AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Grey River Argus, 20 March 1945, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

NORTH QUEENSLAND STORM BRISBANE, March 19 Heavy rainfall and considerable damage resulted from a cyclone which has for days raged along the Queensland coast north from Cooktown, for the last two days. Two ships caught in the cyclone have been damaged, but no particulars have ben released. Telephone communications north of Cairns has been interrupted. The railway from Townsville to Cairns has been impassable for three days. Late last night, the cyclone was centred 100 miles west of Cooktown, and moving west to south-west. During a period of 24 hours, Archer Point recorded 1,186 points of rain.

OVER-WORKED TRAMWAYMEN SYDNEY, March 19 Tram and bus employees decided at a mass meeting, to stop all trams and bus services for 24 hours next Saturday unless racing and football fixtures are transferred from Randwick and the cricket ground to the suburbs. The voting was 176 to 156 in favour of the stoppage. An amendment that a secret ballot be held was similarly defeated. The meeting decided to ask the State Minister of Transport (Mr. O. Sullivan) to call a conference of representatives of the Tram and Bus Employees’ Union and picture theatres and other amusemnts to formulate a plan for staggering of hours to curtail unnecessary late night traffic. Members of the Newcastle Tram and Bus Employees’ Union decided to endorse any action that might be taken by the metropolitan branch to obtain satisfaction of its claims. (Rec 10.5.) SYDNEY, March 19. The New South Wales Government will not yield to the threat of the tram and ’bus unions to hold a 24hour strike next Saturday. The Act-ing-Minister of Transport, Mr. Dickson, to-day warned the union that the Road Transport Commissioner must be the sole authority in deciding where and when the transport services should operate. To permit of any interference by the employees or by anyone else would lead to chaos, said Mr. Dickson.