COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 21, 18 November 1908, Page 6

COMMONWEALTH.

A plague of grasshoppers in the Molong district is causing great destruction. Burglars secured a thousand pounds’ worth of property from the premises of Mr. Coamber, Jeweller,. Sydney. The number yf Queen-iauu electors on the roll this year is between 50,000 and 60.000 more than last year. Mr. Frederick A. Cooper, a barrister, who .formerly practised in New Zealand, dh»i in Sydney last week. 11.M.5. Powerful, the flagship of the Australasian squadron, and If.M.S. Pegahave sailed for New Zealand. The Premiers of New South \\ ale-*, Victoria, and South Australia have signed an amended Murray waters agreement. 'The Premier of Victoria. Sir Thoma* Bent, in the cour-e of a *pee«h last week, announced a surplus for the year of £440,000. In tlx? Tasmanian A*»eml>l\. a motion for a referendum «»n the abolition or retention of 'latter-a!!'- wa»» rejwted by a large majority. The Que«*n*land herve-t pro-pe<U are very favourable, and th** official estimate of the wheat harvest i- that it will average about ten bushels to Um* arr**. The Salvation Army self denial week COlleetioiM tota!k«l £33,75 I. New Z«*alanri contributed £11,562, New South Wak-s being next with £6875, *nd Victoria. £5040. A Sydney man w undergoing an tparatiun fur * wuppoeed growth >n th*

a.rnq»it when a bullet was extracted. It entered his anti during the Boer War, eight years ago. The Mount Lyell Company’s net profits for the half-year total £152,157. The company also paid off £404)00 balance of the debenture debt. The liquid assets are valued at £.590.078. The prospects of the mine are most encouraging. The Mount Lyell Company have declared a dividend of 1/3 and a bonus of o<i. per share, payable on 15th December. Whelch and Thorntighgocxl are doing a lot of hard work in their preparation for the sculling championship of Australia, ami both are in excellent order. The Anglican Synod has entered a strong protect against (he Burn®-Johnson light, “hoping/' the resolution says, “that the Government will intervene to prevent a spectacle which, by its inherent brutality and dangerous nature, cannot fail to corrupt the moral lone of the community.’* Defeat of Mr. Deakin. Following on their withdrawal of support from the Deakin Government last week, the Federal Labour party took steps to overthrow the Government when the lions,? of Representatives met on November 10. Mr. Deakin. after making a statement regarding the position, moved. “That the House do now adjourn till Wednesday.” He indicated that anv amendment would he taken as a vote of want-of-confidence. hi the < nurse of his remarks, Mr. Deakin stated that as the Government could not expect to carry measures in view of the support of the Labour party being withdrawn, they proposed to submit themselves to the pleasure of the I 1011*0. Mr. Fisher. Leader of the Labour party, thereupon moved the omission of all words after “that.” The amendment was carried by 49 votes to 13. ’Die Federal Prime Minister (Mr. Deakin) handed in his resignation on Wednesday to the Governor-General (the Earl of Dudley), who summoned Mr. Fisher, the Leader of the Labour party. Mr. Fisher, who has succeeded Mr. Deakin as Federal Prime Minister, submitted his new Ministry to the Governor--’ General (the Earl of Dudley), as follows : — Prime Minister and Treasurer, Mr. Fisher. Attorney-General, Mr. W. M. Hughes. Minister for External Affairs. Mr. E. L. Batchelor. Minister for Home Affairs, Mr. Hugh Mahon. Postmaster - General, Mr. Josiah Thomas. Minister for Defence, Senator Pearce. Minister for Customs. Mr. F. G. Tudor. Vice-President of the Executive Council, Senator McGregor. Honorary Minister. Mr. James Hutchinson. The “Sydney Morning Herald” says that Mr. Fisher’s Ministry is in some respects an agreeable disappointment. The counsel of moderate members of the caucus has prevailed, ami instead of an impossible set of colleagues Mr. Fisher s**em- to have been able to associate himself with men largely i n sympathy with his own views. The “ 1 elegraph” considers the Cabinet fairly representative of the Labour party and has no fault to find with its personnel. The Labour members of the House of ( ominous have cabled congratulations to Mr. Fidier. The K T.C. The Kauri Timber Company announce that, -object to audit, it pr<q>oseH to pay .i dividend of 8 per cent. Hie company's financial position has been greatly improved by the payment of the debenture debt. I he directors report that the revaluation of the company*'* assets will furnish Miifticient t<> wipe out the depreciation account of £229,000. '1 his means that the valuation of the company’s forests has resulted most -al isfact orily, owing to the ♦ are with which th.? timber has been conM*r\»d. ami the increased value of kauii pine. Barque Wrecked. The four masted barque Falls of Halladale, bound from New York to Melbourne. went ashore at the mouth of the Cordie Biver, near Cape Otway, and

became a total wreck. It was a bright moonlight night, hut a deceptive mist hung over the land. The officers thought they were ten miles off the land. When they discovered they were in the breakers, it was too late to change her course, and she went ashore with all sails set. The crew all got safely to land. Anglican Church Service. The Anglican Synod at Sydney carried a motion requesting the General Synod to take action for the removal, so far as the Australian Church is concerned, of the obligation for the liturgical use of the Quicunque Vnlt. The decision was arrived at largely because of the resolution passed at the Jannbetii Conference to the effect that several churches of the Anglican community might decide for themselves what in their trying circumstances was desirable. Dash Tragedy. Kight natives, including two women, were found dead in the bush near Laverton, Westralia. last week. Apparently their camp was surprised at night by a party of blacks from the Harlot district, with whom they had a feud. The bodies bear spear and nullah (club) wounds. A body of Harlot blacks passed through the district a week before, and the police are now in pursuit of them. Westralia Progressing. The Goverenor, in opening the Westralian Parliament, referred to the encouraging development or tire agricultural and mining interests. The legislation proposed includes measures dealing with early dosing ami the licensing question. Mr. Quinlan was reelected Speaker. Filling Up Australia. The Immigration League has accepted the offer of the Central 'Emigration body in London to send selected immigrants to Australia free of cost and maintain them until they obtain situations. At the outset the number will be limited.