GENERAL CABLEGRAMS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2322, 2 December 1914, Page 7

GENERAL CABLEGRAMS.

ByTeloerajir-Prees Associatton-Copyrielit

DROUGHT IN AUSTRALIA

AN OMINOUS SYMPTOM, Melbourne, December 1. «i? . a * 6r Commission reports that the now in the river haß ceased at Nyah and drought threatens. The position is worse than in 1902,

AUSTRALIAN WHEAT

PARTIAL FAILURE IN THE WEST. Sydney. Deoember 1. Iho Government has deoided to throw open 40,800 acres of the Pilliga scrub lands near Baradiue for wheat growing. _ Perth, December 1. The Government Statistician estimates that 391,000 acres, one-fourth of the wheat area sown, is a total failure.

THE WHEAT SEIZURES.

. Adelaide, December 1. . The Government has seized a further 100,000 bags of wheat. Sydney, December 1. Ihe Wheat Bill clauses regarding the abolition of existing contracts is causing a controversy. Cabinet is considering the problem.

WANT-OF-CONFIDENCE MOTION REJECTED

•THE QUEENSLAND ASSEMBLY. Brisbane, December 1. When the Speaker resumed the chair, an Opposition member moved the want-of-conhdnce motion, which waß rejected by 35.votes to 26. l , [The Assembly on Friday last oarried the Treasurer's motion dissenting from' the Speaker's ruling against the> insertion of an amendment to the Co-opera-tive Sugar Companies Bill. The Speaker thereupon left the House, and the Leader of. the Opposition gave notice' of a want-of-confidence motion on.Monday.]

CABINET MINISTER'S LIBEL ACTION

£500 DAMAGES AWARDED. (Rec. December 1, 8.25 p.m.) Sydney, December 1, In tie libel action, the Hon. D. R. Hall (Minister for Justice) against the , "Worker" newspaper, the jury awarded Mr. Hall £500 damages. A stay of proceedings was granted. According to' the statement of ■ the oase by plaintiff's counsel, Lestrange, the man against whom Mr. Hall had ' 'declined to file a bill as organiser of the Australian Workers' Union,- allegedly gave certain advice to the workers , in connection with lie rural workers' strike, for which the union called him to account. The outcomoof this was that Lestrange made a statutory declaration, and on the strength of this declaration was committed for trial. Then came the question of filing the bill against Lestrange, and Mr. Hall, being acquainted with him, left the mattor entirely in the hands of ' Judge Bevan, who advised that it was useless to file the bill. Mr. Hall acted on that advice. Prior to giving the, advice, Judge Beyan obtained through the police the declarations of a number of men who were supporting Lestrange's case. ■ The "Worker," in,an article referring to_ Judge Bevan's action in obtaining this evidence after the trial had been held, asked: "How is it that Lestrange has been able to ascend the backstairs £f the Department of Justice and place i?is_ version before the Attorney-General to induce him to •vithhold action ?" , The Judge, in summing up, thought that Mr. Hall (the _ Attorney-General) had made a mistake in not determining Lestrange's case himself. Referring to Judge Bevanls action in obtaining evidence outside -the witness-box., he Baid that "if this practice existed it' was the most reprehensible he had ever ' heard i of."' .•■'•' .:■■..,...]

THREE CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH A VICTORIAN TRAGEDY. (Rco. December 1, 7.20 p.m.) 0 Melbourne December 1. Three children, Donald, Florence, and Kathleen Scriyens, aged 4,'2, and 1 respectively, were burned to death at Cobram. The mother, returning from a temporary absence, made'heroic, but un-, availing, efforts to resoue the children.

NEWS LN BRIEF: BRITISH BY-ELEOTION. London, November 80. Mr. James Dougherty (Liberal) has been returned unopposed for Londonderry City, in place of Mr. D. 0. Hog£, Liberal (deceased).