COMMONWEALTH CABLES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 38, 14 February 1914, Page 6

COMMONWEALTH CABLES.

o A SUSPICIOUS FIRE. Osr Electric Telegraph—Copyright [United Press Association.] Melbourne, February 12. At the inquiry into the fire at Jay’'drapery and stores, .owned by Jacob Epstein, evidence showed the stock and furniture was insured for £3OOO. M. Epstein, who has been declared insolvent, has disappeared. The coroner, summing up the circumstances, said the fire was brimful of suspicion, and pointed to conspiracy. Evidence showed the shelves wen filled with a beggarly array of emptj boxes and a shortage of stock, which on book value was worth £3OOO.

MOUNT MORGAN RETURNS. Brisbane, February 12. Mount Morgan returns are': Twenty, eight days, ended February 8, 22,871 tons of ore treated, and yielded 64/ tons of copper and 7198 ounces ol gold, the total value being £72,139. 'THE FIRE FIEND LOOSE. (Received 11.0 a.m.) Sydney, February 14. MacKenzie’s store at Manilla was destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at £20,000. There was no fire brigade or water supply, and the citizens were powerless to fight the outbreak. THE CRICKET DISPUTE. The Secretary of the Board of Control, replying to Trumper’s complaint, said the delay was occasioned by tin .Now Zealand Council. The players applied for permission on December 12th, but two months previously the Board had written to tho Council asking the terms and conditions under which the team were going. No definite information was received unil January sth, after which various delegates were communicated with, and the decision was made known to the players on January 20th, which was as early as posisble. AVIATION IN AUSTRALIA. Melbourne, February 14. Airman Hawker states that the aeroplanes imported by the Defence Department are practically useless for defence purposes. Australia had a long coast line which made hydroplanes or hydroaeroplanes, not landplanes, the class of aircraft required. Tho Australian machines were already four models old. POWELLISJNC SLEEPERS. The interim report of the Powellising Commission recommends a reduction in tho size of the sleepers on the Trans-Australian railway, thus saving £70,000 to £IOO,OOO. THE WATERSIDERS’ DIFFICULTY The conference of. shipowners and watersiders adjourned indefinitely. It has been arranged that a joint statement of the position should be prepared and issued to the press by Messrs Northcote and Hughes. Tho latter informed the press that he had not yet prepared the draft statement and that the matter must wait till Monday. No further information is available.