AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 125, 24 June 1909, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

DISCOVERY OF RUBIES. Adelaide, June 82. An important discovery of rubies is. i reported from Williamstown. EXCHANGING BANK NOTES. 1 Melbourne, June S3. The banks trading in Victoria intend to follow the lead of New South. Wales, in regard to tho adoption of a system, of exchanging one another's notes — whether they be issued in Australia or New Zealand—up to a reasonable, amount free of charges to the perssn presenting them. LEPROSY IN THE ISLANDS Sydney, June 13. Ihe secretary of the London Missionary Society has received from the missionary a report that leprosy is increasing to un ulanning extent in the Oook Islands. The trouble is attributed to the ignorance nnd carelessness of the. natives. The report adds: "Unless, very severe ineasarcs are soon taken-. nnd strictly enforced) all the islands, of tho group, in the course of a faryears, will be full of the disease and! the people doomed." RUST IN POTATO CROPS. *~' Sydney, Juna 2J. Iho prevalence of brown nnd dry rust in Tusmanian potatoes has led the Department of Agriculture to empower I inspectors to condemn tubers sutferlnr from these diseases. This is having a considerable effect on the supply and is causing uneasiness regarding the future output. Of 15,000 bags which arrived on Monday 2000 won. condemned and the inspection is not com- - pleted. Local growers on the North. Coast, who last year obtained seed. from Tasmania, also find the crop seriously affected by rust.