Australian Cables.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 19, 6 January 1920, Page 5

Australian Cables.

FEDERAL ELECTIONS. LABOUR’S DICTATORS CAUSE DISMAL FAILURE. COALITION WITH FARMERS SUGGESTED. ißy Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) Brisbane, Jan. 5. Mr. Higgs, deputy Labour leader in the Federal Parliament, in retun ing thanks for his election, said that the Labour party had failed dismally in the attempt to win a majority of seats. The failure was largely owing to the outside executive controlling the Parliamentary Party, and dictating its policy. Some of these men who pretended to be revolutionists were most .-m--practicable and impossible. Yet they considered themselves entitled to interpret Labour’s platform and dictate the policy. He strongly condemned Labour’s attitude against the referendum proposals and suggested seeking a coalition with the Farmers’ Party in» order to meet the new political situation. Melbourne, Jan. 5.

The president of the Australian Labour Party declared that Mr. Rigg’s suggestion of a coalition with the Farmers’ Party was impossible. It meant compromise and it was essential that the Labour Party should remain free and untrammelled.

N.S.W. SENATE SEATS. Sydney, Jan. 5. Duncan has won the second New South Wales Senate seat. It appears to be certain that the third seat will go to Gardiner, a Labourite, upsetting the earlier calculations that the Nationalists could win all the seats.

LABOUR’S HOPES. (Received 6, 10.55 a.m.) Sydney, Jan. 6. Mr. Gardiner has been elected to the Senate. Labour has now also hopes of winning a seat each in Victor**, Westralia and Queensland. —(A. and N.Z.)

N.S.W. POPULATION. EXTRA SEAT IN HOUSE. (Received 6, 10.55 a.m ) Sydney, Jan. 6. The Government Statistician estimates the population of the State at 1,984,389 to the end of September and, as at the average rate of increase the second million mark has now been passed it means there will be a redistribution of seats in the House of Representatives, provided by the constitution whereby New South Wales will gain one seat at the expense of Victoria- —(A- and N.Z.)

THE SHIPPING TROUBLE. ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT. STEWARDS MAKE DEMANDS. Sydney, Dra. 5. The latest development in the shipping trouble is an ultimatum issued by the Stewards’ and Pantp’men’s Association demanding increases in pay ranging from twentytwo to twenty-seven and a half per cent. ,overtime pay for Sundays and holidays, an eight hour day while at sea and intermediate ports and six while in terminal ports, a month’s holiday for the chief steward and a fortnight for all other ranks on full pay. .

IRON WORKS CLOSE. THROUGH HIGH FREIGHTS. Sydney, Jan. 5. Owing to the increased railway freights imposed at the beginning of the year, Hoskins’ Lithgow iron works stopped, rendering idle 750’ employees. The railway commissioners are considering the readjustment of freights, failing which over a thousand will be idle.

THREE THOUSAND IDLED. (Received 6, 10.55 a-m-) Sydney, Jan. 6. Hoskins have closed all works at Lithgow and elsewhere rendering thousand idle and unless the increased freights are suspended it will be impossible to re-open them. —(A. and N.Z.)

NAVIGATION ACT. MARINE COUNCIL CREATED. Melbourne, Dec. 24. Regulations made under the Navigation Act have been issued in the “Commonwealth Gazette-” Provision is made for the creation of a Marine Council, consisting of the Director of Navigation and sif other persons appointed by the Minister. Members of the council are to hold office until December 31, 1920,. subject to the right of the Minister to terminate the appointment at any time. Power is given to the Minister under the regulations to appoint a committee of advice, to which may be referred any question relating to the making or amendment of regulations under the Navigation Act, or the administration or amendment of the Act, for report to the Minister. If, however, the question relates to the scale of officers or crews, or to any proposal to specify the crews to be carried by particular ships, the report of the committee of advice is to be forwarded to the Minister, who has first to submit it to the Marine Council for consideration.

N.Z. TRANSPORT EN ROUTE. (Received 6, 10.55 a.m.) Sydney, Jan. 6. The troopship Kigoma, with New Zealand soldiers and families, has arrived en route to New Zealand. —(A. and N-Z.)

A PLAGUE SHIP. (Received 6, 10.55 a.m.) Sydney, Jan. 6The steamer Roggoveen, recently arrived from New Caledonia, has been quarantined owing to an outbreak of influenza aboard. A cable from Noumea states that one of the steamer’s patients landed there developed smallpox and others influenza. Several of the latter died. The victims were coolies. —(A. and N.Z.)

NOTES FROM VARIOUS STATES There has been further torrential rains in the coastal and, highland districts of New South Wales. Inland districts have benefited to a less extent. The “go slow” strike at Townsville has ended. The N.S.W. Necessary Commodities Commission has increased the price of linseed meal to £3 per ton- „ i —— ■... i——-ft