AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8861, 22 October 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

FEDERAL MAILS. Received October 21, 9.50 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 21. A conference between the Commonwealth Postal and Railway Administrations has resulted in an agreement being come to whoreby the amount paid to the railways for carriage of mails is increased to £275,000 per annum. MR WATSON'S RETIREMENT. Received October 21, 9.50 a.m. SYDNEY, October 21. Mr J. C. Watson states that his retirement from the position of Leader of the Labour party in the Federal Parliament is due to health reasons. NEW SOUTH WALES HARVEST. POOR YIELD EXPECTED. Received October 21, 9.50 a.m. SYDNLY, October 21. The Sydney Morning Herald, as a result of close investigation of harvest prospects, says that if no further rain falls before November the average wheat yield of the State will not exceed three bushels an acre. Should the largest wheat districts be tavoured with useful falls, six bushels may result; and good general rain would probably raise the yield to eight bushels. The paper adds that in all probability New South Wales will not produce duffic.'ent wheat this season to supply the home demands.

THE INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT'S REPORTS. A GLOOMY OUTLOOK. Received October 22, 12.27 a.m. SYDNEY, October 21. The first series of reports received by the Intelligence Department from its agricultural reporters show a falling off of 208,541 a'cres under crop for grain. The Department tdds: "But this gives quite an inadequate view of the falling off in the prospects for a good harvest. The tone of the reports are almost without exception gloomy and pessimistic. According to the present outlook we will be fortunate if we get enough wheat to support our own needs for bread and seed, but a fall of rain this month may improve things considerably, while a continuance of the drought may make the next series of reports still more depressing. BOATING FATALITY. Received October 21, 9.50 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 21.,. Through the capsize of a boat near Stawell, 150 miles north-west of Melbourne, Mr McKellar, owner of Kirkeila station, and an employee named Richardson were drowned. A DERELICT. Received October 21, 4 p.m. SYDNEY, October 21. Early in the month the steamer St. Louis, while on a voyage from Noumea with an old French warship, the Meurthe, in tow abandoned the latter, which was reported to be in a sinking condition. Word has now been received from Lord Howe Island (hat the old warship drifted ashore there, and is now lying high and dry. The derelict is claimed by the Islanders. THE WRECK OF THE ALFHILD. Received October 21, 10 a.m. HOBART, October 21. The reported finding of the bodies of two of the Alfhild's missing crew is unfounded. Search parties found traces of the missing men, but no bodies. The search continues. The weather is very rough. FIRE AT BRISBANE.

Received October 21, 10 a.m. BRISBANE, October 21., Messrs Keil and Garrett's upholstery factory has been destroyed by fire. The damage is very heavy, though no estimate of the amount has yet been made.

MUTUAL LIFE ASSOCIATION. AMALGAMATION WITH THE CITIZENS' LIFE. Received October 21, 9.58 p.m. SYDNEY October 21. A special general meeting of members of the Mutual Life Association confirmed a resolution adopted at the meeting of members on September 18th in favour of amalgamating with the Citizens' Life Association. The Chairman (Sir Norman MacLaurin) referred to the attempt that had been made to stir up opposition by the baseless assertion that the Association was "winding up." He had no hesitation in saying that no arrangement could have been made with any other office in Australasia which would have afforded members advantages equal to those which this agreement would secure. With the full consciousness of the responsibilities resting upon him in doing so, he submitted the resolution for the acceptance of the meeting. He announced that he had received 5,492 proxy votes in favour of the amalgamation, and 62 against. A show of hands was then taken, and the Chairman declared the voting to be 108 in favour of the resolution | and two against.

GABLE NEWS.

United Press Association—l?y Electric Telegraph Copyright.

RIFLE ASSOCIATION'S MEETING. Received October 22, 12.27 a.m. SYDNEY, October 21. At the Rifle Association's meeting, in the Raudwick Match the New Zealanders, Perrin and A. Ballinger, won £1 each. In the Members' Match, Speck secured ninth place, winning £2. Weber won £l. SYDNEY WOOL SALES. Received October 22, 1.7 a.m. SYDNEY, October 21. .At the Sydney wool sales over 8,000 bales were catalogued. Though there is very little change in prices the tendency is in buyers' favour.