AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8408, 24 April 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

DIVER HUGHES. Received April 23, 7.30 a.m. ADELAIDE, April 23. Diver Hughes, who rescued the Italian, Varischetti, from the flooded depths of the Westralian East mines, is.visitingjAdelaide. He declined an offer of £IOO a week to lecture, on the ground of a great dislike to a man "making a show of himself."

MOTOR CYCLING

Received April 23, 7.30 a.m. MELBOURNE, April 23. The Motor Cycle Club's 100 mile race was won by Hall's 5-h.p. Peugot machine in 2 hours 41 minutes—a world's record.

RUBBER PRODUCTION.

Received April 23, 10.6 a.m. SYDNEY, April 23.

The large areas of land recently applied for on lease in New Guinea are intended to be used for rubber production and other tropical industries.

THE DOUBLE WRECKING. Received April 23, 10.6 a.m. ' ADELAIDE, April 23. The A. U.S.N, steamer Palmer, 267 tons, had a narrow escape yesterday morning from foundering in the same way as did the steamer Jessie Darling. She bumped over the wreck of the Norma, but luckily did little damage'. The mistook the warning signals for tfcflse of a vessel in distress, and right over the wrecks of the barque Norma and the steamer Jessie Darling. The master of the Palmer declares that the signals were not placed in accordance .with the regulations. The master of the Ardencraig, which ran dawn the Norma, states that he showed blue lights and flares from early on Saturday night till the time of the disaster. He burned every light except two, and used over 20 gallons of kerosene. His signals were never noticed from the shore. The insurance of the Norma's cargo was only completed at noon on Saturday. The steamer Jessie Dariing was; insured for £1,500 in the National of New Zealand., which amount is divided among other offices. The Admiralty Court, on behalf of the owners of the Norma, have placed the Ardencraig under arrest. •

CANADIAN AND AUSTRALIAN TRADE. Received April 23, 10.15 p.m. SYDNEY, April 23. In connection with the recent cable, stating that the Canadian Pacific Railway Company had decided to place two of its Orient service vessels on the Australian line, Mr Gibbons, a representative Canadian pressman, who arrived by the Aorangi, confirms the information. Referring to the development of the Canadian and Australian trade, Mr Gibbon says that much interest is evinced throughout Western Canada at present in the steamship situation, the withdrawal of the Oceanic Company's fleet being looked upon as creating an opportunity which it would be suicidal for British lines to neglect. By a combination of mail subsidies and general traffic, hitherto divided between rival lines, there should be no difficulty in profitably maintaining a direct Canadian-Australian line calling at Auckland. By utilising the most modern steamships afloat, the traffic would be stimulated, and the time required for the interchange of British mails would be appreciably reduced. gene:.. 1 expectation throughout British Columbia had been that the Canadhn-Pacific Railway Company would, with the lapsing of the present mail subsidy, seek to enter the trade on its own account—probably by the transfer of the Empress fleet. Whether this course of action would be pursued, or the service continue in the hands of an Australasian Company, operating in concert with the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, is, Mr Gibbons thinks, immaterial. The main issue is that the time is ripe for the substitution of larger, faster, and more modern vessels, with which the trade would speedily and considerably expand.

•BILLIARDS. Received April 24, 12.25 a.m. SYDNEY, April 23. Mr SteveVison, the billiardist, will give opening exhibitions in New Zealand. He sails for Auckland on May Ist. COAL LUMPERS' STRIKE. NOVEL DEVELOPMENT. Received April 24, 12.25 a.m. SYDNEY, April 23. The Orfcona coaled with her own crew. The French mail steamer Yarra coaled with her Arab crew and got away to-day. The coaling of the Niwaru has been commenced by nonunionists. Satisfactory arrangements have been made for the bunkering of the Suffolk, which reached port today. A novel development has arisen in connection with the coaling of the Tsinan. Two of her Chinese crew were engaged in working the winches aboard a collier alongside. The strikers reported the matter to their Union, and a warrant was issued charging the Chinese, as contract immigrants in contravention to the Immigration Act, with landing in Australia before the Minister had approved of the contract. The Chinaman were brought before the Police Court and remanded till tomorrow. They were allowed bail.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.

Received April 24, 12.35 a.m. SYDNEY, April 23. As a result of the alleged interference with men applying for work at the Employers' Bureau the strikers have been compelled to remove from the immediate vicinity of the bureau, but when beyond the immediate influence of the police the applicants are subjected to the usual attention by the pickets and taunting and jeering by the crowd. The General Manager of the North German Lloyds, states that the company will be forced to get coal from other sources while the present uncertainty of the labour conditions lasts. During the past fortnight his company had bought 2,000 tons of coal outside Sydney, and their freight and island steamers will coal there if the strike extends to the miners. The company would be able to procure sufficient coal at Colombo or in the East.

Received April 24, 1.10 a.m. SYDNEY, April 23. The employers express themselves as satisfied with the number of men applying at the bureau for work. On the other hand, the strikers assert that very few men are applying for work. Trouble is threatened between the Newcastle stevedores and the Coaltrimmers' Union owing to the delay in coaling vessels. The stevedores assert that plenty of union labour is available to do the trimming, but the Union refuses to • enlarge its membership sufficiently to cope with the increased trade.