AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 June 1916, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A LIBEL ACTION. By Cable—Press AssociaMoii—Copyright Sydney, June 23. An action has been commenced wherein Mr. Griffith, Minister for Education, is suing a publican named Henry Coiii'bellack for £2OOO damages, for an alleged slander contained in a stateme'nf; imputing that the Minister could lie bribed. Mr. Griffith, in the course of his evidence, said that ever since he had tackled the vested interests question, charges had been made against his personal integrity.

Defendant denied charging plaintiff with corruption or with being dishonest.

A SERIOUS FIRB. Sydney, June 24. A fire destroyed Winns' Ltd.'s bulk store ii: the city and several adjoining buildings. The damage is estimated at .£IOO,OOO. Besides the complete destruction of Winns' warehouse, the fire seriously damaged Nolan's dentistry chambers, . Goldstein's furniture store, and the Commonwealth furniture store, A number of other premises were slightly damaged, while the falling walls caused havoc with the telephone wires.

GENERAL ITEMS. Sydney, June 24. Owing to delays over the absentoe vote it is now stated that six o'clock dosing is unlikely to operate before the end of June. The Commodities Commission has authorised an increase of a penny per jiound in the price of cheese. MORE LIBEL ACTIONS. Sydney, June 26. The Chief Secretary has announced that ten members of the Cabinet have decided to issue writ? each daiming £IOOO against the Mirror newspaper for alleged libel, contained in a published statement that a certain bookmaker had been heard to declare that money had been subscribed to persuade the 'Governinfit! ifot to legalise the totariSHtor.