AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 14, 1 September 1911, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

CHARGE OF MURDER. Melbourne, August 31. Dr. Peacock, charged with murder, lias been released on £IOOO bail. Melbourne, August 31. Detectives are unable to hud the girl Davies or her body. WESTRALIAX ELECTIOXS. Perth, August 31. Parliament has dissolved. The elections v. ill take place on Octobei 3. SHEEP AND DISEASE. (Received 1, 8.45 a.m.) Sydney, September 1. Giving evidence in the shearers’ case Dr. Kator, in opposition to previous evidence, said ho did not think shoaling wet sheep was responsible foi pustural disease amongst shearers. The disease was common tlio world over. Ho had seen a great deal of it in cities, and witness did not tnink sheep communicated diseases. PRICE OF SUGAR. Sydney, September 1. The Sugar Company to-day advances the prices of all sugars one pound per ton. PRISON STATISTICS. Sydney, Scptetmher 1. The annual report of the Comptroller of Prisons show that the prison population of the State at the end of last year was 1320, the lowest for over thirty-five years, the ratio per 100,000 of population being 78, against 80 the previous year. The Comptroller says that probably the dominating factors of this satisfactory result are the general spread of education, the moulding of law-abiding instincts of the community, and the general prosperity of the country. Credit must also be given to the beneficial influence of modern legislation, which, while strict and disciplinary, was not open to reproach of manufacturing crime. The expenditure on gaols had decreased from £129,000 in 1895 to £82,000 last year. WHARF LABOURERS. Sydney, September 1. Trouble is threatened by the wharf labourers engaged on the oversea shipping trade. At a special meeting a few days ago it was decided to enforce from to-day increases of 3d per hour on day rates and 4\d per hour on night rates; also 3d per hour increase for .handling frozen meat. It is stated that tho stevedores were given no official intimation of tho demands. Some weeks ago the men asked for a conference to deal with the matter of special cargoes for which it was considered extra rates should be paid. Tho stevedores suggested that they should apply to the Wages Board, but nothing was done. The unrest has boon accentuated by the decision of the union not to handle pig-iron produced by non-unionists at Lithgow. A crisis will be reached to-day unless conciliatory methods prevail.

EMBEZZLEMENT. (Received 1, 10.10 a.m.) Sydney, September 1. Stanley, paymaster to the Customs Department, pleaded guilty to charges of embezzling £ll6O and £315, moneys of the Commonwealth Government, and was committed for trial. NORTHERN TERRITORY. Melbourne, September 1. Dr. Daxdow, who was recently appointed protector of the aborigines in the Northern Territory, has resigned. He declares that the legislature is unworkable. EMPIRE EXHIBITION. Melbourne, September 1. The Imperial Government approves of' file proposal to hold an Empire Exhibition.