Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Bruce Herald, Volume LI, Issue 68, 2 September 1915, Page 4

A sensational attempt at bank robbery has been discovered at Eltham, and two men, who were considered respectable citizens of the town, have been arrested. The premises affected are the Bank of New South Wales and Mr C. A. Wilkinson's (universal provider). Elaborate arrangements were made, showing that the men had been working for months. A trapdoor was let underneath the building adjoining '-the bank, and a tunnel 2ft by 2ft 6in running a distance of 40ft underneath the strong room of the bank. The men were already at w r ork on the floor of the strong room, tapping the concrete, and in another day would have been in the strong room. At Mr Wilkinson's the arrangements were still more cleverly carried out. An iron ventilator at the back premises was converted into a sliding door, and a tunnel was constructed underneath the building to the office, the floor of which was elevated from the rest of the floor. A small trapdoor was constructed in the floor underneath, and cleverly concealed. The , trapdoor was discovered by the manager | on Friday, and he immediately investigated. it, and found in the tunnel a quantity of produce. The annual report of the Labor Department states that several trades, liotably th& leather trade, have been kept exceptionally busy through the demands of the reinforcements, and, indeed, all skilled trades have been kept steadily busy since October last. For the primary industries there has been a particularly busy season and labor has been difficult to find at times owing to the number of men from the country who have gone to the front. The position is one calling for early action to ensure that the crops will be • gatrnered without) undue delay. In accordance with instructions the Secretary for Labor (Mr F. W. Rowley) states that in a short while he hopes to be able to submit proposals for the training of workers, in the new methods , of handling tools; this refers to disabled soldiers and unskilled workers. Since the establishment of the Department 109,524 workers hare received {practical assistance from- the Department, with dependents totalling 141,346. The number assisted last year showed an increase of 1970 over 1913-14. Last year £11,665 was advanced to workers in railway fares, of which sum £9949 was repaid by them. Thirty-five unions of workers have been registered' during the year, comprising 1614 workers. The Conciliation Councils and the Arbitration Court dealt with 34 industrial agreements. The court made 71 awards and there hav© been 336 enforcement® of awards. The total expenditure for the year of the Councils of Conciliation was £372B.and of the Arbitration 1 Court £423$ ffffe&e Amounts include -the 'salaries of the Commissioners £ISOO and members of court £2300).