AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 127, 2 June 1902, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION. Sydney, May 31. Owing to the terribl.< state of the country through <lrougl.it, the R il>ay UommissioLei-s have agreed to reduce rates of carriage on starving stick aud fodder. The first industrial dispute referred to the arbitration of the new Court resulted in a victory for th.p men The Newcastle Wharf Lab urers' Uni-m sought to compel the Hunter River Steamship Company tr> c uploy only Unionists, to withdraw non as present employed, and to observe hours and wages corjtaiued iu the working laws cf the UnioD. The Court's decision sets out that the absolute freedom of contract which existed prior to the passing of the Industrial Arbitration Act has bern considerably modified in its conditions, though freedom of contract remains umimpiired in a sens' 3 , since parties may mike voluntary agreements and may eventually agree to vary or cancel tnem, but existing contracts cannos be disturbed at. the will of one party only. Melboubne, May 31.

The Commonwealth Inscribed Stock Bill has been circulated. The interest is fixed at three per cent, payable halfyearly, A stock redemption fund is : provided, equivalent, to 10s per cent on all stock issued.

Brisbane, May 31

The father and tw> brotheis of the Kenniff outlaws have been committed fur trial on a charge of hcse stealing. Sydney, May 31.

One of the chief roeii s chimed for' the new Hebrides s ttlecuent scih' me is that it will counii ra-t F; encb attempts to colonise the group. S titl. rs will be allowel to lease not lo* th<nsoand °.ot more than 500 acres. The turns of l«-ase< ae:—Rntal 10s par fifty acres for three years, with right of ex-t-Ksion for 96 years ac a penny per acr<» per am um, if «t the end of the t: ird year t«>> shill ngs an acre has been esoended.

Bkisbaxk, May 31

The Prcmi r m his usply '.o Mr Deakin, fav.niis the su-pension of a'l du r ies on during the drought, and that a tium limit of at. le»s:t three or four months be to enable impor ers to get Riippln-s from America if mcs.-sarv.