AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8382, 16 March 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

TATTERSALL'S SWEEPS. Received March 15, 8.30 a.m. MELBOURNE. March 15. The Tasmanian Parcels Express Delivery office was raided by the police, who arrested a youth on a charge of. receiving money for the pui'pose of forwarding it to Tattersall's sweeps. The sum of £250 in cash and cheques was seized.

VICTORIAN ELECTIONS.

Received March 15, 10.13 a.m. MELBOURNE, March 15. Little interest is taken in the State elections, which take place today. Eighteen Ministerialists and two Oppositionists have been returned unopposed. The Premier, Mr Bent, expects a considerable majority.

ANXIETY AS TO A BARQUE

Rec3ived March 15, 10.20 a.m SYDNEY, March 15

Anxiety is increasing for the safety of the German barque Alsterni (? Alsternixe), which is 108 days out from Callao. She left about the same time as the ill-fated barques Annasona and Maelgwyn, which were both wrecked.

(The Aisternixe is a steel fourmasted barque, 3,039 tons, 100 Al at Lloyd's, built at Belfast in 1892 by Harland and Wolff, and registered at Hamburg; dimensions long, 45ft beam, 26ft depth). W. P. CRICK AND THE ; SERGEANT-AT-ARMS. Received March 15, 11.45 p.m. SYDNEY, March 15. The Full Court gave its judgment in the case of fJ W. P. Crick v. the Sergeant-at-Arms for assault in removing Crick from the House under the Standing Order specially adopted to deal with plaintiff's expulsion. The Chief Justice held that the fact that a criminal charge was pending against a member in no way affected the course of the business of the Chamber. There was in no way an obstruction of business, and in no way was the orderly' conduct of the House affected. How then could the House step in and say "a charge, of which plaintiff might be innocent or guilty, has been brought, and therefore, suspend him until his innocence has been established," and so ignore the rights of the constituents and disfranchise them. Judgment must pass for plaintiff.