AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17632, 19 November 1920, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

N.S.W. MINISTERIAL CRISIS. SPLIT OVER NEW WHEAT INQUIRY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Eeod. 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY. Nov. 18. A Ministerial squabble has arisen out of the commission appointed to investigate allegations in regard to the wheat contract inquiry. Mr. J. J. C. McGirr, Minister for Health, has taken exception to statements made by Mr. J. Dooley, ■ Chief Secretary, which, he alleges, imply that he (Mr. McGirr) is intriguine for the deputy leadership of the party. Wordy -warfare is proceeding in the newspapers, with the seeds of a possible. Ministerial crisis. The Labour Party, sitting in caucus today discussed the terms of the commission issued to Mr. Justice Pring. Great bitterness characterised "* some of the speeches, indicating the seriousness of the split in the party. Moderates admit that unless harmony is restored the life of the Ministry may be jeopardised: The terms of Mr. Justice Piping's commission, which is under the Boorabil Act, empower him to say whether any money was paid to any person as an inducement to any member of the Ministry to close the recent wheat contract inquiry commission. [In the Legislative Assembly last week the Premier, Mr. John Storey, repudiated an allegation that two Ministers and one member received money for their election campaign from Mr. Talbot, a wheat commission witness, on condition that the Labour Party would terminate the Georgeson inquiry if returned to power. Subsequently the appointment of Mr. Justice Pring to inquire into the allegations was announced.]

TROUBLE ON STATE TRAWLERS. SEAMEN THREATEN STRIKE. SYDNEY. Nov. 18. Seamen employed on State trawlers threaten to strike owing to the Govern- ' ment's refusal to grant them an eight-, ' hoars' day and increased pay. They have decided to hold a stop-work meeting. ' WATERFRONT OVERTIME RESUMED. ' SYDNEY. Nov. 38. : A stop-work meeting of wharf labourers ' decided to work overtime on all vessels. ' FEDERAL BASIC WAGE. MELBOURNE. Nov. 18. \ In the Federal House of Representatives Mr. W. M. Hughes denied that the • Federal basic wage had been fixed at £5 ss. WATERFRONT THIEVES. MELBOURNE, Nov. 13. Mr. Best, in moving the adjournment , of the Senate to consider waterfront pi!- ' fering, stated that the annual losses ! ranged from £500,000 to £1,000,000. , Mr. W. M. Hughes said he favoured a. searching inquiry, and incidentally mentioned that the general body of" wharf labourers were honest men. QUEENSLAND COMPULSORY LOAN. BRISBANE, Nov. IS. In the Legislative Assembly the Premier, Mr. E. G. Theodore, introduced a Bill on the same lines as the Federal Bill introduced by Sir Joseph Cook, provid- I ing for a compulsory loan if necessary. J The amount of loan will probably be ! £2,000.003.. "No person receiving less j than £1000 a year will be compelled to j eabscribe. | VICTORIAN COAL DISPUTE. MELBOURNE. Nov. 18. Mr. W. M. Hughes stated that Mr. j H. S. W. Lawsoa, Premier of Victoria, j has rejected his proposal for the settlement of the brown coal dispute. He suggested that tie High Court be invoked to ascertain "whether the tribunal's decision could override Slate awards, but Mr. Lawson declined.