AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1925, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

1 [Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] DEPORTATION CASKS. TALK OF REFERENDUM. MELBOURNE, December 11. There i.s much speculation and many rumours regarding the Government’s intention over 11 it' Walsh and Johnson ease. Mr Bruce i.s reported to have stated he thought it probable there might lie an appeal to the people by a referendum for an amendment of the (•(institution. CYCLONE. WHOLE TOWN SWEPT. BRISBANE, December 12. A cyclone swept the town of Clermont. demolishing buildings and causing heavy damage. Two persons were injured. A second storm followed, adding considerably to the damage.

MB BRUCE'S ATTITUDE. .MELBOURNE, Dec. 13. Mr S. Bruce. Federal Premier, has so far taken no action, nor has lie commented regarding the Federal High Court's decision in the deportation case, beyond expressing surprise. Mr Bruce says he is waiting the reasons for the High Court’s decision. Any further development will depend upon this. THE HIGH COI'RT'S DECISION. (Received this day at 11.23 a.m.) SYDNEY. Dec. 1?. Immediately the High Court delivered its judgment the men were re-lea-cd. being ordered to be released without the issue of a writ of the Habeas Ctrpus. There was great excitement outside life Court when the men appeared both making desperate attempts to evade press photographers. Interviewed afterwards, the men wore considerably unnerved. They admitted they Ita-.l received fair treatment, but no privacy. Tliev paid a tribute to the courtesy of the naval officers oil Garden Island.

The legal advisers of Walsh and Johnson state that Mr Bruce, Mr Peart e and Mr Yates the suiHTintendeni of the Commonwealth Police Force, will probably be served with writs alleging unlawful arrest ami illegal detention of W'alslt and Johnson, and an application will le made for heavy damages. It is estimated that the deputation proceedings cost the (lovernmeiit fifteen thousand sterling. It is understood the Government will also he askel to defray the expenses of Walsh and Johoiison before the Deportation Board, which is not covered by the eider of t 1 e I liga ( olirt.

Mi W. Hughes, formerly Prime Minister. commenting on the Court's dc'■lsjon, said lie was not Mirpiisod. adding that 'severe and unusual penalties detea led t heir ou n purposes. Although idle reason lor the ( (’lift's decision is unknown, the fuel that the itHlgme.ilt was unanimous showed that they mils! be most convincing. Mr 11 it ghes concluded :—"II Walsh and Johnson had been gaoled lor a month, the -trike would have petered out long ago and the gentlemen tunned would not have been regarded as martyrs." The general consensus ot opinion is I he Government tailed badly, as il was reelected oil the deputation issue and tlie rights of the Govcumeiii to uphold nm.si itufioiiii! law and order. I lie derision apparently menus th.nl. the whole police on which Mr Bruce went to the country is wrong in law.

MR BRUCE'S COMMENT. MELBOURNE. Dec. 11. Mr Bruce, ei ininciit ing on the decision o! tlie High Court in the Deportation ease, said he regretted the remarks made hv certain Labour leader' :ts they laid introduced the element of party politics into a matter which was solely cue of the legal interpretations of the powers ot the ( otumonuealtli. Mr Rruec intimated that it. was impossible, in the absence of reasons upon wlticli the decision wf the Court was based, to state wlmt action the Government would take to give elleet to the deportations. Constitutional authorities, while hesitating to express an opinion regarding the ( onrt s decision, until the Court makes known its grounds for flic decision, do not believe the Court found against the power of the ('enunonweulth to deport, and they express the opinion that they will Is' very surprised if the judgment meant that their power did not exist, or that there were any fresh limits set to the Commonwealth's power of dealing with trade and eommereo generally, though the Government's method of procedure has been at fault.

OBITUARY. SYDNEY. Dec. 14. Obituary—Colonel Allred Paul. Superintendent of Drill in the Education Department. A VISITOR. SYDNEY. Dec. 14. Lieut,-Colonel Parkin. nephew of Lord Kitchener has- arrived en route to New Zealand, lie was formerly in Egyptian frontiers administration depart meat. STRIKE SETTLED. SYDNEY. Dec. It. A strike in Kyl.mils Wire Kaet-ny. rallied on the lirsl. been sen led. the employee who caused the dispute Havin'.'; joined the union. WHEAT YIELD. PERTH. Dec. 14. MV’o t i over nii lent Statistician esi nil ales the wheal harvest yield at 20.792.000 bushels, an increase of 709.181 bushels compared with the previous harvest. SUGAR CROP. BRISBANE. Dec. It. Heavy rains in the central and northern portions of the State have assured a. .suecesstul sugar crop. Ram wtts badly needed and il it hail not fallen it. would have meant the Hitliire of the cane crop in many districts. Btirderkin and Fitzrn.v Rivers districts are now threatened with floods. \ RACING RECORD. SYDNEY. Dec. 14.

At Newcastle races, Robert Gee in the Nursery Handicap. 4 V furlongs. broke the Australasian recording coloring the distance in 54 seconds. Ihe previous record was held by Mootak. STEAMER HE! I) CP. ADELAIDE. Dec. 14. The coastal steamer Paring:* > s hob. up. wharf labourers declining to work her on the grounds that the seamen helped to unload cargo at one <>t Hie con ta -jJjSICKNESS •SYDNEY. Dec. 14. A mysterious sickness which has battled the fort medical authorities, has broken out among the crew oi the British barque William Mitchell, which has arrived from Canada, and during tt,o voyage touched only at the lonely island of Tristan da Cunha. The veshas hi en isolated while tests are 'Heine carried out by the authorities. " SYDNEY ACCIDENTS. SYDNEY. Dec. 14. An unusual number of accidents marred the week-end when a man and child wore killed and 25 people injured in various smashes.