COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 8, 24 February 1909, Page 7

COMMONWEALTH.

Another Bomb Outrage. Another bomb was thrown at Broken Hill last week when an attempt was made to wreck the home.- 1 of the accountant of the Block Ten mine. The bomb exploded outside the house, shattering the windows and doing other slight damage. The Government is offering £2OO reward for the discovery of the authors of the explosions at Broken Hill during the past six -weeks. Owing to the protracted arbitration proceedings, workless miners are feeling the pinch, and an increase in the strike funds is urged. Business at the Barrier is at a standstill. Most of the landlords have received no rent since the trouble began. South Australia railway receipts have also greatly decreased, and Adelaide is flooded with unemployed. Judge Higgins, who is adjudicating in the Broken Hill arbitration ease, has announced that; he would not attempt to vary the contract system, as the matter was too delicate to be touched. Henri de Josselin, accountant of the Bank of N.Z., Sydney, has been arrested on a charge of embezzlement. The alleged defalcations extend from 1966,’’ the amount involved being about £6OO. Depressed Coal Trade. The depression in the Newcastle coal trade during the last few months is having a serious effect upon the district. A large number of miners have been with-* out constant work for months, and the starting of relief works is urged. • Too Much Competition. The N.S.W. Labour party is starting a campaign against the Government’s policy of securing immigrants through the Salvation Army, which was characterised as an attempt to lower wages. It was decided to hold public protest meetings. "Vancouver Service. The Federal Government has communicated with Dr. Coulter,- representative of the Canadian Postal Department; expressing appreciation of the Canadian Government in sending him ;to Australia in connection, with the All-Red Route. It recognises the importance of rapid communication with Canada, and the importance of linking-up two great ports of the Empire, but regrets that owing to the present state of the. finances it .is . unable to concur in the proposal for a subsidy. The message adds that when tho financial limitations imposed by Hie Constitution are removed, the Federal Government will be in a better position to deal with the subject. As to appointing a representative to the conference of governments interested, owing to the absence of the Primo - Minister and other Ministers from Melbourne it is not possibleito give a definite reply. Canada is making great arrangements for furthering the projected All-lied route from Britain td Australia by way of Canada.

The population of Sydney and suburbs at the end of last year was 592,100.

The steamer Paroo has arrived at Fremantle from Singapore with a case of smallpox aboard. A Bendigo bakery owner, named Reid, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for illicit gold buying. The deportation of kanakas from Queensland cost the Federal Government over £31,000. A rich find of alluvial gold has been made near the silver mining township of Sunny Corner, 125 miles west of Sydney, in the Bathurst district. The largest of several nuggets weighs 18 ozs. The New South Wales Navigation Department propose the installation of the Morse apparatus at tne principal lighthouses, to enable vessels to signal at night. The Free Trade I.eague has adopted resolutions against any attempt to sink the fiscal issue at the Federal elections, and condemning the suggested alliance between the Cook and Deal,in parties. Mr. W. M. Hughes, Federal AttorneyGeneral, in the course of a speech last week, predicted an appeal to the people at no distant date to say whether a chance should not be given the Labour Party Government.