AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8321, 29 December 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

STRIKERS REINSTATED. Received December 28, 10.2 am. MELBOUR&.E, Deo. 28. The Government has deoided to reinstate 35 strikers, who were dismissed as the result of the great railway strike. SYDNEY SAVINGS BANK. Received December 28, 10.2 a.m. SYDNEY, Deoember2B. The Savings Bank returns reflect the prosperity of the times. Deposits and depositors' balances show large inoreases. Au unsatisfactory feature 1 of the tanking business is the large amount of money uninvested. A BOATING FATALITY. Received December 28, 10.12 a.m. MELBOURNE, Deo. 28. A' skiff, containing four persons, was capsized off Portarlington. Misß Gladys Davies, daughter of the State Attorney-General, was drowned. Two brothers named Steel?, and a young lady named Siott, were resoued, but the brothers were in a state of collapse.

NEW FERKY BOAT. Received December 28, 10.2 a.m. The petrol-driven ferry boat Motor Gem, made a voyage from Sydney to this port, averaging ten knots. BUSY (TIMER AT THE POST OFFICE. Received DeoembT 28, 10.12 a m. SYDNEY, December 28. The mail matter handled at the General Post Office this Christmas ■was 50 per cent, greater than last year. A quarter of a'million postcards were handled on Sunday night. TOWER HILL MINE AFFRAY. Received December 28, 10.12 a.m. PERTH, December 28. Marley, who was shot by Brown© in the affray at the Tower Hill Mine, at Kalgoorlie, has made a written confession of his complicity in the attempt to rob the mine. He alleges that be was drawn into the affair by M'Gee, one of the men under arrest. \- : WESTRALIAN WHKAT YIELD. Received December 28, 10.12 a.m. PERTH, December 28. It is estimated that the wheat yield of thegstat? will ee 2,309,000 buHhele, an average of 10.6 busholß per acre..

THE WEBB-STANBURY MATCH. Received December 28, 10.2 a.m. SYDNEY, December 28.1 George Towns, the world's sculling champion, states that he was taken aback at the result of the StanburyWebb race. He thought Stanbury would win easily, and thinks, further, that the New Zealander's victory throws a new light on the sculling horizon, and that the colony which has produced so many athletes in every branch of sport, may yet find one to wear the laurels of the sculling world.

MR DEAKIN AND THE LABOUR PARTY. Received December 28, 10.12 a.m. MELBOURNE, December 28. A Labour member; from New South Wales states- that an understanding will be arrived at between the Hon. A. Deakin and the Labour Party before the House meets. The basis of the understanding will be Federalising the Old Age Pensions, and withdrawal or postponement by the Labour Party of its demand for a Federal land tax. - .

OLD-AGE PENSIONS. Received December 28, 11.44 p.m. MELBOURNE, December 28. The Hon. T. Bent (Premier) recommends , the Cabinet to increase the Old Age' Pensions from 8s to 10s per week. MEAT TRADE DISPUTE. Received December 29, 11.44 p.m. SYDNEY, December 28. The deadlock in connection with the mutton slaughtermen continues. The masters told the men that they could resume at the old rates and that the Conference rates would not operate till the first Monday in January. The masters are carrying on with casual labour. In consequence of the deadlock the Homebush sales have been postponed from Monday till Thursday. SHIPPING. Received December 28, 11.44 p.m. SYDNEY, December 28. Arrived —Maheno, after a passage of three days and three hours; Jap, from Greymouth; Manurewa, from Kaipara; N. Jord and Constance Craig, from Hokianga. The former had ten miles start when leaving Hokianga and reached Sydney a few hours ahead of the Constance Craig.