AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 200, 24 August 1926, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS.

THE COOMA.

ALMOST REFLOATED. BROKEN ROPE SPOILS CHANCE. (By Cable.—'Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 10 a.m.) BRISBANE, this day. When the tug attempted to tow the steamer Cooma off the reef, just as she began to move the towline snapped. Before the tug could be manoeuvred into position and the line renewed the tide had fallen and a chance of refloating the vessel was missed. Heavy weather has so far prevented further attempts at refloating.— (A. and N.Z.) NEW GUINEA GOLD. YIELD EXAGGERATED. SEARCHERS FACE DEATH. (Received 1.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, this day. The Administrator of New Guinea issues a warning in connection.with the newly-discovered goldfields. He states that the find is seven days trek from Rabaul, through rough country. Any attempt to reach it would mean almost certain death to any but the most experienced men. Each man would need ut least £1000 sterling expenses for the journey, twenty native carriers being required for each prospector.

Some reports state that a thousand ounces daily arc being obtained from Edie Creek, but returns obtained by the Administrator showed that for the seven months ended July 31 the total was 10,991 ounces.—(A. and N.Z.) NOT COMPENSABLE. EPIDEMIC INFLUENZA. (Received 1.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The Workers' Compensation Commission beard the claim of a man who was prevented from working owing to an attack of influenza and dismissed it on the ground that his illness was epidemic and did not arise out of his employment.—(A. and N.Z.) A SYDNEY BLAZE. FIREMEN'S DIFFICULT WORK. (Received 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. A serious fire broke out in the early hours of this morning in a building in Kent Street. It apparently commenced in the premises of Sunninghams and Co., printers. Winding stairs and dense smoke hindered the firemen in their work.— (A. and N.Z.)