AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1916, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

By Cable—Fre-.s Assoeir.iion—Copyright. Melbourne, June fi. The Warnambool by-election resulted in the Liberals retaining the seat. Six o'clock closing was a prominent issue and obtained a strong majority. The State Caoinet has decided to take a referendum on the early closing of hotels. ° Sydney, -Tune 0. Colonel Mackay says that, speaking from the purely military standpoint and as the result of careful personal observations ol Liverpool casual camp, ho can emphatically say there .was an immistakeahle improvement ill the conduct and efficiency of the troops disclosed during the short period a o'clock dosing was operative. It was clearly evident that all the responsible officers unanimously favored 6 o'clock closing. Sydney, June 7. A man and woman have been arrested at Mount Victoria in connection with ■the theft of a motor ear by an alleged German escapee. ' ° A strike of engine-drivers has rendered the Cobar mines idle ami resulted :n fifteen hundred miners being unemployed. The mines are filling with v.-ater. Brisbane, June 7. A fire at Winton destroyed one of the main business blocks. The damage is estimated at £20,000, * The Woolbroker-i' Association ha» cabled the Imperial authorities requesting the relaxation of the wool embargo in favor of France and Ttalv. The secretary states that he cannot understand why Japan is favored and not the other Allies.