AUSTRALIAN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 16 December 1912, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN.

(United Press Association. —Copyright.^ (MELBOURNE, December 14. Advices have 'been received from London that Douglas Shields, late of Melbourne, has purchased a mansion in Park Lane, 'London. He will spend £70,000 in converting it into >a modern private hospital with * seventy beds, whereof a number -will be endowed in perpetuity by Mrs. B. J. 'Fink, as a memorial to her son Harold for free surgical treatment of poor gentlefolk. The "Argus" arid " Age", hotly attack the Federal Government for l'ejecting the New South Wales redistribution scheme. "They charge the Government with electoral injustice for party purposes. The "Argus" says it is the lowest mark yet touched in Australian politics. The "Age" characterises it as a piece of business. The University Senate has decided to withdraw Greek from the (Bachelor of Arts degree examination. After a division forced by Labour members, the House read and ordered to be printed the petition of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, including a resolution from London Chamber asking that the issue fay the Government entitled "Secret Remedies" ibe deferred until the receipt of affidavits from London, showing that many of the analyses therein were incorrect. SYDNEY, December 14. A meeting of telegraphists has unani' mously decided absolutely to refuse to work under the new staff' hours, coming into force on Monday. /They are prepared to continue the existing conditions until settled by th</sAnbitration Court. The complaint is caused by broken shifts, which, instead of being reduced or abolished aa expected, have b£en increased, and made.more irksome. As_ an outcome of the (Government's decision to shut down immigration, except nominated wives and children, of \ immigrants already here, Mr. Percy Hunter, -who was despatched early in 1912 to superintend immigration, has been recalled. Foodstuffs are 25 per cent dearer all round compared with last Christmas. The rise is due partly to decreased supplies.