CABLE BREVITIES CRITICISM OF SYDNEY POLICE FORCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 July 1946, Page 4

CABLE BREVITIES CRITICISM OF SYDNEY POLICE FORCE

Charging that to assist the appeal that is being conducted by the police for the Police and Citizens’ Boys’ Clubs and the Anti-Tuberculosis Association, flagrant breaches of the law are being condoned, some Sydney policemen, including senior officers, have decided to take no part in the appeal. They allege that motorists and others are complaining that when spoken to by some police for minor breaches they are told that to buy a book of art union tickets would be cheaper and less trouble than being prosecuted. The commissions on such sales are said to earn some officers up to £6 a week. Other offences, including the condoning of illegal lotteries, are alleged against certain members of the force. —Sydney, July 29.

Political Clashes in Persia Many persons were injured in clashes between political parties at Abadeh in southern Persia. The police intervened and restored order. — Teheran, July 28. No-Confidence Motion

The motion of no-confidence in the Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives (Mr E. Rosevear), which was moved by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr R. G.-Menzies) was defeated by 36 votes to 22. “There is a strong feeling that there is serious discrimination in Mr Rosevear’s treatment of Government and Opposition members,” said Mr Menzies.—Canberra, July 29. War Crimes in Pacific

The Assistant-Secretary of the United States War Department (Mr Howard Peterson) said that incomplete reports showed that at least 142,075 Americans and Filipinos had been killed as the result of war crimes. The victims included 23,038 United States servicemen, 27,258 members of the Philippine armed forces, 595 American civilians, and 91,184 Filipino civilians, 80,818 of whom were murdered. —Washington, July 28. Motor Trade Jubilee

Celebrating the manufacture of 6,000,000 motor-cars, the British motor trade yesterday presented a jubilee cavalcade in Regent’s Park before Their Majesties and a huge crowd. It was the 1946 motor show in miniature. The majority of the new cars were labelled “For Export;” The King started a parade consisting of tiller-steered, chain-driven “ancients” dating back to the nineties and the latest saloons.—London, July 28.

Crime Wave in Sydney. Violent crime in the city of Sydney continued over the week-end with one murder, two stabbings, two assaults, and several burglaries reported within 24 hours. The body of a returned serviceman with 15 stab wounds was found lying in a street in the suburb of Waterloo. A young man has been charged with murder. Two men who were treated at hospitals for wounds refused to tell the police the circumstances of their wounding. The people assaulted were a nightwatchman and an elderly woman. —Sydney, July 29.

Australian River Floods The Murray River flood reached a new level at Albury on Sunday night and a further increase is threatened because of melting snow in the mountains. At the Hume Dam nearly Bft of water is pouring over the spillway, exceeding the 1939 record by nine inches. The floods in the Murrumbidgee and Tumut rivers subsided during the week-end and both rivers are now considered safe. Mount Kosciusko is still under blizzard conditions. The Chalet has been isolated for nine days and 40 guests are living on tinned rations. —Sydney, 29.

Synthetic Rubber Control The Government has reimposed the controls on synthetic rubber because of a shortage of grain alcohol. Tyre and other manufacturers are prohibited from accepting synthetic rubber without authorisation. The Rubber Director (Mr J. Sears) said the industry was capable of producing 1,000,000 tons of synthetic rubber annually, but there was insufficient alcohol to keep all the plants running. Rubber manufacturers estimate their 1946 requirements at 11,000,000 tons as natural supplies are expected to reach only 260,000. Washington, July 28.

Australia’s Population. During the past two years more people left Australia than came here, according to a statistical bulletin just issued. Altogether 18,005 people, of 26 nationalities, left the Commonwealth in 1945, while 15,326 of 27 nationalities arrived. The British-born people who left Australia totalled 16,010 as against 1,2,319 who arrived. The lowest marriage rate was 7.32 per 1000, the average being 8.51. The high birthrate is attributed partly to the security of employment, and partly to free hospital treatment extended to permanent Canberra residents. —Canberra, July 29. War Crimes

The War Department Assistant Secretary, Mr Howard Peterson, said that incomplete reports showed that at least 142,075 Americans and Filipinos were killed as the result of war crimes. The victims included 23,038 United States servicemen, 27,258 members of the Philippine armed forces, and 595 American civilians. They also included 91,184 Filipino civilians, “80,818 of whom were murdered. All but 11,000 died. The European theatre alone was still being investigated, because of difficultise in arresting the guilty, . which were complicated by the rapid demobilisation of the United States Army. However, 133 cases involving 388 accused had already been tried.—Washington, July 28.

Nazi in Australia

A recommendation has been made to the Commonwealth Government that the nationality certificate of a former Nazi, Louis Ignatius Burkhart, should be revoked. Unless his naturalisation papers are cancelled, he cannot be deported- and before this can be done, he has the right to a hearing by an independent tribunal. At present he is technically regarded as an internee. He is gravely ill in Sydney. Burkhart is' 69 years of age. He was granted naturalisation in 1921. Before the recent war he exported nickel and manganese from New Caledonia to Krupps works. The basis of his internment was the interception of his letters to the former German Foreign Minister, von Neurath, vowing allegiance to Germany.—Sydney, July 29.

Arctic Expedition. The United States Navy has announced that a small contingent of American naval and coastguard ves-

L • seis have penetrated the Arctic ice- ! fields in the harbour of Thule, in I Greenland. The harbour is 950 miles 1 from the North Pole. The ships in- . elude the seaplane tender Norton 1 Sound, of 13,000 tons. It is the most northern point which such a large ship has ever reached at this time of the year.* The ships left Boston early in July and will return in October. They will work northwards as the ice retreats to investigate the navigational and weather conditions. Captain Richard Cruzon, who was second in command of Byrd’s Antarctic expedition of 1939-40, is leading the expedition. The Canadian Navy and Army Air Force are taking part.—New York July 28.