AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Waikato Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1593, 27 June 1903, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

FEDERAL POLITICS. Melbourne, June 26. In the House an amendment was carried in the High Court Bill against the Government reducing the number of judges from five to three, including the Chief Justice, In the House of Representatives Sir E. Barton explained that Lord Tennyson’s despatch to Mr Chamberlain, recommending the withholding of the Royal assent to the Pacific Island Labourers Bill until the regulations for the deportation of kanakas had been framed, was a confidential communication, though it had since been printed in England as a Parliamentary paper. Lord Tennyson did not consult the Cabinet in the matter. N.S.W. PARLIAMENT: A DISGRACEFUL SCENE. Sydney, June 26. The censure debate was marked by a disgraceful scene. After a wordy warfare between Mr Norton and Mr Broughton, wherein some choice epithets were employed, Mr Norton suddenly crossed the floor and struck Mr Broughton several b’ows in the face with his fist, knocking him from his seat amidst great excitement. Mr Norton was then seized and prevented from doing further damage. The House adjudged Mr Norton guilty of contempt and suspended him for the remainder of the sitting. Mr Broughton apologised, but the House refused to accept the apology. A motion ta suspend him fell through. WATER FAMINE. " Sydney, June 26. Rain fell at Broken Hill last night; but, unfortunately, was only a sprinkle. The South Australian Government provided a special train to enable Dr. McCarthy to reach Broken Hill quickly. Interviewed, the doctor was confident his rain-making experiments would prove a success, and that the town would have plenty of water by Wednesday. THE ESSEX. Sydney, June 26. Arrangements have been made to transfer the whole of the Essex’s cargo and passengers to the Shire liner Morayshire. The Morayshire will leave for South Africa with all possible despatch. The Essex is to be docked as soon as the cargo is cleared. MUTINOUS FIREMAN. Sydney, June 26. Twenty-seven firemen and trimmers on the Orient liner Orita have been sentenced to 21 days’ imprisonment for disobeying lawful commands. They refused to go to work because they considered the meat supplied at breakfa t too fat and the coffee not satisfactory. THE UNEMPLOYED. Sydney, June 26. A petition, signed by 5000 unemployed, has been presented to the Legislative Assembly, asking the Governor for any kind of work, excepting stone-breaking, at which it is claimed that men can earn only 8d a day. A RECORD VOYAGE, * Sydney, June 26, The Ventura made the run from Auckland in 80 hours, 35 minutes, steaming time ; the whole voyage being 18 days, 15 hours, 10 minutes'; establishing a record from San Francisco. A HE A VS' FROST. Sydney, June 26. The frost at Sydney is the heaviest experienced for years. The temprrature at daylight this morning was 29’8. Exposed sheets of water had a thin coating of Ice. SMALL-POX OUTBREAK. Launceston, June 26Two cases of smull-pox are report in the city, and several suspect? a ra under observation. A case is also r e “ ported at Beaconsfield, twenty-si* miles from Launceston.