AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17708, 17 February 1921, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

♦4-hoJr week in n.s. wales. DEFINITE STATE POLICY. A. and N.Z. ' SYDNEY, Feb. 16. Mr. Justice Beeby, of the Industrial Court, who is inquiring into the 44-hour week question, said he thought he would be justified in accepting as the declared policy of the State the adoption of the 44-hour working week as a higher industrial standard. The onus would be on the employers to prove that the adoption would be prejudicial to industry, and in cases where the employees wished to emphasise the claim that a change was desirable for the well-being of the employees the onus would be upon the employees to establish the facts. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION LABOUR PARTY'S APPROVAL. BYDNEY. Feb. 16» The Parliamentary Labour Party favours the retention of proportional representation by a considerable majority. The decision needs ratification by the Labour Conference, which last year requested a repeal of the Act. QUEENSLAND BASIC WAGE. BRISBANE. Feb. 16. The Arbitration Court has fixed the basic weekly wage at £4 5s for males and £2 3s for females. VICTORIAN RACING BAN. MELBOURNE. Feb. 16. The Victorian Government has declined to lift the restrictions on racing. The decision is likely to remain in force until the shipping dispute is settled and, the shortage of coal for the railways is overcome.