AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1936, Page 7

AUSTRALIA

[BY CABLE —PEERS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.) SHI P PING-O WNER’S FORTUN E. MELBOURNE. July 23. Victorian probate duty amounting to £121,111 has been paid to the Government on the estate of Mr Harry B. Howard-Smith, the shipowner, who left property in Victoria of a gross value of £1,066.000 in addition to assets in other States.

SEVEN SHOPS ABLAZE. SYDNEY,. July 23

Fire swept the main street of the north coast town of Woodburn aud destroyed seven shops and a garage together with the contents. The townspeople fought for more tnan four hours to save the town from destruction. The heat was so fierce that many collapsed. The flames were quelled only after the residents of other townships responded to a call for aid.

MARKETING PROBLEM MELBOURNE, July 23

The Federal Cabinet ended its meeting to-day without having found a solution of the marketing difficulties arising from the Privy Council’s decision. The matter will be further considered at a Cabinet meeting in Brisbane early in August. The Prime Minister (Mr. J. A. Lyons) said there was no likehood of an early referendum for an alteration of the constitution, the cost of which is estimated at £lOO,OOO.

EXPLOSIVES

CANBERRA. July 23.

With the object of fostering the manufacture of explosives in Australia. the Federal Ministry, by customs regulation, has stopped the importation of all forms of explosives, including fireworks. Sir Henry Gullett, Minister in charge of trade treaties, emphasised that Australian requirements were already mostly being manufactured locally, although in 1934-35 America supplied £20,000 worth.

FAIRBRIDGE SCHOOL.

SYDNEY,

July 24.

A Fairbridge Farm School will shortly be established in New South Wales, probably in the western district. There will be 50 English boys in the initial draft for the farm, but later, the scope of the scheme will be enlarged. The • British, Commonwealth, and New South Wales Governments have guaranteed to meet the principal part of the cost of maintaining the boys at the school. In addition, the British Government has promised £15,000 towards the establishment costs, provided a similar amount is raised in Australia. Already, £13,000 has been received in contributions.

JAPANESE SHIPPING. MELBOURNE, July 23.

It is officially announced. that because of the serious effect of the tariff restrictions on trade between Australia and Japan, the Osaka Shosen Kaisha has decided to abandon for the time being its plans to run a direct service between Japan and New Zealand. The line’s freighters, however, will continue to call at Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, and will then cross to New Zealand ports, returning to Sydney. Cabinet to-day gave consideration to the resumption of trade nego-, tintions with Japan, but the Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) indicated that no announcement would be made for some weeks. He indicated that the Commonwealth was unlikely to depart from the principles of its new trade pci’cy.