AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 9010, 20 December 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Associaiion—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.

MR KEIR HARDIE

ON HIS WAY TO NEW ZEALAND. Received December 19, 10.20 a.m. SYDNEY, December 19. Mr Keir Hardie, M.P., is a passenger to New Zealand by the Manuka. BOT FLY. IT IS ATTACKING BIRDS. Received December 19, 10.20 a.m. SYDNEY, Deeember/9. The bot fly is prevalent in the Bathurst district. It is now attacking birds. A POPULAR GOVERNOR. SIR HARRY RAWSON. Received December 19, 10.20 a.m. .SYDNEY, December 19. A movement is afoot to secure an extension of Sir Harry Rawson's term as Governor of New South Wales. FEDERAL HIGH COMMISSIONER. RUMOURS DENIED. Received December 19, 10.20 a.m. MELBOURNE, December 19. Mr Deakin, Federal Prime Minister, denies persistent rumours that he intends to accept the High Commissicnership. He adds that he has no intention of leaving Australia.

WHARF LABOURERS' STRIKE. HIGHER WAGES. Rec2ived December 19, 10.20 a.m. MELBOURNE, December 19. Wharf labourers handling cargo boats trading between Melbourne and Geelong have struck for higher wages. WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. CAPE YORK TO PORT MORESBY. Received December 19, 10.20 a.m. MELBOURNE, December 19. Tenders will shortly be called for the installation of wireless telegraphy. The first section will be from Cape York to Port Moresby. A range of at least 350 nautical miles will be required. NEW SOUTH WALES LIQUOR ACT. AMENDING BILL. MEETS WITH MUCH OPPOSITION. Received December 19, 9.8 a.m. SYDNEY, December 19. The Assembly passed to the third reading of a Bill to amend the Liquor Act, so as to make clear the intention of Parliament that votes cast for nolicense when insufficient to carry the license, should be added to the votes cast for reduction.

The proposal met with much opposition on the grounds that the Act had not been declared defective, and that those interested in the liquor trade had gone to much expense in preparing to fight the matter in the law courts, and should not be prevented from having a run for their money by the passage of what was little mere than panic legislation. Eventually a proviso was inserted to the effect that the Bill should not affect litigation pending in the Supreme Court up to the 17th inst. DESTRUCTIVE GALE. PREMISES UNROOFED. MAN BLOWN INTO A LAKE. Received December 19, 10.20 a.m. SYDNEY, December 19. During the progress of the gale which did damage at Wollungong, PortKembla and other places, a large shed, upon whinh a man was working, was blown bodily over into a lake. The man escaped. Cattle and horses were blown into the water, and some drowned. A woman and two boys were carried out of a shed by the force of the wind and badly bruised. Many premises were unroofed and otherwise damaged. EARTH TREMORS. Received December 19, 10.5 p.m. SYDNEY, December 19. The Seismograph Observatory recorded severe earth tremors at 3.43 a.m. on Monday. . v The severest part of the shake occurred at 3.52 a.m. The record appeared to be made up of three distinct shocks occurring within a few minutes of each other.