AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2564, 11 September 1915, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

THE RECRUITING PROBLEM ENLISTMENTS SLACKENING. By Telegraph. Press Association—Qopyriglil (flee, September 10, 10.20 p.m.) Sydney, September 10. . The recruiting in the city is slackening, the total for the current week being considerably below the recent averages. Feeling in favour of national service is deepening, and'branches of the Universal Service League aro being formed in the various States. '. A letter has been gent by the promoters to prominent citizens asking them to join tho movement, and setting ont the objects, namely, advocating for the period of the war the principle of universal compulsory service at home or abroad, on the battlefield, or elsewhere, and securing tlio passage of legislation to that end. It is pointed out that 'membership of the league does not involve the adoption or the principle of service abroad as a, permanent, part of the defence system. Phis prmciplo is merely advocated as a necessary and equitable means of meeting the present grave national emergency. DESERTIONS BECOMING SERIOUS. (Rec. September 10,10.55 p.m.) Sydney, September 10. It is stated that the matter of desertions from the Expeditionary drafts is becoming serious. When tbo last batch of three hundred Reinforcements - returned from their final-leave, they were ninety short, and a further thirty, deserted before embarkation.

A TOTAL ABSTINENCE APPEAL. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oupyright (Rec. September 10, 10.20 p.m.) ■ Sydney, September 10. The Protestant Churches have issued a combined appeal, pressing "seriously upon the minds of those we can influenca the duty of bearing a voluntary part in the nation's self-sacrifice and self-dis-cipline by abstaining from alcohol during the war, and urging members of the Churches to call upon the Government to meet the necessity of the hour and pass effective measures to restrict the' sale of drink." ,

EARLY CLOSING OF HOTELS REFERENDUM IN WESTAUSTRALIA. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyri'kl Perth, September 10. The Legislature lias passed the Hotel Closing Referendum Bill through its Committee stages, rejecting a proposal to close tlhe Parliamentary • bar. It was objected that it was possible 7 ojclock closing would penalise a man taking irino or beer for dinner. Mr. Seaddan (the Premier) remarked, "Make/ them drink tea."- ,

SANATOCEN. BRITISH OR GERMAN ORIGIN' Melbourne, September 10.' The Australian representative of Sana* togeu, in reference to Mr. Hughes's (Federal Attorney-General) recent statement, states that every ounce of Saiiatogen coming to Australia is made in' 'England, and admitted under the Brit*' ish preferential tariff. [In the Federal House of Representatives on September 2, Mr. Higgs, in a reference to enemy trading, asked the Attorney-General if ho was keeping his eye on _ large advertisements that appeared in'some newspapers, concerning a preparation which ho understood was a German production called Sanatogen. Was tho Attorney-General satisfied that' the goods, _ which were stated to bo entirely British made, were' not all or a portion of them made in Germany? Mr. Hughes said there.was no doubt: whatever that Sanatogen-and !one or, two other patent ' medicines' : or ' foods' were German, and that the profits went to Germans. Tho Government had decided that no newspapers publishing these advertisements would be permitted to pass through -the post office.] '

EICHT HOURS' BILL IN NEW SOUTH WALES. SIX "HOURS BANK-TO-BANK FOK MINERS. • Sydney, September 10. In the Legislative Assembly, the Eight Hours Bill was rend a second 1 time. It provided for a six hours' day from bank to bank in the case of miners. WHEAT ACQUISITION BILL 1 . SCOPE ENLARGED BY PAItLIAME.\'T. Sydney, September 10. ,The Legislative Assembly carried the Wheat .'Acquisition. Amendment BUI, extending the operation of tlio original 1 Act. ' The New South Wales wheat yield for the ensuing harvest is estimated a f sisty million bushels. NEW TARIFF IN PAPUA. i OIL AND LIQUOR DUTIES. Melbourne, September 10. The Minister of External Affairs (Mr. H. _ Mahon) announces that the new tariff schedule adopted by tlio Papuan Council, provides for abolition on fuel oil and the reduction of the kerosene duty to 3d. a gallon. Beer, spirit, and; wine duties have been increased. .THE WOODLEIGH TRAGEDY, • A VERDICT OF MURDER, At an inquest concerning the death' of tho woman Elizabeth. Bmiabbin, a verdict of murder against Allan, who was of 'iiusound iniud, was returned. [Elizabeth Duuabbin, 40, single, was found strangled to death in a- few feet of water in a paddock at Woodleigh, near Loch, Gippsland, on August 24. A man named Allan, whose actions since tho murder had been suspicious, committed suicide. Black trackers discovered that Allan's boots fitted the footmarks at the spot where the . woman' was' killed.] • '

-ITEMS IN BRIEF, TROUBLE AT MOUNT LYELL. Hobart, September 10. Tlio Mount Lv-ell mines aro idle owing -to the 'truckers' demand for 2s. increase in wages. THE REFERENDUM VOTE. Melbourne, September 10.' The taking of the vote.on the referendum is definitely fixed for December 11.' AUSTRALIAN LEAD FOR RUSSIA; Sydney, September 10. Tho Trado Commissioner in the East' states that shipments of lead from New South Wales to Viadivostock have been arranged, and that the busiiiogS will probably be extensive. SUGAR IMPORTS PROHIBITED, (Rec. September 10, 9.35 p.m.) Melbourne, September 10. A Federal Gazette has been issued prohibiting the importation of sugar to the Commonwealth. "HE.HOPED THE GERMANS WOULD WIN!" (Rec. September 10,10.55 p.m.) Sydney, September 10. A shearer was fined £100 for saying that ho hoped the Germans would win. "They are bottor than tho Union Jack push," ho said. .

Stolen goods that havo been thrown away in flight are liable to bo forfeited lo tlio Crown, but will bo given up to tho person robbed, if it bo shown'that: he has taken adequate stecs to have tho vtliiof; arrested. , . ,■