AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 25 August 1922, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

(By Kiocuic Telegraph—Copyright) ' Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SY.DXKV. August 24 Thu coal tribunal resumed the hearing °f thn application of the proprietors for a reduction of wages. Alt* Baddeley, the miners’ representative, tola the tribunal that, the men were not going to be bludgeoned into a reduction, and the men’s representatives would withdraw unless the matters in dispute on the southern coal field Avere dealt, with before the owners’ application. He, added that, great unrest would follow if wages were reduced as lie believed the miners would not accept any reduction. The Commonwealth Shipping Line an.uouneed that arrangements were completed with tiio. British Oovermnent whereby mails from London would bo sent overland to the steamers at Cairo, reaching Freeman! le from London in 28 days. In the Assembly a, motion for adjournment to discuss the Governinent’s decision to charge high school fees was defeated by 40 to 27. At tiie inquest on Kennnis. the savings bank manager, murdered in a train near Hornsby last month, evidence was given that since the tragedy,the system of bank officials carrying the strongroom keys on their persons has been abandoned.. The inquest was adjourned 16 30th. At the inquest on the Ferguson family, burned in a, house near Rylstone, an open verdict was returned. The evidence showed that lire cut off the. only door in the bouse, and the windows were too small to permit oscane. MELBOURNE, August 24 Mr Movley, who introduced the Totalisator Bill in the Assembly, announced that before the expiration of the present Parliament he will introduce a bill providing for the taking of a referendum on the totalisator question. The Bill Was defeated by 41 to 15, In ih3 House of Representatives a bill authorising compensation to retrenched members of the defence force was road a second time.