AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3012, 8 October 1908, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association- Rv Electric Telegraph Copyright.

SUEZ CANAL DUE 3. Received October 7, 10.20 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 7. Correspondence having fur its object the reduction ot' the Suez Canal dues is proceeding between the Commonwealth Government and the Board of Trade.

THE POSTAL COMMISSION. Received Octoler 7, 10.20 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 7. Mr Hesketh, electrical engineer to the Federal Pose Office, continuing his evidence before the Postal Commission, was rot prepared to say that the Eastern Extension Company's cable rates were too high. The Pacific Cable Company, which charged the same rates, did not pay. He understood that the Eastern Extension Company had special arrangements as to press messages between Australia aid London. He was not prepared to say it was bad policy on the part of the Government to aibw the Eastern Comparv to have a monopoly of press cable bunnes\ c . Referring to t*e Commonwealth telegraphic business, Mr Ilesketh faid it should be made to pa;. It was unsound policy to charge nine p Mice for a telegram which cost tonpence to send. He did not know that the New Zealand Department showed a profit of one hundred thousand pounds last year on the basis of penny postage and sixpenny telegrams. Perhaps that result had been achieved without providing for payment of intfrek on capital.

ESTATE OF THE LATE W. P. CRICK.

Received October 7, 9.12 p.m. SYDNEY, April 7.

W. P. Crick, late Minister of Lands, died intestate. The value of his estate is £9,900.

CHINA AND JAPAN.

WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS. Received October 7, 8.55 a.m. LONDON, October 6.

Japan has intimated that she intends withdrawing one-half of her troops in the Peking (?) province before the winter commences.

FIRST TOUCH OF SUMMER.

Received October 8, lam. SYDNEY, October 7,

To-day the first touch of summer was experienced, the thermometer being over 90 degrees in the city.

DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA

Received October 8, 1 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 7. During the debate on the Defence Jill, Mr Reid, criticising Mr DeaKin's naval scheme, said that if Australia wanted to go for a scheme, let v her do so, but there was no necessity to endeavour to get out of a payment of £200,000 for the magnificent protection they got from the British Fleet for it. The British Fleet wOuld be supplemented by the present defence force enlarged and improved, which would be sufficient to protect Australia for the next ten years.