AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 February 1939, Page 7

AUSTRALIA

by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.]

CANCER CONFERENCE.

SYDNEY, February 7.

About twenty doctors from New South Wales will attend the Australian cancer conference, at Wellington, next week. • . ■

MURDER CHARGE. ' SYDNEY, February 6.

Trevor John Kelly, 24, motor mechanic, arrested at Brisbane yesterday and charged with -stealing a motor-, truck, was to-day brought to Tenterfield and charged with the murder of Constance Sommerlad, and inflicting, grievous bodily harm on her brother. Kelly was remanded.

- ALIEN MIGRANTS CANBERRA, February 6. It is officially announced that more than 40,000 - European refugees applied for permits to enter Australia within recent months, but landing permits for only 1736 were approved, during the December quarter. The Government’s, policy restrictsthe admission of refugees to 15,0001 spread over the next three years,; preference being given to persons of desirable character who are likely? to introduce new industries, '

ANTARCTIC TERRITORY. f CANBERRA, February ,7. J It is reported that the . annexation; for the United States of -81,000 square,' miles of land in the Australian anfarc-s tic sector, north of Princess Elizabeth; Land, by Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth, 1 ■ - isdisputed by Federal officials, .who; stated that Australia-definitely claim-;, ed sovereignty over the ’area. It is claimed that the land’ was dis-: covered by the expedition led by Sir. Douglas Mawson in 1928, and that it : forms part of the Australian sector. <

“POTATO” BOYCOTT . , . . .SYDNEY, .Feb; 7.

.The Master Fish :Merchants’ Asso-L ciation. has-asked’members to boycott potatoes. The secretary of the Association said: “Members would almost unanimously observe the boycott. Fish-y mongers.have to pay as much,as £3o’ 10/- a ton for Australian potatoes. In, New Zealand, -potatoes are £4/10/-.; Because^of the.-,absurd .embhrgo.in Aus--;

tralia on (New/ Zealapd potatoes,we cannot buy them. As a protest we imposed this bdycott."

DEFENCE. PROPOSALS.. HOBART, February 6.

A special sitting of the- Federal Cabinet decided t.o ; proceed compilation of a voluntary national register of mail-power -and resources. The Prime Minister stated that the majority of the. Cabinet a voluntary . plan could •be. put ivintois operation quicker than a, compulsory scheme. ■■ ■■ .. v - ?

The Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr Thorby ) has been indisposed - since, his flight from. Singapore, and has' been relieved of .his duties by Mr Harrison, who w'iir temporarily act ’ in that capacity. The urgent expansion of storage? of oil fuel for the defence forces, has been decided upon by the Federal Cabinet. Investigations’ mad&Jjy the Government have revealed that, should the Commonwealth face .an emergency involving any long period of isolation, a grave shortage of oil fuel would have to be faced.