Beyond The Dominion

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 218, 20 December 1909, Page 3

Beyond The Dominion

CANADIAN BUDGET. Ottawa, December 15. Mr YV. S. Fielding, Canadian Minister for Finance, estimates the revenue for the current year at 97,500,000 dollars, and the expenditure chargeable to income at 81,000,000 dollars. N.Z. DEFENCE BILL. Sydney, December 16. The "Sydney Morning Herald" says that the proposals in New Zealand's Defence Bill call for unreserved congratulations. The people of the Dominion have just that cast of patriotic temperament requisite to make such a defence scheme a living reality, and in years to come they will feel just as we hope the people of the Commonwealth will feel, that in making their young men competent to do soldier's duty they have also been making them efficient citizens. IRONWORKERS COMBINE. New York, December 15. A conference of Labour leaders of Canada and the United States at Pittsburg resolved to organise tbe iron, steel and linplatc workers to combat the steel trust. They ask all unions of the two countries to assist.

UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION New York, December 15.

The United States Immigration Commission has issued an extraordinary report concerning the steerage conditions of transatlantic liners, based on voyages of its secret agents. These reports state that the sleeping quarters are filthy. Male stewards and members of the crew and male steerage passengers in many steamships crowd the women's compartments, and their language and manners are revolting and insulting. The Cunard, White Star, and other companies indignantly deny the truth of the allegations. EMPLOYEE SHAREHOLDERS. London, December 15. Messrs Furniss and Withy's copartnership scheme yielded employee shareholders a profit at the rate of 9 per cent, and ordinary shareholders 10 per cent, per annum for the nine months just ended. AUSTRALIAN BUSII FIRES. Sydney, December 15. There ire reports from the Country of destructive fires in all directions. The fires are especially bad on the Blue Mountains, and in the South Coast district, where wide areas have been swept. Great damage has been done at Cowra, where a thousand bags of wheat, hundreds of acres of standing corn, and vast tracts of grass and miles of fencing have been destroyed. Large numbers of stock perished, and many settlers lost their homes. The damage is estimated at £IOO,OOO. Some of the fire fighters bad sensational escapes, being driven to take refuge in creeks and dams. Rabbita largely helped tbe spread off the outbreak. Their fur catching fire they rushed nradly amongst standing crops. STRIKE LEGISLATION. Sydney, December 17. Mr Wade's bill to amend tbe Industrial Disputes Act, makes any leader who instigates or aids a strike or lockout liable to 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine. Tbe penalty on other leaders is left at two months.

If the control of a strike or lockout is carried on behind closed doors, the police are empowered to enter. These penalties apply equally to masters and men and the increased penalties only apply where tbe strike deprives tbe public of a necessary commodity. Tbe Bill also contains two clauses from the Commonwealth Act against illegal combinations. Tbe Standing Orders were suspended amid mucb disorder, and tbe Speaker, in the event of possible trouble, sent for extra police. It is stated that warrants have been issued for tbe arrest of 20 more men at Newcastle for inciting a strike. After an all night sitting Mr Wade's bill passed all stages without amendment, after persistent application of the closure.

AMERICAN RAILROAD DISASTER New York, December 16.

While an express train was rounding a curve at a high rate of speed in North Carolina yesterday, the rear cars left the track, and were burled over a 50ft embankment. | Tbe cars were smashed to atoms, ; and 14 of tbe occupants were killed j outright, while tbe remaining 35 were j injured. j BUTTER BOX INDUSTRY. Melbourne, December 17. Owing to complaints of co-operative butter factories that a combine in Victoria and New South Wales was keeping up prices of butter boxes to an unreasonable level, some factories endeavoured to secure boxes in shooks j • from New Zealand. The prices quoted , indicate )hat the sh';oks could lie land- , ar.<i put Ctu-v c!n ,<.r th' t eurr'.r.t of i: ; j