AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18991, 12 October 1923, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

IMPROVEMENTS IN SYDNEY. RESUMPTION OF MARTIN • PLACE. Preaa Aisociation—By ' , ’elearaph—Copyrix’ni SYDNEY, October 11. The Executive Council has approved of the Martin place resumption, which is to cost £1,000,000. This sum will be reduced to £250,000 when the residues have beren disposed of. The resumptions include the site of St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church and other important buildings in the heart of the city. PORT OF SYDNEY RETURNS. SYDNEY, October 11. The Harbour Trust Commissioners’ annual report show's the revenue to be £852,000 and the surplus £38,870, being .83 per cent, on the capital invested. For the year ended June 30, 8377 vessels entered the port, the gross tonnage of which was 15,047,088 and the net tonnage 8,813,432. This was 100 vessels fewer than in the previous year, but there has been an increase in the gross tonnage of 2,304,097. The total tonnage >vas 6 per cent, below 7 the 1914 figures. LONG-DISTANCE TELEPHONES. SYDNEY, October 11. The new telephone trunk line between Sydney and Brisbane was opened yesterday. The cost is 5s 8d for three minutes and 10s for 15 minutes bctw r een Brisbane and Melbourne. Tw t o repeaters w T erc installed at Singleton and Glen Times, and they magnified speech to a startling extent. Both Mr Law'son and Sir George Fuller called up Mr Theodore for a conversation to signalise the inauguration of •the new service. The Postmaster-General (Mr Gibson) hopes shortly to connect Adelaide with Brisbane by telephone. RAVAGES OF TIMBER INSECT. SYDNEY, October 11. Mr Walter Froggatt, late Government Entomologist, has been appointed Forest Entomologist, his mission being to investigate the life histories of and the damage caused by the timber insect. SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS. SYDNEY, October 11. The annual report of the Minister of Education, alluding to the shortage of teachers, says that 700 teachers must be added to the staff yearly before the department can satisfy the demands for the metropolitan and country schools. GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES. SYDNEY, October 11. The State Government has decided to subsidise, on a £ for £ basis, up to £IO,OOO, subscriptions to the Japanese relief fund. It is also considering the question of assisting wheatgrowers in the areas west, of Dnbbo, wdiosc crops practically failed owing to the drought. THE CORAKI FIRE. SYDNEY, October 11. The fire at Coraki destroyed the public hall and two residences. The damage is heavy. ENCOURAGEMENT OF FRUITGROWING. MELBOURNE, October 11. It is understood that the Federal Cabinet has decided to allocate £IOO,OOO as a bounty for fruitgrowers. The bounty ranges from £0 to £lO per ton. SHORTAGE OF ARTISANS. PERTH, October 11. The. Manufacturers’ Congress passed a resolution stating that, in view' of the shortage of skilled labour, the number of male apprentices to adult workers should be one to one.