AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8100, 21 March 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

NAVIGATION COMMISSION. CRIMPING. SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE. Received March 20, 8.45 a.m. SYDNEY, March 20, The report of the Navigation Commission states that the evidenoe regarding crimping was of an extraordinary character, and some of it was so sensational that had it not been amply corroborated its accuracy might have been doubted; The law to prevent crimping was quite inadequate. For years past it had been openly defied in Newcastle, where a regular traffic existed in exoiting seamen to desert. Several witnesses asserted that some masters of vessels connived at the practice partly for the purpose of sharing in the blood-money obtained from sailors and partly for the purpose of defrauding seamen of their wages. REGARDING REBATES. Received March 20, 9.56 a.m. SYDNEY, March 20. Regarding rebates, tho Commission says:—lt is freely stated that a combine already exists by which the passenger and cargo rate 9 under the Steamship Owners' Federation are regulated. » Its extent may be gauged from the fact that out of one hundred and eighty thousand tons engaged in the interstate traffic less than ten thousand are outside the ring. Evidence was given that any departure from the agreement under the oombine involved the forfeiture of rebate's on the whole year's transactions. PRESS COMMENTS. Received Marob 20, 9.45 a.m. SYDNEY, March 20. The Sydney Morning Herald, commenting on the report, says:—-The taxpayer may perhaps be excused if he regrets so much time and money has been expended in the collection of well-known facts and airy theories. x The Daily Telegraph says:—The peculiarity of the reports that it completely ignores the project of a Commonwealth-owned line of oversea mail steamers, which the Labour Party has so insistently advocated. The Daily Telegraph considers that the conditions proposed by the Commission will almost certainly have the effect of excluding British and foreign shipping from the Australian coastal trade, the avowed object being to build up local mercantile marine. It instances as a lurid example of this policy the United States, which has seen its mercantile marine almost extinguished by this very froceas. THE LONDON TIMES ON THE REPORI. Received March 20, 11 p.m. LONDON, March 20. The Times says that the report of the Australian Federal Navigaton Commission is a document of great Imperial interest, and indioates, side by side with the growth of the Australian national prinoiple, that the I Commonwealth evinces a much fuller consciousness of Imperial unity, and most rightly and farsighted the Colonies adhere to preferential treatment between the members of the Empire. No surprise will be felt, says the paper, at the deoision to secure the carrying trade in Australian waters for Australians. The Times heartily approves of the projeot to establish a naval reserve without raising the vexed questions of higher Imperial strategy. The Commission's evident desire to stop the decline in the numbers of British merchant seamen commands full sympathy. THE PROPRIETARY MINE. SYDNEY, March 20. The outlook regarding the Proprietary Mine is more re-assuring,-as the spread of the fire has been checked. ALLEGED LIBEL. M'ARTHUR AND CO. v. SIR WM. LYNE. Received March 20, 10.40 p.m. SYDNEY, Maroh 20. J. F. MoArthur and Sir Wm. McMillan, directors of the W. and A. MoArthur Co, and some employees of the firm, were examined, to-day. They positively denied that the words "made in England" were plaoed in locally manufactured hats. Sir Wm. McMillan admitted that he and Sir Wm. Lyne were political anbut there was nothing of that in this matter. Counsel for defendant asked for a nonsuit on the ground that the occasion of uttering the alleged slander was privileged. The application was refused. Counsel stated that the defence was a denial of the words complained of, and that other words were used. Sir Wm. Lyne, in his evidenoe, stated that he twice visited Anderson's hat factory, and saw the process of manufacture. There was nothing in the hats to indicate where they were made, and Anderson's managing director told him something. The alleged slander was attored during a conversation he had with Senator Pulsford at the time of the introduction of the Commerce Bill,, which Senator Pulsford viciously opposed. Sir Wm Lyne's version of the conversation was that Senator Pulsford claimed that sufficient m.lication was given where goods were made without the Bill. Sir Wm. Lyne replied: "Even MoArthur and Co. are the prinoipal purchasers of hats from Anderson, and there is nothing to indicate that

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they are made iu Australia. The purchaser might go and buy the hats I have seen, and believe they were made in—." At this point Senator Pulaford interjected "in England," and Sir Wm. Lyne addeJ, "Yes, or in Germany." He was distinctly clear that thia was what actually ocourred. He denied using the words attributed him by Senator Pulsford. He made no.imputation, and intended none against the McArthur Company's honesty The remark was made in a semi-serious fashion. Hon. Alfred Dealun, Prime Minister of the Federal Parliament, gave evirlenoe that he was present, and the conversation of Senator Pulsford showed groat heat. He heard no such statement by the defendant as that imputed by the plaintiffs. Senator Pl&yford, examined, stated that though present at the conversation he had no recollection of it.