AUSTRALIAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12906, 21 February 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN.

United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright. THE PLAGUE. FREMANTLE, February 20. Another case of plague is reported.

SCULLING CHAMPION. HOBART, February 20. Bourke, the amateur champion sculler, has departed for London. He will compete in the Diamond Sculls at the Henley regatta.

SIR JOSEPH WARD IX MELBOURNE MELBOURNE, February 20. Sir Joseph Ward had a long interview with Mr Deakin on the question of the Vancouver and San Francisco mail services and reciprocal trade relations with Australia. TOBACCO MONOPOLY.

The Tobacco Monopoly Commission lias, it is understood, decided by four to one to recommend the nationalisation of the industry. It is considered that the State could make enormous revenue out of the monopoly. The Commission has come to the conclusion that- a strong combine is/ in existence, detrimental both to, consumers and producers. '' •- POPULATION

The population returns show tha.t the total arrivals in the" Commonwealth last year were 48,636. and departures 46,620. The arrivals of British origin numbered 59,808 and departures 36,068. The coloured arrivals numbered 5401, and departures 5687.

• TEMPERANCE VICTORIES. ADELAIDE. Febrtuirv 20. The local option polls in six of the city and suburban districtn resulted in substantial temperance victories, five Adelaide districts alone favouring reduction of licenses. ■ •

deceived 10.45 p.m.. February 20th. HIGH READINGS. SYDNEY, February 20. . From December 19th to January 25th the thermometer at Bourke was only on seven occasions below 100. The lowest reading was 93, and for the balance of the period it ranged from lOlf to 120. ;•• Received 10.39 p.m., February 19th. THE WILLIS CASE."

The Full Court allowed the appeal against the order of the Chief Judge in Equity under which evidence against Willis was to have been taken on .commission in South Africa in connection with an alleged land-dummying case. The hearing of the case was postponed two months to give Willis an opportunity of beto,? present if he desired. Plaintiffs case alleges that Willis, while acting as his agent secured 17,000 acres for his own benefit by means of a dummv, and that he subsequently transferred it to Mrs Willis hy a fictitious mortgage. - THE BURNING MINE. ; Work was resumed at the Proprietary Mine to-day excepting in the area affected by tlie fire. PERSONAL. BRISBANE, February 20. The merchants have arranged to pay Mr Jones, the Government agent in the East, £1 for every £1 of Government salary he receives. >' NAUTICAL ENQUTRY. At the preliminary inquiry into the stranding of the steamer Australian. Captain McArthur was exonerated of all blame. The mishap was attributed to the abnormal currents in Princess Charlotte Bav.