AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 18046, 14 August 1922, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z, Press Association.

COST OF LIVING.

SYDNEY, August 14, (Received August 14, at 9.30 a.m.)

The report of the Labor Industrial Branch of the Statistics Bureau for 1921 covering current retail prices, food, groceries, clothing, and house rents in thirty of tho principal towns of the Commonwealth, shows that the former were substantially reduced, but the _ rents continued to rise. Compared with previous years, wages showed an average increase of 6s Id weekly. The industrial disputes caused a loss of 956,617 working days, with a loss in wages of £757,000.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

BORER IN TIMBER. SYDNEY, August 14. (Received August 14, at 9.40 a.m.) At a meeting of timber representatives Mr W. Wearne, an expert, said: “ The statement that Australian hardwood was immune from borer could bo disproved by a visit to any timber yard. Tho shot-hole borer would attack almost every species of hardwood, but it would' do little harm to ordinary building timbers.” The' curator of the Technological Museum slates that if timber merchants and millers agree to tho exclusion of all sapwood in timber supplied for buildings one of the commonest Borer troubles will soon be ended. RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS. SYDNEY, August 15. The New South Wales railways and tramways during the past year together produced a surplus of £6,027. The railways were worked at a loss of £121,164, while the tramways made a surplus of £127,191. The combined services produced a net return of £5 0s 8d per cent. The report claims that £2,567,000 was saved on tho year by increased efficiency and more economical working.