GLEANED FROM THE AIR

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 19, 22 July 1932, Page 9

GLEANED FROM THE AIR

AUSTRALIAN NEWS ITEMS

The following Australian news items iivero picked up from the air:—

The Dean of, the Faculty of Commerce at Melbourne, Professor Copland, has criticised the Commonwealth Bank for demanding 5 per cent, interest and; la per cent, sinking fund on loan's being made for relief workr* It was- •considered that the economic recovery of Australia was, being retarded by excessive interest; charges. . ' \ L , Mr. B. S. B. Stevens, Premier of New South Wales,-stated ho.• hadrno desire to close the State coal mine..: It is probable; an .agreement may! be 'reached; whereby the mine, can be. kept ■ going. Becently the miners set out to.establish' a record at the, State mine, as1 a reply to the Premier's.'threat to close the mine because ( the,.cqst,of procuring the coal was ,5s a ton greater than' the' cost at otherimines... ■„ '. ..,..- - A. Canberra message reported that the gold. production in Australia this year is expected to bo more than £6,250,000. If the present production is; maintained the benefit from exchange will be over £1,250,000. In one locality men were digging up their, back: yards and-finding gold. - In an--other township prospectors were digging; up the. roads in search of gold, and soon traflic will find difficulty in getting through the township. An epidemic of window smashing in Adelaide is causing business people alarm. Already this week 400 win' dow's have been damaged. The cost of replacement will be £10,000..

• In presenting the case for the Chamber of Manufacturers at the inquiry into the basic wage" question, it was stated that as the present standard wage was fixed during normal times, it should not be increased at thepresent time. .-'■-"; .'■> .■■.••.•' . . ":' '■■~ -.'

The New South Wales Budget Committee has been meeting continuously for several weeks Teducing' departmental estimates. .-•.■■ It is believed that Mr. Stevens,.the Premier, favours.tho abolition of the publicity bureau as.one item of economy. ■ ... '■-■■,'■'•'- ■'•