AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8558, 18 October 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

ALLEGED . TOBACCO COMBINE

Received October 17, 9.31 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 17. The Federal Crown Solicitor has reported that he is unable to secure evidence to justify a prosecution in connection with the alleged tobacco combine.

PRICE OF BREAD IN SYDNEY.

Received October 17, 9.31 a.m. SYDNEY, October 17,

Some bakers have raised the price of the 21b loaf to 3Jd. A general rise is anticipated.

RIFLE SHOOTING.

Received October 17, 9.31 a.m. SYDNEY, October 17. The Rifle Association entertained the British and New Zealand teams which will take part in the Australian meeting.

THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

Received October 17, 10.30 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 17. The Federal House passed the sugar duties. At the instance of the Labour party, Sir William Lyne, the Treasurer, abandoned the proposed duties on molasses and golden syrup.

During discussion the statement was made that, nearly eight thousand coloured people were still employed in the sugar industry in Australia. Dealing with the duties on living animals, Sir William Lyne said the competition between the States in the supplying of Tasmania with food was threatened from New Zealand, owing to a new line of steamers being established. They should keep the market to themselves. He was endeavouring to arrange a preferential tariff v>ith New Zealand, and when preference was agreed upon the removal of these duties might be offered as a concession.

AN EXTENSIVE CREEP AT NEWCASTLE.

DAMAGE AMOUNTS TO BETWEEN £BO,OOO AND £IOO,OOO.

Received October 17, 9.34 p.m. SYDNEY, October 17,

A sensation was created at Newcastle, to-day, by the occurrence of an extensive "creep" in the residential part of the town Known as "The Hill." During the early part of the morning the residents heard crunching movements underground, but were not alarmed, as such sounds were of frequent occurrence. As the day wore on, however, the noise became more pronounced, and great cracks opened out in several streets, houses being shaken from their foundations to the roof. Numerous ceilings came down, brick walls were cracked, and doors and windows were wrenched out of position. Nearly all the finest residences in the city are damaged. The area affected is about 15 acres, in extent. Not a solitary room in the palatial resid< nr-e of Mr J. R. Wood, known as "Jis mond House," escaped damage. Nearly every ceiling is down, and every wall cracked. It will cost between £7,000 and £B,OOO to repair. A crack extends right across the floor of the Anglican Cathedral from the eastern door to the Baptistry. At first it was thought that the creep was confined to the hill, but this afternoon it was discovered to have worked down the hill, reaching the lower end of King Street, one block away from the centre of the city. Burke's new warehouse was seriously damaged, and the concrete flooring was ripped up about a foot wide. A water main burst, and gas is escaping in various places. It is feared that the city water supply will be endangered, both reservoirs being in the affected area. The present creep is adjacent to the one that occurred a year ago, but is much more serious. The damage already done amounts to between £BO,OOO and £IOO,OOO.