AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

By Telegraph—Per Press Association

TIN HARES BETTING. SYDNEY, Oct. 4. Mr Justice Campbell, in Chambers, delivered reserved judgment in the mechanical hare betting case. He stated , that there are no fundamental differences in principle, objecture and method between enclosed coursing and mechanical hare coursing. In both cases it was .a question of speed and cleverness. Therefore, he found that betting on mechanical hare coursing was legal, and the rule nisi in favour of the bookmaker (cabled on the loth of September) was made absolute.

A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 5. A fire destroyed Marsh Bros tannery at Granville. The damage is estimated at £15,000. FLOODS RECEDING. MELBOURNE, Oct. 5. Fine weather is being experienced in all the flooded areas'. The flood waters are receding and the damage so far is not estimated, but it will be very extensive. ROAD RACE. SYDNEY, Oct. 5. There will be no Warrnnmbool road race next Saturday ,tlie Invent being incorporated in tne Grand Prix.

SYDNEY TOWN HALL. SYDNEY, Oct. 5. The City Council approved of additions to the Town Hall costing a quarter of a million. N.S.W. FINANCE. SYDNEY, Oct. 5. The State finance for the first three months of the year shows an excess of expenditure over revenue of £2,474,000; the revenue being £9,293,000 and expenditure £11,767,000. HEAVY LOSSES. SYDNEY, Oct. 5. Exceptionally heavy betting marked the first two days’ racing of the Randwick Meeting. It is estimated that bookmakers lost hundreds of thousands off the success of Vaals in the Epsom and Murillo in the Metropolitan. One leading firm of bookmakers had to pay out £IO,OOO ou two wagers, besides other heavy obligations. All bookmakers more or less, were bit particularly' over the doubles. It is reported that one of the smaller operators was unable to meet his obligations immediately.

SATISFACTORY REPORT. /"Received this dnv at'll.o a.mJ BRISBANE, Oct. 5. The reports from Roma oil bore continue satisfactory. The oil recovered from the bore is used to run motor cars in town. 1 McCORMACK’S REPLY. BRISBANE. Oct. 5. Replying to a question in the Assembly as to whether railwaymun have not been harshly treated in the recent /trouble, Premier McCormack said for a. long time there has been no discipline in the workshops, but there is going to be from now on. WHEAT YIELDS. SYDNEY, Oct. 5.

The Director of Agriculture considers the State wheat yield should now ho sufficient for local milling and domestic seed requirements, it also provided a small surplus for export or carry over. The recent rains came in time to save a, considerable portion of the crops, but too late in tho north-west and west. Altogether close upon one million acres have definitely failed while in the remaining areas there is a small proportion from which no grain will bp taken. The harvest this year will be the lightest for many years. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. ADELAIDE, Oct. 5. The Auditor-General, in his annual report, states:—l feel bound to say that tho financial position of the State is delicate and very difficult. It has been aggravated by the recent Commonwealth Arbitration Court awards, the effect of which has not had time to develop. The futuie position will be still more difficult and if adverse seasonal and economic conditions occur a very' serious position might arise. The financial drift, which has been evident for some years past, is due to the large expenditure of loan funds on non-productive works and the increasing costs of supplies and sendees is a matter of very grate concern. It is quite clear the financial resources of the State cannot stand for long the annual increase in taxation which the present rate of unproductive loan expenditure would require. There is no alternative loan expenditure. Non-productive works must be steadily reduced by a considerable amount, and tint at no 'distant date, otherwise the burden of taxation will he continually increased.