AUSTRALIAN STEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9111, 10 June 1908, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN STEWS.

NON-PASSING OF IRON BONUS BILL. .•M LITHGOW IRONWORKS IN CRITICAL POSITION. Received June 9, 9.45 a.m. SYDNEY, June 9.. The non-passing of the Iron Bonus Bill by the Federal House has placed the Lithgow Ironworks in a critical position. The firm intends to ask the employees to accept a reduction of wages ranging from 5 to 12J per cent, till ! the Bill is re-introduced in Septem- : ber. • \ < In the event of the proposed redaction being refused the works will be kept going for a month to enable the men to seek work elsewhere. SHEEP STARVED TO DEATH. . Received June 9, 9.45 a.m. SYDNEY, June 9. The weather is bitterly cold. A large number of sheep in the Wagga district have been starved to death. | COPPER MINE CLOSED. | Received June 9, 9.50 a.m. HOBART, June 9. The Tasmanian copper mine has been closed, owing to the difficulty of disposing of the ore.

VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE

Received June 9, 9.50 a.m. MELBOURNE, June 9. The statemant is made that there is a probability of the contract with the Union Company for the extension of the Vancouver mail service being agreed to, subject to some improvements in the service. SERIOUS FIRES. Received June 9, 9.45 a.m. , SYDNEY, June 9. A fire at Tingha, about 418 miles north of Sydney, destroyed five shops, and another at Brewarrina, 60 miles east ot Bourke, four shops.

A WRESTLING MATCH. Received June 9, 9.50 a.m. MELBOURNE, June 9. A match for the wrestling championship of Australia between Weber and Bannon, the English middle-weight champion, resulted in a draw, after several fine bouts. IRON TRADES DISPUTE. Received June 10, 1.9 a.m. SYDNEY, June 9. The Arbitration Court delivered its award in the iron trades dispute. An increase is granted in ordinary wages, but the question of piecework, overtime and the number of machines one man may attend to were decided in the masters' favour.

A MINE IDLE. Received June 10, 1.9 a.m. SYDNEY, June 9. The Clifton Mine is idle, thioughthe action of the clippers in demanding the rignt of nominating one of their number for promotion instead of allowing the management t:> make the selection.