AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1928, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

HURRICANE AND EIRE. MELBOURNE, Jan. 13,

Bush fires have raged throughout the State the whole day, causing enormous damage, but with the exception of (iippsland, where they are burning, a cool change has assisted the fire figures to control the outbreak. So far, one fatality is reported. A volunteer fire fighter, named Barton collapsed and died, in the \ inlet lown District. Outbreaks in Mnlec were followed by a hurricane, which uprooted trees and'demolished houses, adding to the already heavy damage. ~A hoy named Heley was riding with his father in a motor truck when the hurricane blew the truck ofT the road, fatally impaling the hoy, who was aged fourteen, on a nearby lenee.

GBEYCLIFFE JNQUIR V. SYDNEY, Jan. 13. ,At (the Grovel iffo inquest Justice Herdman sat on the bench withCoroner McDonald. The engineer of the Manly berry steamer Burrabra, gave evidence that the maximum speed of his boat was 14 to 141 knots. Then in reply to a question by the Coroner, he said that off Garden Island his boat was billowing the Tahiti and the Burrabra was travelling at 13j knots. He saw that he could not overhaul the Tahiti on the west side of Bradley s Head, so he went below to oocn up the Burrabra’s engines to full speed. „ Rupert Nixon, helmsman on the Burrabra, stnted that he s <"\ K Greveliffo alter her course and added . that he did not think there would have been an accident if the Ta u • had slowed to let the Gre.vchffe get past He saw the Greveliffe turn to port across the Tahiti’s course. > SHIP MASTERS’ DEMAND. * SYDNEY, Jan. 13. As an outcome of the Greveliffe disaster, a meeting of masters’ « steamers resolved to request the bedera 1 Government to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the navigation regulations of Sydney Harhoui.

SEAMEN RESUME. SYDNEY, Jan. 14. There has been a general resumption of work by the seamen at all ports except Melbourne, where it is stated no official report was received from the headquarters of the union. Some vessels will be idle some time yet The order of sailings may fit in with the time table. All cargo vessels were manned immediately. FEDERAL INTENTIOXS. MELBOURNE, Jan. 13. Mr Bruce says the Federal Ministry lias no intention to apply the term of Ambassador to the High Commissioner in London. The impression, that this might be done, seemd to have arisen through something he stated two or three years ago when he remarked the High Commissioner was performing the work of Ambassador and that Ills duties and responsibilities would in future years become more and more (ike Jhose of an ambassador.