AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1920, Page 8

AUSTRALIA.

By Telesrapli —Press Assn.—Cnpyritfif, Sydney,' Sept. 15. The end of the shearers' strike is apparently approaching. Th<f general council of the Graziers' Association, while advising and assisting members as far as possible to adhere to the 48 hours' system, has resolved to permit members to make the best ararngements they can i'or the remainder of the season. The approach of the lambing season, the wool position and the heavy drought and flood losses are given as the reasons for this action. Over 100 sheds have shorn or are shearing on the association's terms. The Premier has announced that a Bill is being drafted to tax race tickets, viz., paddock .'is 2d, Leger lOd, outer ■gate 2d, ladies' tickets :is (Id. The tax is estimated to yield £20,000. i' Progress returns of the vote by members of the Presbyterian, Congregational and Methodist churches on the question of union indicate a strong affirmative decision by all three churches on the prepared basis. Melbourne, Sept. 15. In the No .-.;, of Representatives, Sir Joseph Cook announced tlint the loan had been over-subscribed by £26,000, and subscriptions were still coming in. Mr. Hughes moved the second reading of the New Guinea Bill providing for the acceptance of the mandate and the establishment of civil administration to replace the military control, which has been in operation since 1014. The debate was adjourned. Mr. H. W. Clapp. who has been appointed chairman of the Victorian Railway Commission at a salary of £SOOO per annum, has arrived from America, where he relinquished the post of vice- ! president of the St. 1 Louis Railway Company. He was born in Melbourne, and commenced life as an engineering apprentice in South Melbourne. Parer and Mcintosh were presented by the citizens with cheques for £550 each. Mr- Hughes staled that the British shipping combine had 'unsuccessfully endeavored 1o induce the Commonwealth Line to increase freights and, as the former had not raised freights, he assumed that fhe Commonwealth's refusal had prevented tlfem. Owing to the industrial troubles in Italy, Australian mail boats are calling e.f, Toulon, instead of at Naples, to facilitate the passage of English mails.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Melbourne, Sept. 14. Mr. Hughes has announced that the Government is erecting a wireless plant in Victoria witli the object of carrying out tests to ascertain whether smafi wireless stations are profitable undertakings as a means of establishing communications with remote settlements of Australia Sydney, Sept. 14. After a conference between the iron trades employees- and employers, the Industrial Commissioner announcedtliat the men will resume work-.... oh.. Wednesday and revert to normal conditions and not. hold stop-work meetings pending an inquiry regarding the shorter working week.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Awn,

TAXATION PROPOSALS. AUCKLAND CHAMBER'S VIEWS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Sept. 15. The proposals of the Land and Income Tax Bill were discussed to-day by a special committee of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Certain of the provisions were adversely criticised, but the principal conclusion was that the whole incidence of taxation should be reviewed. The following resolution was carried: "The Auckland Chamber of Commerce, having considered the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill now before Parliament, regrets that no proposal to alter the incidence of taxation by transferring the responsibility for the payment of incomt tax to the ultimate recipient of an income has been attempted, and it feels that the present incidence presses unnecessarily harshly upon the consumer, and materially contributes to the increase in the cost of living. "The Chamber respectfully urges the calling- together of a committee of representative business men, having experience of the subject of taxation, to confer with the Finance Minister and the Commissioner of Taxes upon the whole question. If it is not possible to delay the passage of the Bill until such conference can be held, the Chamber draws the attention of the Finance Minister to various provisions of the Bill which it considers require reconsideration." The resolution concludes with the following: "Generally, the Chamber recognises the necessity for the provision of the requisite revenue for the needs of the country, and the Government is concerned <yily in assisting in the raising of such revenue in the most equitable manner."