AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8876, 9 November 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

OFFENSIVE REMARKS. A NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATOR REMOVED. Received November 8, .10.10 a.m. SYDNEY, November 8. During an all-night debate in the Assembly on the Govnrnment taxation proposals, Mr John Norton was removed from the Chamber for making a remark personally offensive ta the chairman. RICH GOLD FIND. A GLITTERING MASS. Received November 8, 10.10 a.m. MELBOURNE, November 8. Extremely rich gold has been discovered at Waterloo Flat, two miles from Maryborough. A man named Trompf,. working in an old prospecting shaft, came across a glittering mass in the quartz. The specimens taken out are estimated to contain 'l5O ounces of pure gold. The claim has been named "Apologue,'' as the discovery was made on Cup day.

EARTH TREMORS. Received November 3, 10 a.m. BRISBANE, November 8. Earth tremors have been of frequent occurrence at Thursday Island during the past fortnight. FEDERAL TARIFF. THE DUTY ON BLANKETS. Received November 8, 10.10 a.m. MELBOURNE, November 8. The Federal House reduced the duty on blankets to 25 per cent., with 20 per cent, preference. SUNSHINE HARVESTER COMPANY. EXEMPTION FROM DUTY REFUSED. Received November 9, 1.3 a.m. MELBOURNE, November 8. In the Federal Arbitration Court, Mr Justice Higgins refused the application of Mr McKay of the Sunshine Works Harvester Company, for exemption from payment of duties under the Excise Tariff Act. Mr Justice Higgins failed to find that McKay had paid reasonable wages, as required under the Act, and fixed the following wages to apply throughout the Commonwealth:—Unskilled labourers 7s, skilled 7s 6d, furnace men, sheetiron workers, painters, brush hands, 9s, fitters, trimmers, moulders, blacksmiths, wood-workers, harvester machinists, carpenters, and wheelwrights 10s, patternmakers lis., first-class en-gine-drivers 9s 2d.

NEWCASTLE MINERS' DISPUTE. POSITION ACUTE. Received November 9, 12.40 a.m. SYDNEY, November 8. The position with regard to the Newcastle district miners has reached an acute stage. A meeting of the Northern Miners' Committee of Management to-day resolved "That in view of the attitude of the proprietors in locking out members of the Hebburn, Burwood, Lambton B and Northumberland Lodges, also their attitude in regard to other grievances, we, as a committee, recommend thai: until such disputes are settled we refuse to assist them to crush our fellow men. We, therefor-;, refuse to continue working any longer under the circumstances." It was further resolved "That if the proprietors, before Tuesday, reinstate the locked-out miners, and also agree to an umpii'e to be appointed along with' the committee, three t'rom each side to settle the grievances, we will recommend a continuance of work."