AUSTRALIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5487, 12 February 1896, Page 3

AUSTRALIA.

• — TSpbcjial to Press Association.! SWIMMING. . "'■"■■■. $ SYDNEY, Feb. 11. A special meeting of, the Council of the Swimming Association confirmed the disqualification of A. Cavill for interferingwith Gonnly during the Mile Championship on Jan. 16. YACHTING. Negotiations are proceeding relative to intercolonial yachting races. • It is at first intended to confine the contest to boats hot exceeding one rating. Mr S. Hordera, commodore of the Prince Alfred: Yacht .Club, offered .£SO towards a trophy on condition th&t "factorfe, : and South Australian clubs should also contribute a like sum. It is suggested that Qheenslandi New Zealand and Tasmania should be invited to co-operate. THE NEW SOUTH WALES TARIFF. SYDNEY, Feb. 12. ' At a meeting of the Chamber of Manufacturers to discuss the effecta of the new tariff, strong complaints Vere made that it was already having a serious effect on industries. The bootmakers said that they had already 'had to reduce the wages 15 per cent, and that further reductions were contemplated. Japanese boots, made by labour paid at the rate of 2s 6d per week, had begun to flood the market, and they were seriously considering, the removal of their factories to Japan. Representatives of the cement trade said that the only alternative to reducing wages 25 per cent would be to close the works. It was decided to obtain reports as to the effect of the tariff on the different trades. ITALIAN COLONISTS. * PERTH, Feb. 11. The representative of a colonising scheme forping in London . with a capital of a quarter of a million, arrived here, and it is intended to place 300 Italian families skilled in agriculture and sericiculture on an estate near Northam, also to actively , exploit the country for the production of , castor oil. ; SOUTH AUSTRALIAN WHEAT YIELD. ADELAIDE, Feb. 11. The Register estimates the wheat yield . at 6,658,000 bushels, or an average of four i bushels twenty pounds to the acre. After 1 providing for seed and food requirements ■ it believes there will remain an exportable 1 surplus of 97,000 tons. \ V THE 'GUN CASE. 1 MELBOURNE, Feb. 12. t The Greener gun case has been finally l settled by the plaintiff accepting reduced damages to the amount of £525.