AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 March 1917, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

LABORITES VIRULENT. A SENATOR SUSPENDED. CHARGES OF BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION. Australian-N.Z. Cable Association. Received March 2, 10.5 p.m. Melbourne, March 2. In the Senate, the president announced that Mr. JOurle succeeds .Senator Ready. Senator Watson created a sensation by charging Mr. Hughes, Senators IVarco (Minister of Defence) and (livens with endeavoring to use improper inlluence to induce him to leave the Labor Party. Senato? Watson stated that the suspicion was created in his mind that an act of political treachery was perpetrated for the purpose of allowing the present (Government to continue in office and so ihrl'eat the people's determination to prevent conscription. lie detailed various conversations with the senators mentioned, amounting to allegations of attempted bribery. Senator (livens replied that the state-1 i/ents were, neither complete nor accurate. Senator Mullen was suspended for refusing to withdraw a statement that a number had received bribes. In the House of Representatives Mr. Hughes presented a different story of the events. Mr. Tudor moved that a royal commission be appointed to /iquirc into the charges of bribery arid corruption and also into the circumstances attending tiie resignation of Senator Ready. ENEMY ALIEN GOODS. Melbourne, March 2. In the House of Representatives Mr Palmer moved the adjournment to dismiss the importation of benzine and kindred products by enemy or alien companies. He said that through the medium of these concerns Germany was kept well acquainted with Australian •i(fairs. The British Oil Company represented a number of interlocking companies, and had a managing director, variously described as a Dane, Dutchman or German, who resided in Holland. Mr Hughes gave reason to believe that the only thing British about the company was its name. He gave assurance that he would root out German trade. A deputation from the Associated Chambers of Commerce urged Mr Hughes to postpone for r/. time Uisl proclamation prohibiting the sale 'of enemy goods. If carried into effect hundreds of thousands of pounds' worth of goods' bought before the war would be unsaleable, Mr Hughes replied that the Government was considering a solution. THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC. Sydney, March 2. The president of the Alliance telegraphed to Mr Hughes urging the prohibition of shouting and the stoppage of the importation of intoxicants.