AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15521, 31 January 1914, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

WATERSIDE WORKERS^: POSSIBILITY OF A SETTLEMENT. -'..-,.!-;"";.■;;. »V By Telegraph.—Press Association—-Copy»ghf< Sydney,. January-3Q. ; . Thb .conference between the - representatives of' the Commonwealths; Steamship Owners' Association and the :»watersida workers was held in:private. ::M,r:vW,-..M. ; Hughes (president of the ..federation) •■ submitted an amended log,- whiph considered by the owners., The~hsnire~oi the amendments has/ not-: been-'disel6aed, but it is understood .that'the; minimum payment is less than"lk Sd/instead-Sif' 2s . per hour. The having assu'toedfaiMirV ,j' i reasonable attitude,-there is-how .a-possi- ■■: bility of a settlement. ' "!.. :/.---- '■'■"'■ SOCIALISM AND IABOTrR7 4 £^ .... , ' „ =' • MR.. HOLMAN SYMPATHETIC. '■ y J: : Stjdxet, January, 50. . At the Labour Conference ta-dav,-i&, , Stuart Robertson 0' That-.memters of unions .opposing the selected Political '' '-' Labour League candidates :as.;SQcialist.candidates may be eligible for .-selection "as '":.- Labour candidates by signing-tbe'Leaguft ;"'.?' pledges." ', •v- ;■ .'.'." , ; ; - ~ Mr.; Holman ; (Premier) ;supppxfced-£iha proposition. He said he-.ch«ished;'a;-larga amount of sympathy for -the" Socialist. The Labour movement was largely'recruited - from the ranks ofthe I©; good men will lost to.them a seven = ; years' • disqualification > always -obtained, I Speeches : opposing ''.. the propbsal/76n ground the Socialists had. no l right Ho'-pre-' ferential treatment were made. _; 7 _-.--.z ' The : resolution was lost. ■^i-.^-'-ic;: ' * STATE SE0O»B=/ OHfi^Ei;- ■ , • . _ LABOUR . METHOD .CRITIC ISED, (Received January 31, 12.35 Batf.) Sydney- January 30. Discussing the 'proposals. the.'Labou? Conference to swamp the Legislative Coun j cil, Mr. C. G. Wade (Leader.of the Opposition) in an interview to-day," said :-'STI:3 conference does not seem r.to. ' realise" is a dangerous, drastic andfjinpre.c.edented method which is only resorted, to. in 'con- ; ditions of extreme urgency "or" o"f public danger. It is scarcely disput«d/-nqw-adays that swamping is in . the ( ~a;reserve method for giving effect;: to; %he people's > will, and ought only to he'appged as a last resort." . _ ; C The conference resolved -that no employer of non-unionists can be: a;':Krlfentthsa|y i Labour Candidate. .'; The:.conferen'co...gaya Mr. Holman a rousing'farewell preparatory to his departure for New Zealand tomorrow. . _' ". !:', :-, ::':"'„-. ■ ' _ . t THE COST ' OF CABLEGRAMS.. (Received January 930 nac • '■"?•'■ Sydney, .January.. 20.' The. reduction of- th,e Aust:i mi ."terminal rates and the wider ; employment j>f wireless' telegraphy are amongst too sug- - gestions made : ' by. businessmen for-reduc- • ing . the cable rates. ... :...• .-. The Postmaster-General'V (Mr." '■ .•''.. f Wynne) says the more'-use th* public I makes of the week-end cables the abetter - it will be for the Postal: Department.- They arealready a great'success, and if-thjj ; cost?' ~~li. were .reduced would bo more widely used. The Pacific Cable Board should adyerti'is their cable'more extensively. ; ; f—g ; WAGES IN THE OHOSiJS:^ --, r "• 5. Sydney,-,January;3o»"s?-An. agreement which has been' arriyiKl at between the Choristers arid- Dancers' Association and the firm of J. C. Williamson,' Limited ', ' increases the wages of. the firm's pantomime and musical comedy companies by 25 per cent. The'male choris- '. ters now get a minimum wage while: New Zealand of £3 15s, while the'chorus " girls in the large, towns of New.; Zealand get £2 15s a week and in the small towns £3. The agreement will last for three years.' Three hundred and fifty people are affected by the award. -... j'ii.C-7.^-^7? * -'■■" ; ij_ r-'''."''.^'"'r-? BIBLE IN STATE . SOTOOK& : r -< ... (Received January 30, 9.30 p.m.) ~ ; " MELBOTntKEj.Januajry ; A conference of represe"nfetiv&|=rof:i4ha; Christian churches, including the. Strain Catholic, met to-day to consider a. - for providing religious instruction in State schools. No definite . agreement; '■ was reached: . •.- . \. DOCTORS AND LODGES,:,;-; Sydney, -January ,]\ The friendly society lodges ,are mctfj?nant at the proposals of the BritisTiaiedical „. Association to increase, their charges to friendly societies. The Foresters, at their : annual meeting last ;nigK,V-.decided; '.>» oppose any attempt on ihe" part blithe Medical Association 'to. dictate to ■ tie ' ,< society. --■ ,-.!-.-/ ■-.•-:. '. .■■■•■■• '''•'" OVERSEAS TRADER '■:."'.: (Eeceived January 31. J2 i a.oi.) "\.; ~ MELBOifKNE,'''Jonuar\- .30, ? . ''■ The overseas trade statistics of the Com" v monwealth for 1913 show that the iraports totalled, .; £79.?U,593, m :I incirfui*)- :f f V - £1,552,998, and the exports- £78,510,253, % ' decrease of «58583?» " !'" . . " ..- .- ■-- ■■*•' ." ■ :>■:■■■. :-~'S-: ■.--■