AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1926, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

I [Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.]

FEDERAL FIXAXC’K. MELBOURNE, Feb. 10. Tlie accounts of the Federal Trensitry for the half-year ended Decem- ' her 31 show a surplus of approxi- : :matcly £330,000 The expenditure | for departments and services other : -than business undertakings and territories totalled £20,787,808, compared •with £20,192,430 for the corresponding period of the previous year. The largest increase Involved was old-age pensions, where the expenditure was £478,307 in excess of last year. Export bounties and export control represented an increase of £108,210; defence and repatriation a decrease of £103,880: interest on war loans amounted to about £3,000,000, and revenue front the same services totalled £26.002.000, compared with £24,980,432, whereof the increase in taxation accounted for £430,732. Income taxrealised £424,204 less, owing mainly to the reductions of arrears. Coinage showed an increase of £221,433, mainly due to the replacing of British silver coin withdrawn from circulation. The Commonwealth railway showed a deficit of £199.497, against a deficit of £254.998 in the previous year. The deficit on territories was £137,900, against a deficit of £230,591 in the previous year.

CABLE DELAY TEMPORARY. SYDNEY, Feb. 10. The cable delay cabled yesterday was only temporary. The wires are now working normally. SYDNEY WOOL SALES. SYDNEY. Fell. 10. \t the wool sales to-day competition was keen for host sorts at late rates. Faulty sorts continued irregular and hue eross-breds Were unchanged. Creasy merino sold to 39(1, equalling the record price of the season here. ROSF.HILL RACES. SYDNEY, Feh. 10. The Rosehil! Maiden Handicap first division, resulted: The White Diamond 1, Eunice 2. Ron necrose 3. Won by a neck. Time 1.27. PICTURE THEATRE BURNT. MELBOURNE, Feh. 10. A fire destroed the Palais Picture Theatre at St. Kilda Esplanade. The building- covered half an acre and was totally destroyed. The tower of Luna Park adjoining caught fire, but it wa« extinguished. The damage amounts to manv thousands.

THE CENSURE MOTION. SYDNEY. Feh. 10. In the New South Wales Assembly Premier Lang practically dismissed the Censure motion from wrious consideration l>y stating that a.s soon as the House is free of other business, tho motion will he debated. ANOTHER BUSH EIRE. SYDNEY. Feh. 11. A hush fire al Gregory, alleged to have been caused by sparks from a railway engine, destroyed much valuable land, as well as fifteen thousand sheep. The fire is now burning towards Culcairn. Other fires in the Albury district are still raging. FLOODS in QUEENSLAND. BRISBANE. Feh. 11. As a rosiii* of a cyclone between Townsville am! Cardwell, ten to fourteen inches of rain have been recorded for the twenty-four hours. Much of the surrounding country is covered hv six inches to two feet of water. Herbert River is rising rapidly and the railway traffic is held up owing to washouts. REFLOATING EFFORTS FAIL. SYDNEY. February 11. Efforts to refloat the cargo steamer Coma which is ashore at Sydney Point. Ocean Lslaml, have so far failed. Ihe steamer Nauru Chief is standing by Imt as the weather is calm there is no immediate danger. WITHDRAWAL ASKED FOR. MELBOURNE. February 11. Tn the House of Representatives, during the reading of the Crimes Rill, Mr Charlton, after setting forth the view of the Labour Party, moved an amendment that the hill bo withdrawn and redrafted so as to eliminate the obnoxious clauses referring to industrial disputes, considering such clauses are unwarrantable and an affront to the great bodies of organised labour. The debate was adjourned.

PICTURE THEATRE DAMAGED. MELBOURNE, February 11. 'Hie damage to the picture theatre is estimated at thirty-five thousand sterling. STEAMER STRIKES BANK. HOBART. February 11. The steamer Clan MacNnughton, when leaving the Tamar river, drifted on to the middle hank, which is the same place that the 1 Port Lytclton came to grief two years ago. An examination revealed that the Clan MacNnughton is leaking in five holds. Probably all the cargo will have to he lightered to refloat her.

THE 44-HOUR DECISION. SYDNEY, February 11. In view of the decision of the Magistrate in the fourty-four hour week and the Federal awards case, the Employers’ Federation has decided to take steps to have the matter brought beforel the High Court with a view to obtiiining a decision as to its correctness. GYPSY SMITH RETURNING. PERTH, February 11. Sir Bertram AfacKenna. the sculptor, is a passenger in tile Otranto. After spending a holiday in Australia, be* proceeds to New Zealand. Gypsy Smith, the Evangelist is also a passenger and will visit New Zealand after a six months’ mission in Australia. A LARGE PROPERTY DEAL. SYDNEY, February 11. The biggest individual city property deal in the history of Sydney was effected when a Melbourne syndicate bought a block bound by Market and Castlereagh Streets for £400,000. Recent sales of Market Street properties now total three-quarters of a million. Indications point to Market Street becoming the business centre of the city. Additional sales in the vicinity bring the total amount to almost two millions.