AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 July 1942, Page 2

AUSTRALIA

PACIFIC FRONT QUIET SYDNEY, July 20. All quiet is reported through, the south-west Pacific war theatre. Today’s ' General Headquarters communique refers only to reconnaissance flights. No mention has been made of enemy activity since July 11, when nineteen Japanese bombers, escorted by eight fighters, attacked Port Moresby. The enemy then lost three bombers shot down, while three more bombers and one fighter were damaged. MACARTHUR AND PRESS MELBOURNE, July 20.. General MacArthur has given his second Press interview in four months. About 100 war correspondents and newspaper executives attended the interview, which was off the record. Some newspapermen travelled up to 2000 miles to attend The General spoke for almost two hours, answering many questions. He looked well and spoke energetically. As usual, he impressed even the most cynical of the international correspondents. MR. .FRASER’S VISIT (Reed. 12.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 21. Mr. Fraser arrived in Sydney last night, for consultations with Mr. Curtin and his Ministers generally, on the Pacific war problems affecting both countries. In an interview Mr. Fraser said he wanted to learn first hand of the great strides Australia had made in her war effort, to examine the economic factors and get an understanding of the lend-lease organisation set up in Australia. He wished to express great appreciation of the part the Australian-United States forces had already played against the enemy in New Guinea and the Coral Sea. Just as Australia was getting war supplies from other countries, she was assisting New Zealand with her problems of supply, particularly in steel and tyres.

RUBBER SALVAGE SYDNEY, July 20. Australia is in the midst of its allout drive for the salvage of scrap rubber. Experts have computed that, during the last ten years, at least seven and a-half million car tyres have been thrown away by Australian motorists. The Minister for Supply, Mr. Beasley, believes that most of these tyres are still lying in junk heaps all over the country. CANBERRA, July 20. Picture show goers this week may barter rubber for tickets. The admission prices are: Large tyres, three tickets; small tyres, two; all tubes, one. A free ticket will also be given for each pound of scrap aluminium or copper.

SLACKS AND SERVICE

CANBERRA, July 20

The Australian Public Service now is permitting girls to wear slacks to work. The Public Service Commissioner, Mr. F. G. Thorpe, says: “So long as the staffs are clothed decently, we don’t mind. We leave it to the girls’ own good sense.”

MELBOURNE LIQUOR. MELBOURNE, July 20.

The trial of Private E. J. Leonski, United States Army, on charges of murdering three women, has lifted the curtain of Melbourne’s liquor trade. The Melbourne “Herald” states that some of the revelations of flagrant and open violation of the Licensing Act have been astonishing and disgusting. Leonski himself has been stated to have consumed 25 beers and four or five whiskies in three hours at one hotel. Sunday and after hours drinking in hotels were mentioned as a matter of course. The fact that considerable numbers of young women are drinking in hotels was also brought into prominence.

SYDNEY’S CENTURY

SYDNEY, July 21

Full confidence in the future was expressed, in a message from the King, read at a special meeting of the City Council Which commemorated the hundredth anniversary of the declaration of the town of Sydney as a city. The Governor, Lord Wakehurst, read the King’s message, which said: “I know the people of Sydney will face the dangers and difficulties of these times with that fortitude and devotion to duty which inspired their forbears in the creation of their fine city.”

The Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, said that the men who went to vote one hundred years ago performed an act of associated citzenship from which everything which Australia was fighting for to-day was derived —the inherent right of a man to be himself; to associate with his fellows freely, and in dignity and order, so that law, and not mere violence, should be the measure of one man’s relationship to another.” basic wageincreased CANBERRA, July 21. The basic wage in all States will be increased next month, as the result of the cost of living rise. The weekly increase in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia will be two shillings. South Australia and Tasmania three shilling's, and Queensland, one shilling. The new basic wage rates will be: New South Wales 95/-, Victoria 94/-, South Australia 91/-, Tasmania 91/-, Queensland 89/-, Western Australia 98/-.