AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 215, 4 September 1908, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

PRICK OF IiUTTJSB. Sydney, September 3. The price of butter is to-day to be/ further reduced by 4b per-ewt. (\'Sesterdays quotation was 100 a to lias}. LOWNESS OF VITALITY. Sydney, September 3. Vital statistics for 1007 allow that Sydney, with a death-rate of 11 per thousand, leads the world in lowness of vitality. MELBOURNE-SHANGHAI STEAMER; SERVICE. Melbourne, September 3.

' The Governments of Victoria and New South Wales accepted tine tender of the Eastern and Australian Steamship Company for extending the pieSdnt service from Hongkong to Shanghai with a monthly trip between Melbourne and Shanghai. The Governi ments will pay a subsidy of £3900 per annum. RAIN AND FLOODS. Melbourne, September 3. The rivers in the Warnainbool district are ia heavy flood. Adelaide, September 8. The Eight Hours' Day celebrations were spoiled by incessant rain. Floods are reported from many districts. In aonie places they arc the highest that have occurred for some years.

THE KALGOORLIE TRAGEDY. Perth, September 3. The double tragedy at Kalgoorlie is explained by letters found on the body of Douglas, These showed that he and the girl Wayth had been living together. The crime was premeditoted. It appears that the two sat together on | the door and Douglaa shot the girl j trough the head and then shot tarnI A MAD JAP. Perth, September 3. The Japanese fisherman Oki, who was ii'rested on a charge of murdering a uriiuT named Shaw at West Murray has told the police that Shaw had hi» "loney. Ho feared that fihaw was going to leave him. This fear sent him mad and he shot the farmer.

COMMONWEALTH REVENUE. tit- i Mdbourne, September S. The Federal Treasurer estimates that the revenue for the current year will be £500,000 of last"enr