AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3438, 3 February 1920, Page 36

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A flood at Bruthen, Gippsland, destroyed the maize crops. Owing- to the heavy cost of paper the Sun i s raising its price to l£d. The Newton Band Avon the championship at the band contest. The tobacco prices in Melbourne have baon increased by Id to per ounce. The Sydney City Council voted against the election of the Lord 'Mayor by adult franchise. Tlie Commodities Commission in New South Wales has recommended that tobacco be deolared a necessary commodity. The Wheat Board is advancing- formers £3,200,000 on the 1917-18 and 1913-19 wheat crops. . Tho Federal Cabinet has. proclaimed Anzno Day, April 25, a national public holiday. The steamer Taiyuan went ashore on Wilkio Reef, near Thursday Island, but was refloated undamaged. Dr Gilruth has returned, after _ prosecuting inquiries relative to stock diseases in England and America. The New South Wales Government will forgo probate duty on £70,000 left by the lato Sir Samuel M'Caughey for the assistance of soldiers' widows.

Tho Queensland Legislative Council has decided against payment of compensation to the liquor trade in the event of State control or prohibition becoming operative. M'Ewin's Jam Factory in Adelaide has been destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at £30,000. The Commodities Commission i n New South "Wales has granted an application for an increase of 2d per lb on the prices of bacon f.nd hams from Tuesday next. Mr David Storey has resigned from the New South Wales Ministry of Health, and is retiring from active politics. He will be appointed to the Legislative Council. Warrants have been issued for the arrest of seven men who are mentioned in the recent Wheat Commission's- finding on charges of conspiring to defraud the State Wheat Office. Two more men, named Smith and Robinson, were arrested, and remanded on heavy bail on charges of conspiracy to defraud in connection with the wheat inquiry finding. ROBBERIES IN SYDNEY. There have been a number of daring and extensive robberies in Sydney during the last few days. Jewels valued at £4OOO, the property of Messrs Stewart, Dawson, mysteriously disappeared from a room in an hotel. The latest report is that Melick's silk w r arehousa was ransacked, and goods to the value of from £IOOO to £2OOO were looted. CARGO STEAMER SINKS. Advices have been received that the cargo steamer Marne, en route for New York to Australia, _ caught fire and sank in tho Panama Canal, with a full cargo. including consignments for Auckland and Wellington. THE' FEDERAL ELECTIONS. Details of the referenda poll in connection with the recent election disclose a huge informal vote, largely composed of those who refused to mark their papers. There wore 195,000 informal votes on the legislative powers question, and 357,000 on the monopolies question. The forthcoming State election will be responsible for considerable party changes, irrespective of the result of the poll. Several members are i*etiring from political life, and a number of others are forsaking Mr Holman and joining the Progerssive Party. Two of the most prominent of these are Mr Bevin and Colonel Onslow.