AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18761, 15 January 1923, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SEAMEN THREATEN BOYCOTT, COMMONWEALTH LINE AFFECTED. Press Association —By Telegroph—Copyright SYDNEY, January 13. A general boycott of the Commonwealth Line of steamers is threatened by the Seamen’s Union. Motions similar to that carried by the Adelaide branch will be placed before all the branches of the commonwealth. STEEL WORKERS’ CONDITIONS. SYDNEY, January 13. The Arbitration Court bv consent of the parties made an order in respect to the steel works’ employees’ award in accordance with the recent agreement reached by the parties. Work will now be resumed at the Newcastle Steel Works as soon as possible. A SEVERE STORM. FRUIT CROPS LOST. SY'DNEY, January 14. (Received Jan. 14, at 5.5 p.m.) A cloudburst and a deluge of rain and hail did severe damage in the Wellington and Bathurst district. Low-lying land was flooded, and great quantities of fruit and other crops were destroyed. Windows were smashed wholesale, and washouts on the railways blocked traffic for several hours. FAMOUS CRUISER’S END. SYDNEY TO BE LAID UP. SY'DNEY, January 14. (Received Jan. 15, at 0.45 a.m.) The cruiser Sydney, which captured the German raider Emden, will shortly be paid off and laid up indefinitely. The cruiser Brisbane will replace her. MUSCOOTA-YARRA WRIT. MELBOURNE, January 13. A writ has been issued by the owners of the steamer Ybarra making a counterclaim for £15,000 damages against the owners of the barque Muscoota, which collided with the Yarra off Wilson’s Promontory on Boxing Day. A FATAL ACCIDENT. BRISBANE, January 13. A motor car containing nine young men and women collided with a sulky at Coorparco at midnight. The driver of the car (frank Smith) and Irene Bray were killed. Four others were sent to the hospital in a critical state. RELIGIOUS STATISTICS. SYDNEY, January 13. The census returns showing the religious population disclose a great increase in the Church of England, principally in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. ATHLETES FOR ENGLAND. MELBOURNE, January 13. The Federal Executive of the Returned Soldiers' League decided to send a team of ex-Australian Expeditionary Force athletes to the ex-service xnen’g rally in London.