AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 62, 12 November 1914, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SYDNEY, November 11. H. H. Rowley, of New Zealand, a member of the staff of the Melbourne Customs, reports that the position of the Norfolk is hopeless. She is still burning fiercely. (Received 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, November 12. Irish blight is ravaging the potatoes in the Clarence PJver district. Precautions are being taken to prevent a spread. Arrangements have oeen completed for the throwing open in December of 56,000 acres under the Government scheme for increasing the wheat production. Settlers have been given leasehold tenure with liberal advances repayable on easy terms_ The minimum price is four shillings guaranteed. All the wheat area cropped is the excess of last year's sowings. The Government has also earmarked 250,000 acres to be purchased by themselves through private channels. MELBOURNE, November 12. The House passed an amending defence bill for £2,000,000. Provisions included are that all male inhabitants resident for six months in Australia must register their names.

Some suburban councils are altering German named streets to British In one instance "Bismark" becomes "Kitchener." At the fire at Ballarat, in which Mrs. Butterworth and an infant "were burned to death the husband made heroic efforts to save therh. He rescued three other children. BRISBANE, November 11. In the Assembly on the Premiers motion a resolution of satisfaction at the immortal honour won by the Australian cruiser Sydney was passed. There is much enthusiasm in Queensland. Cup.—Fasca 1, Smoko 2, Peter the Painter 3. Thirteen started. Won by

THE KAISER'S UNHOLY JEHAIX FRUSTRATED BY THE MUSSULMANS. LONDON, Nov. 13, The Novoe Vremya, dealing with tha Kaiser's efforts to instigate a Jehad against says the Mussulmans forestalled the Emperor Wilhelm's criminal designs by flocking to the standards of the Allies. —Timea and Sydney Sun Services. NAVAL DEFENCE OF THE PACIFIC PRIME MINISTER'S VIEWS, —* « . | AUCKLAND, November 1L The naval defence of the Pacific .was again referred to by the Prime Minister in his speech at Howick la3* evening. He spoke on lines similar to those of hia Papakura speech, and' said that it was the duty of the British communities in the Pacific to ses that a sufficient number of powerful! ships were provided in future to combat any vessels that an enemy wouhi be able to send into these waters. H» did not suggest battleships, or tka£ New Zealand should join Australia* but there should be sufficient light»