AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 191, 24 August 1901, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

ru PRESS ASSOCIATION. itIKL BOURNS August 23. The House of .Represent >tivee had a long debate in committee on the Postal Bill clauses empowering a postmaster to op°n letter.", which practically resolved itself into a discussion on the merits of Tattersall's sweeps. The majority of the Bpeaktrs favoured the suppression of gambling, but were opposed lo giving the right to indis-crimiaat-ly open letters. A number of the letters addressed to George Adams, dealing with important private Batten, which bad bten opened in Sydney Post Office although tfce names of the sending firms were on the envelopes, were exhibited as proof of thiadanger. It was urged that if the Government was desiious of suppressing gambling it cauld surely find some hotter method than through the Post Office. Btrong objection was also taken in some quarters to the interference with S'ate tights, but the weight of opinion was that the Commonwealth overruled State rights. The cl»use» were passed with an unimportant amendment.

Mr Barton, in reply to a question raid the Queensland Premier's remarks about New Guinea conveyed a misleading impression. On behalf of the Commonwealth he had refused to takthe financial responsibility until the I question of administration is settled. Through Lord Hopetoun be informed Mr Otamberlain that New South Walrt, Victoria, and Queensland were favourable to Federal control of New Guinea, and as the expenditure in volved would be £221,000 yearly, he had asked if in preaent gttte of th» Commonwealth finance the British Government was prepared to find .£7OOO, the amount of lapsed subsidy covering the maintenance of a steamer. A reply has not yet beeu received. He gave an awurance that nothing would be done without Parliament's content. Btdbkt, August 23.

About 25,000 claims have barn re caved for o'd age peesioaa, and upw»rds of 14,000 have been granted. Arriving vessels report very rough weather. Adklaid*, August 23. In the Assembly the Treasurer delivered the Budget speech. The revenue last year was £2 824,000, and the expenditure 12,846,000, leaving a deficit of £16,850. The revenue for the current year is estimated at £2,585,000, including £612,000 to be returned by the Commonwealth, and the expenditure at £2,579,000 leaving »n expected surplus of a lit'le over £6OOO. In the Budg°t the Treasurer considered it was sife to look for a seven-1 bushel harvest. During the last four I years there bad been a steady increos°, of producing sources, and but for thp war and Royal visit they would have b*d a large surplus. Pe exprered a f e r tba' would provamuch more eip°nsive than anticipated. The schooner Ro'uma hag arrived, leaking badly, caused by the sword cf a Bwordfish renetra'ing the timber. Received 23, 1035pm.

Stdnky, August 23. Tru<fg«n ru planted at the PahV Ctfort on a charge cf horse stealing. On tha application of the police it was withdraws, pending his trial on another chtrge. Obituary: W. Forrester, the wellknown racing owner and twiner. Bhibbjuti, August 23. *ln th« House of Assembly the Treasurer's proposal to raise Treasury • bil's to cover the £530,000 deficit were cirtied. Received 24,1.3 a.ro. " Pbhth, August 23. A s'nsition ha<i Veen caused by tbr Cabinet, after a lengthy invea'isation of matter * of the Railway Department, and adverse reports by the geternl manager Jonn Davies against G. W. Davirs, who was re-ently sppointod secretary to tha Oomnii'sioner f -r Rtil way?, deciding to suspend bith Jonn and G. W, Davies Stdskt, Augu«t 23. Aimed: Z«wlandia. Received 74 0.56 p.tn. Melboubkk, Angus* 23. The Federal Post r* art er- Gener r1 s'ates it is no* yet decided whether at once to enforce the »nti-gambling