'A remarkable aftermath to the famous raid by the Commonvealth taxation officials upon the premises of the Small Arms Ca., and numer-plai ly indicate that the members fud Government are determined to squash this matter at the very out set. Judge Moule at the close of the evidence, said that if Gabriel's story was true it was impossible to understand. And 1 think every clear-headed Australian holds. the same opinion.
Thrift, Week and Empire Purchasing The continuous spell weather which at one time threaten plunge the farming communities into disaster, has thankfully lifted and the crops now being harvested though not a record by any means, will yet be up to something near the average. In parts of the Riverina it is asserted that the wheat being harvested is the best flour wheat those areas have yet produced.
'The shortage of money—or apparent shortage which follows in the trend of drought has evidently brought vividly before the public mind the necessity for thrift. The bank reports of the peoples' savings show marked advances upon previous years and yet, the Australian is looked upon as a spendthrift to a certain extent. Now a great drive {sto be made throughout the various States and a Thrift Week inaugurate fed if possible. At any rate it is to be practised.
White these thoughts are in everybody's mind, another body patriotic citizens are attempting to inaugurate an Empire Week. In this week nothing but Empire goods are to be bought. the Empire," the battle of the Prime Minister, Bruce, both in England and in Australia, has to-day many herents. In the motor trade particularly the practising of thrift has already become noticeable and a considerable dropping off in sales has been the result.
The buying of Empire products is shown by the rapid advance made by the Commonwealth Oil Refineries who report have done their largest business during the last 12 months. The Tariff Doard, at the moment sitting, are contemplating further increases upon various forms of goods manufactured without the Empire, the most prominent at the riement being the proposed new duties to operate upon pianos. One. reason given by a witness to the ous companies filiated that company besides all the sharcholders, the families of Abrahams and Lyons, was the evidence which came forth in the case of Solomon Meyer Lyons and Alfred Abrahams and Mrs, Miriam Hyams (sister-in-law of Lyons). The last two claimed from Solomon Lyons the sums of £2,200 and £797 respectively.
Lyons who had filed his insolvency papers, claimed that the money, which was in bonds, was given to him by the applicants for the express purpose of bribing an officer of the Home and Territories Department, Frederick W. Gabriel, to obtain a' passage out of Australia for Emanuel Abrahams. Emanuel Abrahams was the misting members of the various companies who could. not be treeed and against whom, it is alleged, owed the Federal Treasury £150,000 for taxation. Gabriel, who is known to. many Eastern people owing to his long association with vessels trading between China and Australis, ave evidence admitting that he knew all that Abrahams was doing, but that acting under instructions from his chief, Mr. Templeton, he didn't Abrahams. Ie even visited Abrahams when that gentleman was in hiding, but all his reports to headquarters only met, eu he asserted, with the request still fo watch Abrahams and report further movements. Abrahams and, Mrs. Hyam lost their case, but the Judge's stinging remarks regarding. ihe evidence of Gabriel and Lyons duties upon moderately priced pianos was that "lower-priced lustraments suitable to modest incomes are Jacking in quality that the purehasers do not receive-value for their money." Tow much truth there statement is easily proved.
1g © walk one cool evening down the by-streets of any residential suburb and Hiaten to the: atrocious tinkling of cheap pianos and pianolas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.