FLOATING DEBT.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20448, 19 January 1932, Page 7

FLOATING DEBT.

HUGE AUSTRALIAN INCREASE. A DISTURBING POSITION. (UNITED TRESS association— by blectcic TELEOKArn.—COPYRIGHT.) (Received January ISth, 11.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 18. The Prime Minister (Mr J.A.Lyons), acknowledging a civic welcome, appealed to the community and every section of political thought to help to get men off the dole into profitable employment, where they would become an asset instead of a liability. He went, on to allude to the disturbing position in regard to the floating debt, and said that in June, 1929, the floating debt in Australia and London was £5,500,000; in December, 1931, it was & 78,826,000; and it looked as thuogh it would be & 85,000,000 next June. The people must not bo deceived by the apparent improvement in the general situation, continued Mr Lyons. There were forces outside Australia that would seriously affect Australia's position, and unless some settlement of international difficulties were reached, the economic position could not improve. The Australian banks were carrying tho Governments on till the end of February, but there was no provision after that. The Governments as a whole wanted £8,500,000 for public works. That was one of tho chU? problems which the Loan Council would have to face at the end of the month.

MARCH ON DARWIN

COMMUNIST ORDER. CHINESE SHOPKEEPERS ALARMED. DABWIN, January 18. Ono hundred and fifty unemployed marched through the streets, and the Communist leaders have ordered all the unemployed in the north to march on Darwin. This follows the unsuccessful attempt to securo the release of tho six men imprisoned for the Pine Creek riots. Some Chinese shopkeepers havo already barricaded their shops, ready for eventualities. It is disclosed that during the Pine Creek disturbances the police fired six shots in a hospital, from which the trouble-makers refused to budge. Later the Riot Act was read, and the men then left. The Minister for Home Affairs (Mr A. Parkhill) said: I hope force will not be necessary at Darwin to enforce order, but if it'is it will be used.

FEDERAL COUNTRY PARTY. INVITATION TO JOIN CABiNET. SYDNEY, January 18. The Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons') has declared that there is still room in the Cabinet for three representatives of the Country Party. "They were never excluded, and 1 hope they will yet agree to come in," he added. SEAMEN'S DISPUTE. TROUBLE AT PORT ADELAIDE. (Eeceived January 19th, 1.10 a.m.) ADELAIDE, January 18. Serious shipping trouble at Port Adelaide is likely to load to a complete dislocation of coastal services, and it may possibly extend to the intcr-Stafce vessels. Tho Seamen's Union, has ordered crews to hand in their notices in respect of the following vessels of the Adelaide Steamship Company:—' Quorna, Nalpa, Minnippa, and Kopoola. The trouble originated from the presenco of non-unionists aboard the Noonta.

FIRE AMONG WHEAT. HUGE AREAS THREATENED. ADELAIDE, January 18. Three hundred men are now fighting fires which threaten to destroy huge wheat areas about the Flanders ranges. Many hundreds of acres have already been burned out.

CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED. FIRE DAMAGE, £7OOO. MELBOURNE, January 18. The Holy Trinity Church at Thornbury, with the vicarage and Sunday school, were destroyed by Are. The damage is estimated at £7OOO. FIRE IN FREEZING WORKS. AMMONIA TUBES EXPLODE. (Received January 18th, 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 18. Messrs Borthwick and Sons' Mudgee freezing works were gutted by a fire which is supposed to have originated in a railway van on a siding. Exploding ammonia tubes added to the damage which is estimated at £SOOO. NEW ZEALAND SCHOOLBOYS. WREATH PLACED ON CENOTAPH. (Received January 18th, 10.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, January IS. The New Zealand schoolboys placed a wreath on the Cenotaph in Martin Place to-day. \