AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8311, 14 December 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

W. P. CRICK. Received December 13, 6.1 p.in, SYDNEY, December 13. The latest development in connection with tbe Lands Commission report is that the Full Court oalled upon Mr W. P. Crick to show cause on Thursday why be should not be struck off the roll of solicitors.

THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS. THE THREW PARTY SYSTEM UNAFFECTED. Reoeived December 13, 10.4 a.m. SYDNEY, Dooember 3. Later returns only give a partial view of the elections, but there are indications that the Commonwealth has not broken away from the three-party system, although if anything there has probably been a weakening of Mr Doakin's following, and a corresponding strengthening of those of Messrs Watson and Reid. The latter was given a run for East Sydney by a comparatively unknown man, who got within 1,200 of the Opposition Leader, Duriug the election all the hotel§ were closed, and the police record is rather remarkable, not a single arrest being effected within the metropolitan area up to midnight. An extraordinary feature is the number of electors who did not vote. In several constituencies less than fifty per cent, weut to the polls. None of the leaders have expressed opinions on the result, owing to the incompleteness of the returns. The Sydney Morning Herald displays disappointment at the result. It says: "New South Wales has not given the decisive vote it should have done." Messrs Ewing, Groom ; and Chapman have been returned—in fact, all the Ministers are safe with the exception of Senator Playford, who is at the bottom of the poll for the Senate in South Australia. Three Labour candidates are 12,000 ahead of Mr Playford. Mr W. H. Irvine, formerly State Premier of Victoria, has been re turnod to the House of Representatives for Flinders. South Australia returns only one new faoe in the place of bir L. Bonython (retired),while in Western Australia there is no change likely. There seems uo ohanoe of a restor ation of the two-party system exoept by the fusion of elements that now appear irreconcilable.

Reoeived December 13, 11.3 p.m. SYDNEY, December 13. Two of the Socialists who were leading for the Senate in South Australia have been deposed fcy Messrs Symon and Verdun antiSooialists.

STATE OF THE PARTIES. Reooived December 13, 11.30 p.m. SYDNEY, December 13. Ihe state of the parties, aooording to the latest figures, is as follows: Senate: Anti-Sooialists, 13; Labour, Socialists, 5; Ministerialists 0. House of Representatives: AntiSocialists, 32; Labour Socialists, 26; Ministerialists, 17. Reoeived December I§, 1.10 a.m. SYDNEY, December 13. Labour won six seats in Now South Wales. THE WR'IOK OF THE INGER. Received December 13, 11.33 p.m. SIDNEY, Daaember 13. Later partioulats in connection with the wreck of tho Norwegian steamer Inger state? that the vessel was trying to steam away from Ocean Island in the teeth of a southwest gale when alio fouled her moorings and tho propellor was disabled. She drifted on to the rooks and quickly became a total wreck, A HUGE NUGGET. Reoeived December 13, 11.48 p.m. MELBOURNE, December 13. There is great excitement at Tarnagulla ovor the discovery of a huge nugget In shallow ground. The finders were three men named Smith, Stevens and liodgers. The weight of tho nugget is, roughly, 400 ouuocs. GAMING SUPPRESSION BILL. Reoeived December 13, 11.48 p.m. MELBOURNE, Deo. 13. In the Gaming Suppression Bill in Committee words were inserted olearly establishing the right of newspapers to publish forecasts of raoes. Ac amendment was inserted prohibiting bookmakers betting with women or anyone under 21 years of age.