AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 825, 27 September 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE COLLIERY TROUBLE. Received September 26, 10.30 a.m. SYDNEY, September 26. Owing to the trouble at East Greta the miners in several of the Maitlaad collieries, after signing the new agreement, withdraw. DIFFICULTY SETTLED. Received Septomher 26, 11.15 p.m. SYDNEY, September 26. The Maitland difficulty baa been settled. The owners have withdrawn the obnoxious agreement and work will b8 resumed to-morrow. THE ATTEMPTED BANK ROBBERY. Received September 26, 9.52 a.m. SYDNEY, September 26. In connection with the attempt to rob the English and Scottish Bark, oci Sunday, the police have discovered tools indicating that the bank robbers were employed in the cycle trade. ) PENNY POSTAGE. Received September 27, 1.8 a.m. MELBOURNE, Sept. 26. j The House gave tin Penny Postage Bill, which throughout met with vigorous opposition, its quietus, tonight, i Mr Deakin accepted a motion to adjourn the debute as a test whether the Bill should be oast aside. The vote went against him by 31' to 16. SCULLING. Received September 26, 11.15 p.m. SYDNEY, September 26.George Towns has covered the deposit of Durnan f r a match and the agreement has been signed. ATTEMPT TO WRECK A TRAIN. THKEa BOYS ARRESTED. Received September 26, 11.15 p.m. SYDNEY, September 26. Three boys have been arrested at Narandera for attempting to wreok the Jerildarie-Narandera train. • Shortly before the train arrived at i Narandera large log sleepers were j found on the approach to the river , bridge. It is believed the intention was to wreck the train carrying the state Governor who is visiting the j district. The Governor, however, did not intend to travel till to-night. CUSTOMS IRREGULARITIES. Received September 26, 9.50 a.m. ADELAIDE, September 26. The Auditor-General's report discloses that shortages in connection with the Customs irregularities in the Port Adelaide Customs aooounts amounted to £26,000, extending over nine years, commencing in 1898, There are no means of tracing the amounts. A bill for £15,000 has been presented to James Martin and Company, representing duty, alleged to have been short-paid by their Customs Agent. EX-BANK xMANAGER IN TROUBLE. Reueived September 26, 9.50 a.m. HOBART, September 26. Butler, ex-raanager of the State Bank, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for forging a notice of withdrawal of £IOO. The sentence, however, was suspended under the First Offenders Aot. The Judge commented on the miserably small salary paid to Butler. i RABBIT EXTERMINATION. _____ Received September 26, 9.35 a.m. SYDNEY, September 26. The report of Dr Tidsweli, who was appointed by the Government to assist in carrying out initial laboratory experiments with the Dr Danysz rabbit virus, shows that the animals and birds were fed upon artificially prepared baits and infeoted dead rabbits or materials contaminated therewith. They were then made to inhale the, virus exposed to contagion from sick and dead rabbits, and finally inoculated with the virus. By all these processes rabbits werw killed readily enough, but by none of them were any of the other animals affected, save only by inoculation. Ihe inooulation proved as fatal to pigeons ;aa rabbits an'l usually caused the deaths of seagulls und magpies, and sometimes killed gaineapigs, crows, rats, and owls. A sheep and monkey proved resistant even to this violent method of infection. . The results, however, do not imply that the virus can be spread by inooulation from rabbits'to birds in the field. At the same time observations are needed before the virus can fce pronounced safe for distribution broadcast over the land. The experiments demonstrated that the virus is not infective to human beings. It and the diseased carcases were freely handled by the operators without precautions. The Brewongle Station has successfully employed the Kangaroobie system in the destruction of rabbits. Fifty rabbits with cotton waste saturated with bisulphide of carbon fastened Jto their legs, were released at the mouths of burrows, which remained closed for two days. As no signs of life were then visible the experiment is claimed as affording convincing evidence that the bisulphide of carbon had done its work.

CABLE NEWS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN POLITICS. Received September 26, 9.50 a.m. ADELAIDE, September 26. The conference between the House of Assembly and the .Legislative Council over the hitch in connection with the franchise Bill was adjourned till to-dfiy without reaching an agreement. There are rumours that an early dissolution is likely. Y.M.O.A. CONVENTION. Received September 26, 9.50 a.m. MELBOURNE, Sept. 26. The National Council of the Young Men's Christian Assooiation§has decided that the first National Convention for Australia aud New Zealand shall be held iu Melbourne in June next. \