AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2521, 23 July 1915, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

FEDERAL PREMIER IN A LIBEL ACTION " ALLEGES SLANDER BY 'X DRILL ■ FOREMAN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. July 22, 10.30 p.m.) . ■ Melbourne, Puly 22. . Mr. Fisher (the Federal Premier) lias issued a writ against James Spencer, a •drill foreman, claiming damages for alleged slander contained in a statement imputing to plaintiff that ho committed a criminal offence calculated to imperil his retention of tho Prime Ministership. SCARCITY OF FOODSTUFFS. j FOOD COMMISSION CRITICISED. iSydney, July 22. I In tho Assembly Mr. Wade, speaking to his censuro motion on the Necessary Commodities Acf, said lie desired to show that the members of the Commission had lost sight of tlie purposes of tho Act, with the result that the Commission itself had caused a scarcity of foodstuffs by fixing the prices below the market rates, thus making it impracticable for other States to supply shortages. . The debate .was adjourned till August 24. (Rec. July 22, 8.15 p.m.) Sydney, July 22. Mr. D. R. Hall (State Attorney-Gen-eral), defending the Commodities Com-, mission against : Mr. Wade's charges, claimed that the Commission, by fixing the prices of wheat, butter, gas, and other commodities, instead of increasing the cost of living had saved the people of the State £1,401,000,' besides subsidiary savings.; CERMANS DISMISSED FROM STATE / WORKSHOPS. THREATENED STRIKE AVERTED. (Rec. July 22, 8.15, pp.m.) ■ Sydney, July 22. In order to. avert a threatened strike in the Government Engineering Works at Newcastle, the Government dismissed five German employees (four of whom are naturalised). '.One of the reasons given for the dismissal was that • the Government intended to manufacture munitions at the works. AUSTRALIAN WHEAT HARVEST. PROBLEM OF SEA TRANSPORT. (Rec. July 92, 8.15 p.m.) , Melbourne, July 22. ; Mr. Hughes (Federal Attorney-Gen-eral) estimates that the coming Australian wheat harvest will not be less than -1} million tons—perhaps three million tons. Tlie question of transporting to' tho markets of the world was a serious one, though vessels controlled by the Naval Department would bo able to lift a quarter of a million tons. AUSTRALIA'S NATIONAL WAR s .. COMMITTEE. LIBERAL REPRESENTATIVES. ; . . ' CRec. July 22, 8.15 p.m.) Melbourne, July 22. Tho National Defoiioe Committee has been completed. Sir- William Irvine, Sir John Forrest, Mr. P. Glynn, Mr. W. J.: M'Williams, and Senator. Millen have been selected as the Liberal representatives.. ' Mr. Fisher and 1 Mr. Cook are ox-officio members. ITEMS IN BRIEF. PROFIT ON STATE BRICKWORKS. (Reo. July- p.m.),; ! • _ • Sydney, July 22, The State brickworks during thej>ast twelve months have made a lifet profit of. £7000, besides a direct saving of £11,000 to the Government on its own buildings. IMPORT DUTY ON RAW SUGAR. i (Reo. July 22, 8.15 p.m.) Sydney, July 22. . The diffioulty with regard to the import duty on raw Java sugar, which the Colonial Sugar Company refused to pay, has been overcomes by the Federal authorities paying the duty, thus ensuring increased supplies. PAY OF RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. '(Rec. July' 22, 8.15 p.m.) Brisbane, July 12. The Government has increased the wages of railway construction workers bv Is. a day,-involving.'" a total of £60,000. ','••■ - ■ , ,•: HORSES FOR THE WAR. (Rec. July 22, 8.15 p.m.) 3 Melbourne, July. 22. The Defence-.Department has purchased 28,988 horses for the Expeditionary Forces, at a cost of, £560,968; G6OO of the animals are still in Australia. . .; " ■