AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7999, 20 March 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE M A CART lIUR-LYNE SLANDER CASE. Received March 19, 10.55 p.m. SYDNEY, March 19. The McArthur Lyne slander case opened to-day. Senator Pulsford gave evidence as to hearing Lyne use the words comprising the alleged slander in the refreshment room of Parliament House before a number of members. He wrote informing Sir Wm. McMillan, who telegraphed a denial of the charge. Subsequently witness saw Lyne. and informed him of McMillan's denial. Lyne replied, "Don't make any mistake about it. I can prove it." MUTUAL LIFE ASSOCIATION. Reoeived March 19, 10.55 p.m. SYDNEY, March 19. At the annual meetiog of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia, a satisfactory report was presented and adopted. It showed that the new business during the year amounted to £612,581, and the invested funds have increased to £1,959,374. NAVIGATION COMMISSION REPOKT. Reoeived Maroh 19, [8.5 p.m. I SYDNEY, Maroh 19. The Navigation Commission have presented their report, and reoommend that preference be given to British shipowners and producers conditionally on the ships being manned by a substantial proportion of British citizens or that they carry cargoes whereof JJa substantial proportion is of British manufacture or origin. The Commission suggest | that as the matter affects the whole of the British Empire th« question should ieceive the consideration of the next Imperial Shipping Conference, together with the desirability of uniform legislation extending to the seamen th» advantages of the various workmen's compensation Acts. The Commission finds that British seamen are fast disappearing from the mercantile servioe, and recommends as a remedy numerous drastic measures and reforms, with a view of rendering the conditions more attractive. These include 120 ft of air space per xnan, better ventilation and lighting, hot and oold bathrooms in steamships for all hands, improved . food, and. certificated cooks; the seamen to be entitled to receive two-thfrds of wages earned at any port where the vessel calls; abolition of advance and allotment notes except where thev are made in favour of relatives; abolition of imprisonment for desertion. § The report urges tne Commonwealth to take over the quarantine, lighthouses, etc.; coastal trade to be reserved for ships of Australian register or ships licensed as conforming to Australian conditions, the mail steamers between Adelaide and Fremantle to be exempted. This provision makes the total prohibition from the coastal trade of foreign subsidised ships, and ensures the establishment of an Australian Royal Navy Reserve on similar lines to that adopted by the British Admiralty and Board of Trade, but 1 modified to meet loaal conditions.