AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8322, 31 December 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

COMMONWEALTH RIFLE MEETING.

NEW SOUTH WALES WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

LAUNCESTON, Dec. 29,

At the Commonwealth Rifle Meeting, Clark, of New South Wales, won the championship. The New South Wales team won the GovernorGeneral's Cup and the Gordon Highlanders' trophy. At a meeting of the Council of the Association it was decided to send twelve men to the next Bisley meeting, composed ■ of three men each from New South Wales and Victoria, two each from Queensland and South Australia, and one each from Tasmania and West Australia.

TRADE RETURNS FOR THE YEAR.

MELBOURNE, December 29,

It is estimated that when the year closes the trade returns of the Com,monwealth will show imports valued at £44,600,000, and exports valued at £68,500,000. These amounts,are far in excess of those of any previous year.

For eleven months the gold exported was valued at £16,358,000, and other articles £59,717,000.

RECRUDESCENCE OF PLAGUE.

SYDNEY, December 29,

After a lull since October 6th, a man named Jamieson, working in York Street, has been seized with plague.

IN SEARCH OF A POLICY. BRISBANE, December 29. It is announced in Queensland political circles that Mr Kidston's visit to New Zealand|is in connection with the drafting of the Ministerial policy for the forthcoming elections, and it is more than probable that the policy will be framed on New Zealand lines. MURDER AND SUICIDE. PERTH, December 29."" A young girl named Campbell was shot at Belmont by a man named Viscomvich, who then shot himself. Both are dead. The cause of the crime is unknown.

32 SUEZ CANAL DUES. MELBOURNE, December 29. The Federal Premier (Mr Deakin) recently sought, through the Imperial to secure a reduction of the Suez Canal dues, on the ground that the high tariff placed restrictions on trade by the shortest route.

Lord Elgin, Colonial Secretary, in replying, encloses a letter from the British directors of the canal, pointing out that the increase in traffic was proportionate to the growth of the maritime commerce of the world in very exact measure, and, paradoxical as it may appear, the directors had been assured by large shipowners that while , they welcomed reductions in the tariff, these reductions had practically no effect in increasing the traffic. A matter of far greater importance was the widening and deepening of the canal. The directors considered any further reductions would practically amount to a subsidy to ships using the canal, at the cost, to a great extent, of pecuniary loss to the British Government.

Lord Elgin added: "lam informed by the Treasury and Board of Trade that they concur with the directors' views, and therefore think nothing is to be gained by an attempt to pursue the subject, with due regard to the interests of those who have a purely financial concern in the affairs of the Suez Canal."

MEAT TRADE DIFFICULTY. AMICABLY SETTLED. Received December 31, 12.24 a.m. SYDNEY, December 30. The meat trade difficulty has been amicably settled. The masters have accepted a proposal and the men will go to work to-morrow on the Conference terms instead of starting on them a week later.