AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8356, 11 February 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A LIEUTENANT PUNISHED. PERTH, February 9. Lieutenant C. M. Foote, of the l warship Encounter, has been tried by courtmartial on a charge of desertion and embezzlement of canteen funds, of which he was president, the amount involved being £92. He was found guilty of desertion and fraudulent conversion, and sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour, and ordered to be dismissed from the service. MEDITERRANEAN FLY. MELBOURNE, February 9. The Mediterranean s ,fly has been discovered in an orchard at Bendigo. . The outbreak is attributed to the use of refuse bananas as a fertiliser. TRADES UNION CONGRESS. MELBOURNE, February 9. The coming Inter-State Trade s Union Congress will discuss, amongst other questions, a proposal to make forty-four hours a week's work general throughout the Commonwealth. PLAGUE IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY, February 9. Another case has occurred in the plague-infected area. Received February 11, 12.59 a.m. SYDNEY, February' 10. Two young children were attacked with the plague, and one died. THE BUNDABERG FIRE. BUNDABERG, February 9. The fire in the ,old bond distillery destroyed 42,000 gallons of spirit. The total damage is between £3,000 and £4,000. SIR JOSEPH WARD. ADELAIDE, February 9. The Mayor entertained Sir Joseph Ward, Lady Ward, and Miss Eileen Ward. A large number of prominent citizens were present. STANDARD 01, L TRUST. MELBOURNE, February 9. The Age states that trouble exists between the Standard Oil Trust and i the Customs Department. The Federal law requires that oil cases shall be marked 15 per cent.'fire test, and that the oil fumes must stand heat up to 150 deg. Fahrenheit before it ignites. This provision the trust seeks to defy. The newspaper states that certain definitely marked shipments have been made in deliberate defiance of the Federal law, and that the goods will not be allowed to land until they are brought in conformity with the legislation. SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS. ' ' \ ' SYDNEY, February 9. The Labour Council has obtained information that the natives of Fiji are compelled to work on public roads for an, inadequate wage, and on a semi-starvation diet. The Federal, Labour Party's delegates at the Navigation Conference will be asked to ventilate the matter.

QUEENSLAND POLITICS, Received'Februaryll, 12.59 a.m. BRISBANE, February 10. The Hon. W. Kidston, Premier of Queensland, delivered his policy speech fat Rockhampton. Referring to the resignation of the Hon. D. F. Denham, Minister of Agriculture and Railways, he said that on his. return from New Zealand he found that Mr Denham's idea of the political situation was that the Government should coalesce with the Philp Party. That proposal, if agreed to, would mean that while he would be graciously permitted to remain Premier he would have to remove from the Cabinet three or four Ministers who had been perfectly loyal. It would mean betrayal by the Government of a large number of men who had supported them in the last Parliament. He had informed Mr Denham that he could not seriously entertain the proposal. The Government proposed to exempt incomes up to£2oo from taxation. They would initiate a bold, Liberal immigration scheme and endeavour to arrange passages from three to five pounds per head in order to compete with Canada.- The Government were also !' considering the matter of offering those who pay their own passages a free JJgrant of 160 acres of land. Steps would be taken to co-ordinate the Savings Bank with the Agricultural Bank.

SHIPPING,

Received February 11, 1.5 a.m. SYDNEY, February 10.Sailed, I 1.40 p.m., yesterday— Riverina. MELBOURNE, February 10. Arrived —Moeraki. . HOBART, February 10. Arrived, 2 p.m., to-day—Ton-gariro.