COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 24, 9 December 1908, Page 6

COMMONWEALTH.

The Senate has passed the Iron Bonus Bill through the committee stages. The Sydney business cf the Kauri Timber Company has been purchased by Hudson and Sons. The Federal House of Representatives has passed the Capital Site Bill through its committee stages. Owing to inability to raise funds, there will be no Commonwealth team sent to Bisley this year. Sir Geo. Ruthven Le Hunte, governor of South Australia since 1993, has been appointe..! Governor of Trinidad. The Federal Government is being harassed over the Estimates by its own followers, especially in regard to increases in salaries. The South Australian Assembly has passed a Loan Bill authorising the raising of a sum of two and a-half millions fo rexpenditure on public works. The Government statist estimates the wheat yield at 24,164.000 bushels, an average of 12.84. This gives an exportable surplus of 16,000,000 bushels, valued at £3,000,000. The Federal Attorney-General is drafting a Bill to amend the Patents Act. It provides as a condition to the issue of a patent that the invention must be manufactured in Australia. The heaviest Hood on record has occurred at Norfolk Island. The low-lying lands are under water. Heavy east-

south-east winds and torrents oT rain were experienced from Tuesday to Fri' day. Mrs. Fanny Wilson, wife of tile manager of Carpentaria Downs Station, ha?, with the aboriginal, Hilly Wilson, been connnit ted for trial on the charge of murdering NeJlieDulFy. at Carpentaria Downs Station, on September 28. Mr. Sydney Buxton, PostmasterGeneral, in reply to Mr. Henniker Heaton, said that the penny postage delivery, of Australian eight ounce newspapers tn the United Kingdom was not reciprocal, and did not extend to newspapers from tile United Kingdom to Australia. Chinese Stowaways. Twenty' ( liinese stowaways were discovered on the steamer .Eastern which arrived last week at Sydney from Hongkong. They had formed a cavity beneath 300 tons <> fcargo, consigned to Melbourne. .All their faces were covered with revolting sores. Cruise of the Coronet. The mysterious yacht Coronet has sailed, from Sydney for Melbourne. It transpires that those on hoard belong to an American religious body known as “The Holy Ghost and Us,” of which Sandford, owner of the Coronet, is founder. The Coronet is a fine-looking vessel. According to yachting register, she is 152 tons, and 352 Thames measurement; having been built in 1885 at Brooklyn, Maine. She is 118 ft 7in long, 27ft beam, and lift 7in depth. The name is given as the “Kingdom Yacht Chib, of Portland, Maine.” There is a fairly large party on board, ineluding several From what can be aseertained, she is two years out, and was originally' from New York. She sailed round Cape Horn* and encountered severe weather. There were other ships off this famous point, which were having a hard time, but the Coronet made splendid weather of it, and found an anchorage in a bay which they called “Beautiful Bay.” A statement has been made that after the vessel left New York she proceeded to the Mediterranean, where visits were made to the spots of interest, and then some of the party went on to Jerusalem. Sir Thomas Bent's Administration, Mr. Murray, in moving a motion of want-of-confidenee in Sir Thomas Bent’a Administration in Victoria, said his charge against the Government was that it had done nothing according to fixed principles. Ever since Sir Thomas Bent’s advent it had become more and more a one-man Government. Sir Thomas Bent was weak, vacillating, and extravagant. He had outlived his usefulness as a Deader of the Government. Mr. Watt charged Sir Thomas Bent with making a false statement in denying that he had purchased land along the route of the Brighton-St. Kilda tramway. He had misled Parliament in stating he had no land along the route, and thert secured the passage of the bill which had

placed thousands of pounds in Sir Thomas [Bent’s pockets. . Sir Thomas Bent characterised Mr. SVatt’s statement as untrue. The route lie had proposed for the line was not adopted, the present route taking its place. A syndicate of 10, including himself, had purchased land at auction. He bought it because it was not on the route lie had proposed. He had made no secret »f his purchase. Mr. Murray’s censure motion was carried by 37 votes to 25. The" Governor subsequently granted Sir Thomas Bent a dissolution. The granting of a dissolution by the fjovernor created surprise. Mr. Murray, mover of the censure motion, declared it an unprecedented step {which should only be taken when there Was no chance of a stable Government being formed. The Leader of the Labour party said it seemed an extraordinary procedure, giving Sir Thomas Bent two chances. Sir Thomas Bent, in a speech at Benaigo, said it was true he had been defeated by his friends. Intriguing was going on, but he was not going to take it lying down. Overtures had been made to him to go t<> the Labour party, carry the Land Valuation Bill, and break up fliis own party. He replied, “Go to you know where.” He was not very polished On such occasions. The proper thing to do was to ask the people for a verdict. Queensland Budget. ■The Queensland Treasurer, in his Budget speech, said the revenue last year had been £4,488,006 The year had closed with a surplus of £1,152,000. The loan expenditure had been £1,034,000, of which (£885,000 had been spent on railways. The loan expenditure for the coming year iWas estimated at £1,596,000. The deposits in the Government Savings Bank had increased in four years by £1,180,000. The deposits in the Government banks equalled nearly £SO per family, which {was a gratifying index of the general prosperity of the State. The estimated revenue for the current year was £4,595,700, and the expenditure £4,590.500. He urged the need of keeping ta close rein on the expenditure, in order to prevent additional taxation.