AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 59, 27 July 1912, Page 2

AUSTRALIA N NEWS.

LABOR IN NEW SOUTH WALES. By iabla—Frees Afl»oci&tion—Copyrigkt. Sydney, July 26. . The official report shows that at the end of last year there Were 3843 factories, employing 77,505 hands, in the I metropolitan area. The increase of fac;toiies was 173, and of hands 6420, the largest yearly increase since the Factories Act came into force in 1897. The report adds it is impossible to estimate ', what the increase would- have been if a sufficient supply of skilled labor had been available. In almost every direction orders were being turned away on account of the shortage of labor, and many machines were standing idle, though good wages were offered. CARGO-BROACHING. 1 Sydney,' July 26. ! . Cargo-broaching is rampant . A whaTf laborer was fined £2O or four months' hard labor for pillaging cargo. Evidence showed the magnitude of the evil. The agents of the vessel, since June 1, lost £172 worth- of goods from three steamers. . THE AUSTRALIAN SPY. ■Sydney, July 26. A passenger by the Otranto to Colombo in December, 1910, who travelled with Graves, who was sentenced at Edinburgh for espionage, states that Graves had unlimited funds. He had a huge box full of sovereigns, and lived in princely style. He became on the friendliest terms with an Australian officer who was proceeding to Aldershot for instruction, and plied him with military questions, especially as to drills. ' PENSION REpiPROCITY. Melbourne, July 26. With a view to promoting more cordial -relations with New Zealand the Federal Government proposes to extend to New Zealanders residing in Australia the right to old age pensions. It is hoped that New Zealand will reciprocate. A pensioner at present must have resided in Australia twenty years. It is proposed 'to amend this so that he may have Tesided in New Zealand twenty years. BUTTER FLOTSAM. Sydney, July 26. Lumps of butter have been washed ashore at Eden, apparently from the same source as those recently found at Tathra. They come from a southerly direction. A NEW INDUSTRY, Melbourne, July 26. The police have unearthed a plant used for making gilded sixpences.

THE TRUST BOGEY. Sydney, July 26, A witness at the Royal Commission on food supply, representing the Meat Employees' Union, declared that the American Beef Trust was operating in New South Wales, and that the high price of meat was due to a combine RAILWAY STATION SITE. Sydney, July 20. A proposal has been mooted that the New South Wales Government should purchase Queen Victoria Markets and utilise them as the site of an underground railway station. Mr. Hav considers it would be an ideal site. These markets have involved the City Council in a loss of £170,000 in twenty year?.