COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 11, 17 March 1909, Page 6

COMMONWEALTH.

The Queensland Government is issuing n two million .’H per cent loan in London. A deputation of unemployed informed the Methodist Conference last week that there were 10.000 unemployed in Melbourne at the present time. At the Postal inquiry. Sydney, the manager of Telephone Department stated that the number of telephone calls in the city averaged over 75.000 daily, and in the mi bur ban exchanges about the same. A Plant. There has been a series of extensive jewellery robin rie" at Perth for the past six weeks. Last week a detective noticed two men digging in an unfrequented part of the river bank, and arrested them. The detectives, at the spot the men w’ere digging, unearthed jewellery valued at £7OO. Jnst in Time. A remarkable case of suspended animation has occurred at Ararat. Victoria. A man named Stock apparently died on the Bth. and while the supposed corpse was being prepared for interment the man sat up and startled the household by demanding two toiled eggs. Tom Mann as a Martyr. It is stated that if the State Premier, Mr Wade, persists in having Tom Mann, the Socialist leader, tried at Albury for his offence in connection with the late strike at Broken Hill, the Amalgamated Miners’ Association will ask all the combined unionist' at Broken Hill to strike. Higher Wages at Broken Hill. Mr Justice Higgins occupied two hours in delivering the Arbitration Court award in the Broken Hill dispute. The proceedings excited great interest, the court being crowded. Basing his award on the deduction that the cost of living was t2 4/5 on the Barrier, and 12 2 ti£ at Port Pnie (South Australia), where the ore is treated. Mr Justice Higgins fixed the minimum wage for unskilled labour on the Barrier at 8 71 and at Port Pirie at 8/3, and the wages for miners in both places at 10, per dav for a week of 48 heiire. ‘1 he "Herald" thinks that, having regard to the strenuous nature of the work at Broken Hill, few people will be inclined to cavil! at the award. The point of difficulty. however, is whether it is a lasi- of r< muncration which the company .an accept and eontinu. to work without Ic". 1 he Broken Hill Proprietary Company will <on-ider the award next week. Cobwebs. The Grand United Order of Oddfellows has decided that all meetings of the order Is held with open doors, also that all passwords, sign-, gripe, and such other formulae as may be advised, be abolished. It is considered that the time has gone by for secrecy in friendly societies' work.

Priemcrs in Conference. The Premiers’ Conference resolved that the Commonwealth should receive threefifths of the Customs and excise revenue, instead of three-fourths, as provided, and that the amount returned to the States in any one year be not less than 6| millions. It also recommended a special payment to Westralia, commencing at £250.000 ami decreasing annually by £lO,OOO, the balance of the amount to be returned to the States after the special payment to Westralia to be distributed on a per capita basis. It was also resolved that the State Governments were agreeable to immediate steps being taken to amend the constitution to give effect to these proposals. The Conference resolved that it was advisable that the State Old Age Pensions Acts to repealed on the Federal Act coming into operation. Illegal Lockout. Tin Industrial Court award in connection with the information against G. and C. Hoskins, proprietors of the Lithgow ironworks, ami C. Hoskins individually, for locking out their employees on July 9 last was delivered on Friday. The Court was of opinion that Messrs Hoskins had not acted out. of ill-will or with the intention of forcing the men into submission. but from a feeling of annoyance. In the first case they lined the firm £5O and C. Hoskins £lO, with £7O 10 costs in each case.