AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 74, 9 March 1933, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

N.S.W. RECOVERY

REMARKABLE PROGRESS RECORDED.

TRIUMPH FOR STABLE GOVERNMENT.

By Telegraph—Press Assu.—Copyright. (Received 9, 11.45 a.m.) Sydney, March 9.

The Premier, Mr B. 8. Stevens, has issued a statement showing that the State has made a substantial recovery financially and industrially since tho present Government came into office, lie said that the number of persons requiring food relief have decreased from IaOjOOU to 100,000 in eight months. The marked improvement in the financial position was evidence of the substantial recovery. The Government had been able to give substantial tax relief and was able to envisage further tax relief which would foster business expansion and employment. The Government was moving rapidly towards Budget equilibrium and lost business- was now being recovered. TASMANIAN FRUITGROWERS APPREHENSIVE. (Received 9, 10.45 a.m.) London, March 8. Senator Grant (Tasmania) after investigating the prospects of the coming fruit season, is apprehensive of New Zealand’s decision to place all her fruit in the hands of one firm, also of the general tendency to sell fruit at auction instead of by private treaty. He thinks that this wilt have a bad effect on prices, possibly eliminating the spirit of competition between the various firms previously handling Australian and New Zealand fruit and it might adversely affect the growers, CONSPIRACY CHARGE. ASSURANCE COMPANY OFFICIALS (Received 9, 10.10 a.m.) Sydney, March 8. Another case in which assurance company officials are involved is occupying the City Court. Four defendants, Sydney Smith, Mattison Brain, Oswald Corkhill, and William Page, are charged with conspiracy to defraud the shareholders of the Commonwealth Life Amalgamated Assurance Association, Ltd., -of large sums of money. Corkhill and Page are already awaiting trial on another charge. The prosecuting solicitor, Mr Dovey, outlining the evidence, described it as a plot to acquire the assets of the Commonwealth Life Amalgamated Assurance Association amounting to £250,000 the ultimate object being to effect the amalgamation of that company with tho Associated Dominions Assurance Company, of which Corkhill and Page were the chief officials. The case is pitrtly heard. TARIFF SCHEDULE, (Received 9. 1 p.m.) Canberra, March 9. The tariff schedule giving effect to the Ottawa agreement, tabled by the Minister of Customs, Mr White, provides increased c.uties on eight lines of goods and 51 reductions of special duties. A resolution was tabled freeing from the 50 per cent, surcharge 13 important groups of goods, including gramophone records, motor cycles and frames, motor vehicle bodies and assembled motor vehicle chassis.

Excepting by special agreement or until after six months’ notice has been given to the New Zealand Government, nothing in the resolution covering special duties will affect any goods manufactured or produced in New Zealand and entering the Commonwealth from New Zealand.

Mr White said that irrespective of Ottawa this trend, in tariff adjustment was inevitable and essential to bring to a reasonable level the prohibitive rates on many items on which tho Tariff Board had not had an opportunity to report, as it was provided they should do under the Act. While the results might be ansatisfactary to sin. cere free traders Or to stern protectionists the aim was to attain a fair balance between primary and secondary industries and. in conjunction with the comprehensive schedule already before the House, to bring the greatest measure of development, employment and general prosperity to Australia.