COMMONWEALTH CABLES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 85, 5 December 1912, Page 6

COMMONWEALTH CABLES.

DIDN’T WANT WATER “NEAT.’

Sydney, December 4

The latest development in the burg i Jarising enterprise occurred at Moss- ' man Bay. A motor car containing a f git-1 and" two* men drove slowly along ‘ the road. The girl kept calling at • various places, asking for a drink ii water/ She visited the residence of a newly-married couple, who were al> sent, forced the, lock of a back window and commandeered practically even portable article of any convertible value. The total loss was £2OO, including: all the wedding presents.

SUGAR COMMISSION. Melbourne, December 4. The minority report of the Sugar Commission strongly defends the Colonial Sugar Company. It urges that the beet sugar industry in Victoria should be encouraged as far as pos- ' sible. It is unlikely that the requirements of Australia would he met by /the production of cane sugar in New South Wales and Queensland for several years to come. The conclusions include the following:—Excise and 7 bounty in conjunction with other measures fulfilled their, purpose; the profits of the mill-owners and refiners, while sufficient, are not excessive to the consumer, the primary producer : serving better under existing conditions. than he would under a system ,f small independent refineries; farmers do not receive an adequate return,for their labour and enterprise. The re- - commendations include the abolition of the excise and' bounty, prohibition of coloured labour, an increase of the import duty on sugar to £7 a ton, but it 'the excise and bounty are retained the increase on the import duty to he £9; wages and conditions of labour should he regulated by local hoards.

SEAMEN’S AFFAIRS. The Service Guild of Australia at a special meeting resolved to demand certain terras from the steamship owners. If these are not conceded the man will ceaso work forthwith. The trouble is the outcome of the owners approaching the High Court for a prohibition against .the award issued in April last. Action will depend upon the Court’s decision.

The Herald announces that the Federated Seamen’s Union of Australasia is about to absorb the Now' Zealand Seamed ’9 Union. Under amalgamation the funds will be pooled, and the entire service worked as one great, or--1 ganisation. MOUNT MORGAN MINE. , ! Brisbane, December 5. During November the Mount Morgan copper reduction works have treated 20,7i9 tons of ore, which yielded 904 tons of blister copper, containing 855 toil's of copper, and 13,079 ounces qf. gold to the total value'of £106,210.

NORTH MOUNT LYELL. i” ' ’ " ' > Hobart, December 5. Two more bodies, those of Stvidwcl! and (lard, have been recovered from the North Mount Lyell mine. Though the features are not recognisable, the bodies are well fpreserved. The rescuers reached the 700 ft loved. The shaft is not damaged. There was no smoke or'fumes, thus indicating that X the fir© was out. * Operations for get- \ ting rid of the water and recovering • the remainder of the bodies arc being pushed on. AUSTRALIAN WHEAT YIELD. Melbourne, December 5. The Government Statistician ostimates the wheat yield at 23,144,500 bushels. A WORLD’S RECORD. X Melbourne, December 5. Don Kirkbam cycled one hundred miles,'unpaced, in four hours and 30 : minutes. A world’s record. DROP OF Id IN WHEAT. (Received 9.35 a.m.) Sydney, December 5. Owing to prompt delivery wheat declined one penny, sales being 3s 8d per bushel.