AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17472, 5 June 1922, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SIB KEITH SMITH. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyrigiit.) (AuntrtUan bod N.Z. Otble Aatooifctioa.) ADELAIDE, June 3. Sir Keith Smith has arrived. Sir Woes Smith'a remains will reach Adelaide in a few days. fciir JS-eith said he declined to join Major W. T. Blake's round-the-world fljgat because the season was too late, i'xie Indian monsoons would probably interfere with it, and, anyway, he would not start m any machine out a Vickere-Vimy. MB SASTBTJTMISSION. PtitTH, June 2. The Rt. Hon. V. S. Sastri has arrived. He stated in an interview that India was quite willing that Australia should close her doors, thougii it was somewhat inconsistent with the integrity of the British Empire. POSTAL BATES. MELBOURNE, June 3. Mr T. Oxeaham, secretary of the Postmaster-General's Department, referring to a statement that letters over a certain weight were carried cheaper in New Zealand than Australia, explained that the area of the letter was approximately thirty times that of New Zealand. In any Case it was immaterial as 9o per cent, of the letters in Australia weighed not, more than half an ounce. Only 5 per cent, of the inland letters were affected. A PRACTICAL JOKE. BRISBANE, June 3. The Government Analyst has reported to the Minister of Mines that a sample of the liquid from the Beaudesert bore had the same composition as a mixture of kerosene with a little lubricating oil. The Minister said if a practical joke had been played, it was not on the part of the owner. [A previous message said: —A bore on Dunn f s farm at Beaudesert was pumped dry in the presence of the ActingPremier (Mr A. J. Jones). Then the water making in the well was placed in a bottle; and an inch of petroleum rose to the top, giving a strong smell of kerosene. It is regarded as being an excellent sample.]

MEAGHER LIBEL CASE. (Received Ju». An appeal is being lodged m the Full Court against the jury's verdict in the Meagher libel case. i'Mr Miolmel Meagher, who himself a director, sued the directors and editor of the "National Advocator (Bathurst), claiming £2OOO damages. The alleged libel wiis stated to be contained in a five-column article, accusing him of having unfairly designed to secure a majority of the shares in the paper for the purpose of depriving his fellow shareholders of their just rights. The article declared that Mr Meagher was piqued because the lat£ Mr John Storey overlooked him when appointing Mr W. Percival a member of the Legislative Council. The jury awarded plaintiff 21000 damages.]^