AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue XXXXV, 10 December 1903, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SHIPMENT OF SPECIE. FREMANTLE, Dec. 9. One hundred thousand pounds in specie was shipped to India. DAY LABOUR. SYDNEY, Dec. 9. The report of the Public Service Board Commission on the day labour question finds that the main cause of the excessive cost of the system is political interference with responsible odicers controlling the workmen, and recommends that the Public Works Department be placed under a Commission of three members and that; reliel works he entirely separated from the ordinary operations of the Department. BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION. MELBOURNE, Dec. 9. In the Assembly Sir Alexander Peacock made a statement in reference to the alleged attempt to bribe Mr Mitchell by Dr. Montague. He admitted that he had acted carelessly in being the bearer of the letter containg £SO in notes from Dr. Montague to Mr Mitchell. As to his own policy in the Society, lie had regularly paid his premium and courted the fullest investigation in regard to the matter. The Premier said he could, without the slightest hesitation, accept Sir A. Peacock's explanation. Correspondence between Sir A. Peacock and Sir George Turner's Government and Dr. Montague showed that both sides regarded the matter as a business transaction conducted honourably on both sides. Dr. Montague's negotiations with Mi- Mitchell were more serious, as they indicated an intention to corruptly influence Mr Mitchell. He 'had come to the conclusion that it was necessary to investigate all the circumstances, from the fo'und/ation of the 1.0. F. Assoclintijon 'in Victoria,, and lie intended to propose the appointment of a Royal Commission for this purpose. The matter then dropped.

FATAL ACCIDENT. SYDNEY, Dec. 9. . A fining party from the warship Torch was practising, at the Flemington range, when Private Good, of the Royal Marines, who was acting as mai'ker, mistook a signal and stepped in front of the target, being shot dead. THBATRIC.ir. T)1 SPt;TE. MELBOURNE, Dec. 9. Madame SlapofYski, the operatic singer, was avoided £35 per week for the whole time in dispute, or £2lO more than the amount already paid into Court by Mr Musgrove. The jury also found for Madame SlnpofTski in Mr Mil 3grove's counter claim. DESTRUCTIVE TYPHOONS Received 10, 0.32 a.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 9. From Chinese files it is seen that in recent typhoons in Chinese seas 240 Odd fishing boats out of 300 employed off Swatow were lost. The approximate loss of life was 2,000. The British warship Waterwitch was caught in a typhoon and badly damaged. Two petty officers and a blue-jackets were injured. LORD MAYOR OF SYDNEY. Received 10, 0.19 a.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 9. Alderman Lees has 'been elected Lord Mayor of Sydney.