NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 595, 6 January 1916, Page 8

NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA

VICTORIAN MAIL SERVICE. MOTORS REPLACE HORSES. By Cable. — Press Association. — Copyright. (Beceived January 0, 9.50 a.m.) MELBOUBNE, January 6. The Hon. W. Webster states that the department has been forced to discard horses for motors in the mail services in order to maintain efficiency, increasing the cost by 300 per centum. It is suggested that the Government should overcome the increased expenditure by establishing its own motor services, carrying mails and passengers. MUSICAL SCHOLARSHIPS. SYDNEY, January 6. The Minister of Education has approved of the establishment of 31 State scholarships in connection with the Conservatorium of Music.

TASMANIAN REVENUE. (Received January C, 9.55 a.m.) HOBART, January 6. The half-yearly revenue was £626,696, an increase of £28,304. SOUTH COAST MINERS IDLE. SYDNEY, January 5. The whole of the South Coast collieries are idle, the men having gone out with the object of enforcing their demand for the extension of the eight-hour day from bank to bank, which is now enjoyed by the miners only, to the whole of the colliery employees. Several thousand men are affected. An aggregate meeting has been called. There are hopes that the dispute will be referred to arbitration.

ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION. MELBOURNE, January 5. Mr Tulloch, lately in charge of the wireless station at Macquarie Island, commenting on Captain Davis's statement that there is no reason for alarm owing to the absence of wireless news from the Shackleton Antarctic expedition, says the reason why the Aurora did not communicate with Macquarie Island was because her plant was not capable of sending messages so far. The Aurora's anchorage in the Ross Sea was behind lofty hills, over 1500 ft in height, which would interfere considerably with the radius of transmission.

FEDERAL FINANCE.

MELBOURNE, January 5. The Federal Customs revenue for the six months was £7,1)69,983, an increase of £358,481. The Post Office revenue shows an increase of £131,221. Old-age pensioners at the end of the year, totalled 91,904, and invalid pensioners 21,757. The war pensions so far granted carry an annual liability of £90,170. The Federal note issue amounts to £41,766,122, against which the Treasury holds gold to the value of £14,965,317..