THE COMMONWEALTH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVI, Issue 14922, 14 December 1912, Page 9

THE COMMONWEALTH.

SIGNED ARTICLES LAW. A PHLNTER'S RETALIATION. Press Association—P,y Tel—f"\"vnglit MELBOURNE. Doc". 13. Tn the Federal House attention was called to an intimation received bv the secretary of the Political Labour League from the proprietor of a country newspaper, that in view of the disabilities imposed on newspapers by the Federal Parliament, it was intended to charge three shillings an inch for publishing political speeches, and six shillings a:> inch for political advertisements. A member asked if the Government would take action in tlio matter. Mr Hughes, Attorney-Gone, al. said that Parliament bad not done- anything limiting ihe Press in saying v ,-} lr<t it pleased. Parliament had onlv asked that political articles should be signed. RECORD LAXd) YALFF -A property in Swan*;tor. :v:reet. opposite St. Paul's Cathedral, was sold at auction for £28.500, at the rate of over .tlirr, per Loot. This is a record for Swans ton Street. i >". S. WALKS LOAN FAILURE. SYDNEY. Dec. 13. Ad- Caun has received a ronort from the Agent-General (Mr Coghiaui of the partial failure of the recent :hree million loan. Only half the nmount is a.vailabk> alter,it was believed to have been floated. Air CV>ghla:i thought the money was available and is unable to offer ,>. reason why die negotiations were suddenly declared off by the London and Westminster Bank. The Government is negotiating for a furtlior loan. The amount exceeds one million and a half. MISCELLANEOUS. During this year six millions and a quarter have been expended on new buildings in Sydney, an increase of three-quarters of a million on usual expenditure. The new buildings number nearly SOOO. The number and the cost are records. Bills abolishing the sugar excise and bounty hive, been introduced in the .Federal House. \ letoria is borrowing two millions for the construction of railways and rolling stock, and a million for'various works. In response to strong protests from the I'ress and tlte Federal Opposition the Government has arranged to reconsider the scheme of redistribution of Nov,' South Wales electorates, which has been twice rejected by the House.