AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8538, 19 September 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A GOVERNMENT SET BACK. Received September 18, 9.17 a.m. PERTH, September 18. The Legislative Council negatived the second reading of the Land Tax Assessment Bill. This involves the defeat of the Government Land Tax proposals.

PROPOSED REDUCTION IN INCOME TAX. Received September 18, 10.30 a.m. MELBOURNE, September 18. The State Premier, the Hon. Thomas Bent, proposes to reduce the income-tax by 20 per cent, with the exception of the income of companies. The reduction means a loss of £48,000 in revenue.

THE MURWILLUMBAH FIRE. Received September 18, 9.8 a.m. SYDNEY, September 18. The Lord Mayor hasSopened a fund for the relief of the sufferers by the Murwillumbah fire. The Mayor of Murwillumbah received messages of condolence from all parts, including New Zealand. Many homeless persons are sheltering indents supplied by the Colonial Sugar Company, others in the houses of those who escaped loss by the fire. Good order prevails in the town. A sad feature of the fire is the large amount of looting that has occurred. A band of hooligans, while the flames were at their height, roamed round the town looting unprotected stores and houses. In some instances where people had saved nearly everything on returning to remove the things they found half of them missing. The lockup was'amongst the buildings that suffered by the fire. The cells were destroyed and the prisoners had to be secured in the prison yard, which was then covered with an iron grating. The police court is being held in the police stables. All the banks saved their books an I valuables and have reopened business. FATALITY IN A MINE. Received September 18, 10.30 a.m. MELBOURNE, September 18. The breakage cf a fly-wheel at the Kangaroo Mine killed an engine driver named Adams, and wrecked the engine-house and machinery.