AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1916, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SHELL-MAKING. By Cable.—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, June 10. The Labor Council's late representative on the Munitions Committee, reporting on "shell-making, said it was it dismal failure, as the majority of the firms only made a laughing stock of the whole affair. FIJIAN AFFAIRS. -Melbourne, June 10. Mr. Mahon has received a communication from a resident in Fiji stating that a petition had been presented to the Imperial Government urging the annexation of the colony either by Australia or New Zealand. If a referendum were taken the majority would vote in favor of the proposed change. The main grounds were the stagnation and the inability of the Colonial Office to give proper attention to the requirements of the island.

THI- SOLOMON ISLANDS. Sydney, June 12. The Sun's Solomon Inlands correspondent reports that, since the war, headhunting has revived to an alarming extent, and the condition on Choiseul Island is worse even than in the old days. The Choiseul natives challenged the islands of Rononga and Vella Lavella and projected a raid upon New Georgia. The'raids are now almost perpetual, and consequently there has been a great decrease in population. So far, no Europeans have been harmed, but success has so encouraged the raiders that the planters are adopting precautionary measures. INDEPENDENT LABOR VICTORY. Sydney, June 12. At the Bingara by-election, Mr. McDonald, who resigned as a protest 'against the Political Laoor League domination and recontested the seat as an independent Labor candidate, defeated Mr. McLelland, who was strongly supported as the caucus nominee.