AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 February 1930, Page 7

AUSTRALIA

(Uy Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) orOCK EXCHANGE QUOTATIONS. SYDNEY, February 15. Strong selling pressure resulted in reduced prices in shares generally on the Stock Exchange. ' RAILWAYS RETRENCHMENT. SYDNEY, February 14. On account of financial stringency 1500 men who have been employed on railway construction works in various parts of the State of New South Wales, have been dismissed. FARMERS’ TOUR. SYDNEY, February 14. , Among the Ulimaroa’s passengers for Auckland are a party of South African farmers, who are making an Empire tour, and also the Australian tennis team for New Zealand. / CANBERRA SCHOLARSHIPS. CANBERRA, February 15. The Government approved of a scheme under which Canberra Univer. sity College has been enabled to grant scholarships tenable at the University. COTTON WORKS. BRISBANE, February 15. The Queensland Cotton Board agreed to take over the British-Aus-tralian Cotton Association’s works, which will be operated on a co-opera-tive basis. WHEAT CROP. SYDNEY, February 14. The latest estimates of production disclose that the wheat crop of Australia for the 1929-30 season should realise about nineteen millions sterling. The production is expected to f reach 125,000,000 bushels, of which 80,000,000 will be available for export.

TARIFF POLICY. CANBERRA, February 15. Mr Scullin, referring to criticism from London, of the new Australian tariff duties, said that comment seemed to be based on a misunderstanding of the Government’s protection policy. The tariff was designed to attract manufacturers to the Commonwealth and already had been successful in this respect. He gave an emphatic assurance that goods which could not be produced locally would be welcomed from other parts of the Empire. i WHEAT-STRAW PAPER. SYDNEY, February 15. The Committee appointed last year, to inquire into the possibilities of the manufacture of finished paper in New South Wales from waste wheat and rice straws, reports that an extensive and profitable industry could be established, based on the use of such material. After allowing for other needs, 750,000 tons of wheat straw is available annually, producing 330,000 tons of paper, worth over ten millions sterling. This is much more than the consumption requirements of Australia. and New Zealand. Good cartridge paper could be made from rice straw.