VARIOUS CABLES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10573, 2 March 1912, Page 3

VARIOUS CABLES.

(United Fress Association — By Electric Telegraph — Copyright./ NEW (TUNA. TRADE I)EV IvLOI*M KXTS. WITH AUSTRALIA. (Received March 1, 8.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, March 1. The sjxjakors at a Chinese picnic dealt with the great possibility of trade developments between Australia and New China. The president of the Young China League declared thai the one ambition of the united parties would be peace and devotion to arts. The advantage of peace and China's awakening moans the adoption of Western.' ideas, particularly regarding food and clothing, which would greatly interest producers of wool and wheat, enormous quantities of which commodities would he required.' WOOL SALES POSTPONED. OWING TO COAL STRIKE. (Received March 1, 11.30 a.m..) LONDON, February 29 Owing to the coal strike, the wool sales, baivo been postponed indefinitely. A CARDSHARPER'K TRIAL. GAME DEMONSTRATED. IN COURT. (Received March 1, 11.80 a.m.) BERLIN, February 29. At the trial of Wolff, Mctteritich and Buica, Roumanian, charged with card-sharping, the latter asserted that Rouge Noir was a game of skill, and offered a demonstration. The judge accepted and acted as banker. The game was played in open court, and had the contest been genuine, the judge would havo lost 1400 marks. SWIMMING. LADIE' CHAMPIONSHIP. A WORLD'S RECORD. ; (Received March 1, 10.3! a.m.) | SYDNEY, March 1. The 220 yards ladies' swimming championship resulted :—'Miss Durak 1, Miss Wylie 2, and Miss Springfield 3. Won by fourteen yards in 2min 59sees. Tliis time is a world's record, beating the previous best by seven seconds. | THE COAL STRIKE. STILL SPREADING. OWNERS' VIEWS. (Received March 1, <S.o a.m.) LONDON, February 29. One million sixty-seven thousand tIV.O liinwircd and thirteen men were employed in coal mining in the United Kingdom in 1911, whereof 883,512 were working underground. The output amounted to 271,878,92-1 tons. Ten thousand South Wales enginemen announce their intention of strikI ing immediately for a minimum wage. I Mr D. Thomas, interviewed, said [ the South Wales owners would wither i submit to compulsion than accept the I Government's proposals voluntarily. J The men were tearing up the agreement and the Government's proposals do not contain provisions giving the owners a guarantee that the. new agreement will be observed. The Morning Leader says the men's claim that the minimum wage shall be that fixed by the Miners Federation cannot be maintained. The public has a right to expect from them moderation and an .appreciation of the gravity of the issue. The owners accepting the agreement represents 60 per cent, of the output, and employ 370,000 men. Those who refuse to accept the proposals employ 293,000 miners* GERMAN OWNERS.

EXTENSION OF TRADE EXPECTED. (Received March 1, 9.40 a.m.) BERLIN, February 29. Tlio Cologne Gazette states that the Rhenish and Westphalian mineowners ■will not send coal to England, but hope to capture certain markets where English coal predominates. MINERS DEMANDS. TO BE MAINTAINED. ESTABLISHING WAGES BOARDS. (Rceived March 1, 11.(5 a.m.) LONDON, February 29. The miners' conference to-day resolved to maintain their demands including schedule rates for each district for an individual minimum wage. The strikers arc observing a holiday spirit, without any display of ill feeling. The Westminster Gazette recommends, after a temporary settlement, the appointment of a commissioner or Government 'board to consider the whole condition of the industry and the recoupment to owners, not nccos-

sarily from the profits, but possibly from tho increased efficiency of labour and bettor equipment of the mines or an increase of the price to the public. It also states that permanent peace would be impossible unless both sides approach the .question as a matter affecting their joint interests. The Admiralty is discussing the purchase of some of the South Wales collieries. The Government has drafted a Bill establishing wages boards of coal owners and men for the settlement of the minimum wage with Mr Askwith as umpire, in the event of a deadlock. It is expected that Labour will support t'he Bill and the Opposition will not oppose it. HOME RULE. CANADA PROTESTS. (Received March 1, noon.) OTTAWA, February 29. Three thousand citizens at Toronto were present at a united mass meeting protesting against the, granting of Home Rule to Ireland. A resolution ; was passed asserting that Ireland, if it were granted self-government, would become ,tho centre of conspiracy of the Empire.

BOXING. FRENCH MIDDLE-WEIGHT. KNOCKS OUT ENGLISH CHAM- " PION. (Received March 1, 11.4.0 a.m.) MONTE CARLO, February 29. Georges Carpcntier, the wonderful French middle-weight, knocked out Jim Sullivan, champion middle-weight of England, in the second round. THUNDERSTORM IN SYDNEY. EXTRAORDINARY RAINFALL. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. (Received March 1, 10.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, March 1. Yesterday's rain storm was extremely violent, 416 points falling in a few hours. During a portion of the time the rain fell at the rate of five inches an hour. . All thoroughfares converging were raging torrents. Tho. damago is extensive. .-. A passenger in a tram at Jiarliiig-, hurst was struck with lightning, and knocked, off the car. A cloud.'hurst at Caper tee, near Lithgod, and thousands.', of tons oft rocks washed from the mountain side'blocked the railways and roads., Tracks of coal were buried or swept away. The floors of houses are covered with silt to a depth of several feet. Two bridges were carried away.