NEWS IN BRIEF.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 12 March 1927, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF.

ITEMS OF INTEREST. EV CABLE —PRESS ASSOCIATION—COEYBXGSI. PERTH, Marciii 10. A meeting of isharehohleiis- of the Western Australian Bank confirmed the decision to amalgamate with the Bank of New South Wales on March 29.. 0 SYDNEY, March 10. ) In the Assembly, Mr. Lazarinni, Colonial Secretary, announced that a conference between the miners and the Owners 'had been summoned far Saturday with a view to arriving at a settlement of the deputies trouble at the Maitland coalfield. GENEVA, March LO. it is unofficially reported that increased efforts aw being made to induce the Soviet to participate m the League’s Disarmament Conference nest autumn. The movement acquires significance for the reason that the eastern States’ insistence on disarnifxn’ent is impossible' without tho partioa-pa-tion of Moscow. ~ 1 MELBOURNE,. March 10. V islasihing attack by Mr. Hughes on Mr. Bruce for seeking to force 4® States’ Grants Bill through without a mandate from the people has rendered the position still more tense, lhe debate is progressing. The Government *s position is* regarded tas dubious (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 8. The latest weekly return of the unemployed isliowss a further decrease of 26 500 in comparison with the previous week. This i a only 62,360 more than a year ago, so that the great increase in unemployed caused by the industrial troubles of last year has been nearly wiped out. RUGBY, March 9. Although the British Government, would welcome the inclusion of trance and Italy if that were*,,still possible in the naval conversations proposaL by Washington, Britain will nevertheless oarticipate- in. a tripartite meeting with the- United States -and Japan immediately a date convenient to- those Powers can be fixed. Meanwhile, -as pointed out ini the British reply to- President -00-olidge’-s invitation, there os the .question of correlating the, proposed conversations with the wider -issues -of disarmament. which are under examination by the preparatory committee in Genera. LONDON, March 10. Arrangements are being made by the Institute of British Wireleiss for ai time signal from Rugby .sending Greenwich time throughout the world. The liquidators of IV. A. McArthur and! Company .are making the first return ais -soon as the remaining .assets in the £. and will rnlake a further return as .soon as teh remaining assets are collected and litigation, with the Australian revenue authorities in connection with war-time prefits ha.s con<jj.ucled • , . It is understood that the ArrnstrongWhitworth Company is issuing writs fipr the remerv of the halance or the Sputh Australian contract for 31 State locomotives, involving £170.000 NEW YORK. March 10. Cook’s Agency announced the receipt of the following radiogram signed by the general committee of the Franconia passengers: “Have left Australia with admiration for the country and appreciation of the whole-hearted hospitality extended by the generous people there. ’No cities elsewhere are more beautiful than here, and the scenery, embracing plains, mountains, rivers, harbours and ocean shore, is delightful. The stay in Australia stands out as a memorable part of this- cruise.” LONDON, March 11. The “Daily Express” say that an agreement has been reached between the Governments of Britain, Canada, Australia, -and New. Zealand- to offer the chairmanship- of the Pacific Cable Board to 'Sir Campbell Stuart- as soon as the new Bill becomes law'. ■. Sir James Parr, on behalf of the .Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, presented a. silver medal to a. New Zealand visitor, -Robert Fox, who dived into -a. river and rescued ,adog which had Iveen entangled in weeds at Weston-on-Trent.