equitable method of wiping out the National Debt. Mr Jowett, M.P., proposed passing an Act whereby all persons whose wealth is above a certain level should be deemed to be dead, and should pay death duties on a graduated scale. GENERAL NEWS. Owing to the absence of skilled tailors from Liverpool 50 firms have started one central co-operative workshop. New universities at Capetown, Stellenbosch, and Bloemfontein were inaugurated on tho 3rd inst., completing the new university system. At 'Swansea, New Zealand Depot Rugby team 6 points were defeated by South Wales 15. New eZaland Headquarters 20 points defeated Army Service Corps (Blackheath) nil. New Zealand 5 points defeated Cardiff S. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. A regulation under 'the Australian War Precautions Act declares tobacco a necessary commodity. While a motor tractor was being converted into an imitation armoured car for Red Cross Day at Young, New South Wales, a petrol tazik burst and killed two men, while another was badly burned. In the Federal House of Representatives Mr W. M. Hughes gave notice of motion to introduce a Bill to provide for the maintenance of industrial peace and the settlement of industrial disputes for the duration of the war and for six months after. There is a growing scarcity of kerosene in Sydney, and the proclaimed price has been raised by Is 2d per .case. The first day of Tank Week in Sydney realised £173,180 for the war loan. At the Sydney Show sales of draught stallions a weak market ruled. Lots sold on behalf of New Zealand owners ranged from 105 to 230 guineas. Tho body of James Swale, 39 years, a member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, was found in the lake in Centennial Park. Recently deceased met with a train accident necessitating the amputation of an arm. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS. The South Australian election figures so far show the following to bo the state of parties:—Legislative Assembly: Coalitionists, 26; Labour, 19; Farmers, 1. Legislative Council: Coalitionists, 16; .Labour, 4. All the candidates who wore members of the Vaughan Ministry, including Messrs Crawford and Vaughan, stood as Nationalists, but were defeated. BURYING THE HATCHET. The battle between Mr Hughes and Mr Ryan arising out of the seizure of copies of the Queensland Hansard by the Federal authorities some time ago has ended. When tho case Ryan y. Hughes was called in tho High Court in Sydney it was struck out, while in Brisbane the conspiracy charges against Mr Ryan and tho Treasurer (Mr Theodore) in connection with tho distribution of the prohibited Hansard were formally dismissed in the Police Court. POST-WAR WORK. The Commercial Travellers' Association Interstate Conference resolved to ask the Government to consult the association regarding the appointment of a representative to any post-war trade scheme; also that all responsible positions in the various undertakings arising therefrom be filled by commercial men with tho requisite knowledge and experience. Another resolution favoured the encouragement of members to learn foreign languages. CHIEF JUSTICE OF VICTORIA. Sir William Irvine has been appointed Chief Justice of- Victoria in succession to the late Sir John Madden. Born in 1858. ho was called to tho Bar in 1834. Ton years later he was elected to the Victorian Assembly, and in 1902 became Premier. During liis two years in office he was called upon to deal with a. formidable strike in the Victorian Railway Department, his firmness and determined attitude breaking up a very carefully organised revolt against Constitutional authority. To prevent the Civil Service exercising the power it had weilded ho passed a measure disfranchising them

from general elections, and giving them special representation. In 19C6 he entered Federal polities, becoming Attorney-general in tho Cook Ministry in 1913. Cold m manner—he became known as "the iciclo" —he dici not command enthusiastic support, and though his strict integrity and general attainments otherwise fitted him for the position, he did not become a, leader in Federal politics. Sir William has resigned his seat as representative of Flinders in the Federal Parliament.