GENERAL CABLEGRAMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2325, 5 December 1914, Page 8

GENERAL CABLEGRAMS

ByToleerapli—Prees Assoclation-Ooiirrißlit AUSTRALLVSJEW TARIFF HURRIEDLY PREPARED. Melbourne, December 4. Mr. Fisher stated thafc tlie new tariff had been, hurriedly prepared in the absence of the Interstate Commission's report. He anticipated that Excise duties would yield an additional £1,250,000, and tho Customs £250,000. The Minister of Customs (Mr. Tudor) explains that the chief increases in the now tariff include an almost general advance of 6 to 10 per centum. Preference is given the United Kingdom by advancing tho foreign duties to that extent. Tho increases in revenue alone are confined to beer, wines, (spirits, and tobacco; the other increases are purely protective, principally on hats, confectionery, biscuits, pianos, machines, and binder twines, and also timber, from 3 to 5 per centum. DUTY ON NEW ZEALAND TIMBER. (Roc. December 4, 7.15 p.m.) The new tariff operated as from today, lhe duty on New Zealand white pine and rhnu, undressed, has been fixed at Is. per hundred superficial feet. The tariff increases tho excise on beer From threepence to sixpence per gallon, while bottled- beer is increased from Iβ. (id. to 25., with an additional sixpence against the foreigner and eixpence in beer in bulk. On British beer tho increase'amounts to oightpeuce a gallon. Tho duties on spirits are increased to 3e. a gallon,^sparkling wine Us. to 205.; manufactured tobacco 3s. 6d. to 4s. a pound, and a duty is also placed on tho leaf. LYbDITE FACTORY EXPLOSION PEOPLE INJURED HALF A MILE London, December 8. lour persons are missing at Whitelea whore an explosion of picric acid destroyed the lyddite factory. Houses two hundred yards distant were practically demolished. Some of the injured were working half a mile away. Girls in a neighbouring factory were panic-stricken and some of them leaped from the windows, two being seriously injured. ' STATE PARLIAMENT OPENINGS . .WEST AUSTRALIA'AND THE DROUGHT. '■_..•■ Perth, December 4. The Governor (Sir Harry Barren) opened Parliament. : Speaker Troy was re-elected. Tho Governor's Speech referred to the effecte of the war and the drought Thesession will be devoted to financial measures for the relief of settlers and the unemployed. No controversial measures will be submitted. VICTORIAN PROGRAMME. Melbourne, December 4. The twenty-fourth Victorian Parliament has commenced. The Governor (Sir A. L. Stanley) etated in his speech that the session, would be occupied in making provision for the services of the year. . NOTORIOUS THAW CASE (Reo. December 4, 9.35 p.m.) Washington, December 3. ■• The Thaw extradition case is again before the Court. Mr. Philander Knox, ex-Secrotary fit State, appearing as Harry Thaw's lawyer, objected to the proposal to extradite . Thaw to New Hampshire, alleging that extradition, proceedings could not he used except to return a fugitive to trial. V:■:::' * ITEMS IN BRIEF- .. ■ LYNOHINGS IN AMERICA'. Shreyeport (Louisiana), December. 3. Toby' Lewis and Monroe Dirden, two negroes, were , lynched, the allegation being that they murdered a postmaster near Sylvester Station. Another negro, who confessed to' burning the postmaster's body, was released upon making the confession. The sheriff rescued a fourth negro. MARSDEN CENTENARY. '■ Sydney, December 4. Alderman Betts, Mayor of Goulburn. find a grandson of tho Rev;. Samuel Marsden. has accepted an invitation to attend the Marsden Centenary oelobrations, " . ■ - OBITUARY: EARL OF ERNE. London, December 3. Obituary.—The Earl of Erne; bornvtt Dublin in 1839; married Lady Florence Cole ; third daughter of the Earl of Inniskillen, in 1870; four sons and tiro daughters; heir, Viscount Crichton. . JUMP IN PRICE OF BREAD. (Rec. December 4, 7.15 p.m.) ■ Melbourne, December 4. The price of bread has advanced.'to Bd. per four-pound loaf. The increase takes effect on Monday. THE FIRE ON THE NORFOLK.' (Rec. December 4, 11.35 p.m.) . Melbourne, December 4. . ' The marine inquiry into the fire on the steamer Norfolk found nothing to 6how how it started—probably spontaneous combustion in the coal. The Court exonerated the captain, holding that he was justified in beaching the vessel. ~ - . ■'