THE COMMONWEALTH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14043, 29 October 1909, Page 5

THE COMMONWEALTH.

RIGHTS OF LICENSEES. Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright -MELBOURNE, Oct. 28. The Licensed A r ictuallcrs Conference adopted a constitution providing for the protection of their rights and interests, including the election of a proportion of members to Parliament and other representative bodies, so as to afford a safeguard against the passage of unjust, harassing and confiscatory measures. Tho Conference, discussed tho question of prohibiting the sale of liquor at canteens and agreed that Parliament was making a- serious national mistake in forbidding the sale. A CYCLING RECORD. J. Salvana cycled from Sydney to Melbourne in 55 hours 5G minutes, reducing the record by 8S minutes, though the roads were in bad order. THE FUTURE CAPITAL. The Senate has passed the Capital Sites Bill through Committee. Notice of motion has been given in favour of a workman's insurance scheme, based on the German system. DEFENCE. Tn the House, Mr Cook, Minister of Defence, stated that be hoped to make, •inancial arrangements to cover the defence scheme without further taxation. Received 12.35 a.m., Oct. 29th. THE CANTEEN QUESTION, The licensed victuallers' conference decided to ask Mr Deakin to have a clause inserted in th Bill abolishing canteens recommitted. A BISHOP'S ADDRESS. " PERTH, Oct. 28. Bishop Riley, in his inaugural address at the Anglican Congress, uttered a warning of the dangers ahead over tho racial question. He said — "AVo demand a White- Australia: Had anyone ever considered what that meant, what it cost, and who was to pay the cost. Was Australia to play the dog in the manger, AA'c could hear other nations saying what right has Australia to hold such a large tract of country and do nothing with it." Dealing with the question of the reunion of the churches, the Bishop declared that nothing more could be done at present. He could favour no scheme which left out the Latin and Greek Churches. BUSH FIRES. BRISBANE, Oct. 28. A bush fire at Silsoo destroyed 7000 ?■ acres of grass. THROUGH THE BUSH. Dr, Deck, a missionary" of the Solomons, succeeded in crossing the Island of Malaita from east to west. He is the first white man to make *ho journey. THE PRICE OF COAL. SYDNEY, Oct. 28. The colliery proprietors have decided to retain lis as tho selling price of coal. CHINESE MISCHIEFS. The Protector of tho Aborigines, after a tour north, reports that the Chinese are gradually killing off tho natives with opium and disease. He urges the necessity of preventing the Chinese having intercourse with aborigines. LIBEL CASE. In tho insurance case several witnesses deposed that the agents of the National Mutual Life Association had utilised the articles published in the "Clarion" for the purpose of prejudicing the public against the Citizens' Company. LIMERICK ""COMPETITIONS. The Full Court, in upholding the appeal against a conviction on a charge of conducting a lottery in arranging a Limerick competition, laid down the principle that unless the distribution of prizes depends absolutely upon a mere matter of chance it is not a lottery. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. The Government Savings Bank report shows that tho amount granted under tho Advances to Settlers Act last vear was £273,202.

AGENT-GENERAL

BRISBANE, Oct. 28

Mr T- R. Robinson, a director of Mcllwraith, MoEachcrn and Co., succeeds Sir H. Tozer as Agent-General.