Australian Topics

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 249, 2 August 1946, Page 3

Australian Topics

SHIPPING LINE COMMONWEALTH PROPOSAL * I EXPERTS INVESTIGATING (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.} (Rec. 11.30) CANBERRA, This Day. The establishment of a Commonwealth shipping line for freight and passengers on the Australian coast and to the islands is being considered. A special inter-departmental com* mittee of experts which is investigating will report to the Fedei’al Government on the possibility and practicability of forming a line which would be the natural complement to the shipbuilding programme planned for the next few years. Complete nationalisation of InterState and island shipping is also being considered, but the decision of the High Court in the airline case has cast doubts on the legality of such a proposal. * * * * * Twenty armed detectives with flashlights searched the Union Company freighter Wa(pori yesterday before she left for New Zealand looking for Antonia Martini, who escaped from .custody on July 17. They found another young man hiding, who said he hoped to reach New Zealand as a stowaway. Late yesterday the police received a report that Martini was concealed in a ship at Darling Harbour. The mau found was of the same height and build, but had fair hair and skin. He was concealed under the decks where horses, sheep and goats were quartered. * * * * * The wave of anti-Communist feeling which is sweeping Queensland after recent abortive strikes Tesulted in the defeat of the Communist candidate for the position of State secretary to the Queensland Coalminers’ Union. Charles Tucker, an ordinary member of the union, defeated A. Bennett, vicepresident of the union and an official of the Communist Party, by 1200 votes to 772. Bennett took a prominent part in recent strikes. ; Fierce Blizzard The fierce blizzard and heavy snow continue to isolate guests at Kosciusko Chalet, who have not received fresh, food or hewspapers for more than a fortnight. The snow has almost reached rooftop height. Steady rain fell yesterday throughout most of southern and south-west-ern New South Wales. The Tumut and Murray Rivers are rising again, and residents in the flooded areas havO been warned. Sydney weather remains fine but gusty. aC * * * Australian troops who were given £5 to buy food upon release from prisoner of war camps in Singapore have been instructed to refund the money plus British exchange. An Army spokesman said that the money advanced to former prisoners of war -was not a gift. The released men handled by the Australian authorities had their paybooks debited with the sums advanced, but others freed by t'he British Army body operating from Calcutta, Rangoon and Bangkok received money without being debited. The application by the British to the Australian Government for disbursement came after discharge, and consequently after the settlement of the accounts of some ex-prisoners. The men are reacting violently to letters received from the Army authorities. They say that the money was given to them to buy food from the civilian population when no other was available.