COMMONWEALTH NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17791, 21 July 1916, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH NEWS

SIX O’CLOCK CLOSING. FINAL REFERENDUM FIGURES (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY. July 20. Received July 20. 10.25 p.m. The final figures for the liquor referendum were:—Six o’clock closing, 247,494; seven o’clock, 4820; eight, 21,134; nine, 178,842: 10, 1445; eleven, 3192. The men voters outnumbered the women by 20,110, The absolute majority required , to give effect to any hour was 278,450, so six o’clock was carried with a surplus of nearly 70.000. PROMOTING RAIN, .SYDNEY. July 20. -Mr Balsillie, the wireless expert, states that he lias proved conclusively that rain can be stimulated by electrical means. His experiments had proved that at least 30 per cent, of stimulation could be maintained. He emphasised that, he did not claim to produce rain, but only to stimulate light falls. WAR LOAN. MELBOURNE, July 20. .Senator Higgs has announced that employers arc not legally required to guarantee payment of employees instalments of the war loan. Should an employee he unable to continue payments, the Government will refund the paid instalments. Appealing for subscriptions tlie Minister stated that Australia required fifty millions annually for war purposes, MiNEKti' DISSATISFIED. SYDNEY, July 20. Received July 30, 10.25 p.m. Mass meetings of colliers at Maitland, Lambton, West Wallsend, and Wollongong, carried resolutions protesting against the failure of proprietors to grant an eight hour day, bank to bank.