AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 107, 13 January 1912, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

TWENTY MILES OF FLAME. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Perth, January 12. An immense bush fire, with a front of twenty milesj, is sweeping Burra- 1 coppin district, where there is prac-. tically no settlement. ACCOMMODATION* [FOR IMMIGRANTS. Sydney, January 12. Mr. Beeby states that very soon the €terernment will be in a position to provide temporary accommodation for' all immigrants. He regards the recent statements that newcomers had to sleep in the parks as an exaggeration. HOWARD SMITH & CO. Melbourne, January 18. The new issue of Howard Smith & Co. has been fully subscribed. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN WHEAT. Adelaide, January 11. The wheat harvest in many districts is better than anticipated. The revised returns show that' it will probably exceed 21,000,000 bushels. PRICKLY PEAR ERADICATION. Brisbane, January 12. A conference on the subject of the eradication of prickly pear will be held on February 8. The, pest is assuming alarming proportions ! in the northern portion of thef State. NEWCASTLE EXPORTS. Sydney, January 12. Last year 4,061,780 tons of coil were exported from Newcastle, valued-jat £2,110,929, an increase of 103,794 tons, valued at £105,405. The exports to New Zealand were 333,208 ' tons, compared with 318,495 tons. The exports of other , items decreased £30,752, and imports in•reaied £163,043. LTD. Sydney, January 12. In the application for shares in Hud-dart-Paker, Ltd., the preference shares were seven and a half times over-sub-scribed and the ordinary shares twelve times. It was decided to make the minimum fifty shares and the maximum five hundred. After allotting certain shares essential in the interests of the company, the balance was ballotted for. Fifteen thousand shares went to New Zealand, and 25,000 to Australian ports, exclusive of Sydney and Melbourne, which received 60,000 and 130,000 respectjyely. NEW PACIFIC CABLE ROUTE. Melbourne, January 12. Mr. Millward. manager of the Pacific Cable Board, laid before Mr. Frazer the views of the board regarding the new cable to New Zealand, and invited the Commonwealth to express an opinion where the landing at this end should be. Mr. Frazer said he anticipated the adoption of a more direct route than at present.

THE RESULT OF OVER INSURANCE. Sydney, January 12.

The coroner at Murrumburrah, in returning a verdict of incendiarism at the inquest on the fire which occurred on January 2 and destroyed six shops, declared that he could not make a committal, but he could only say that the fire was wilfully caused. There had been many such cases during the past year, as the ■ result of over-insurance. Another reason making it difficult to cope with the crime was the sympathy shown by juries with criminals.