AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20283, 16 December 1927, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

RAIN IN QUEENSLAND. THE WHOLE STATE BENEFITS. (Prods Assoolatlon— By Telegraph—Oopyrlgat BRISBANE, December 15. The excellent general rains, besides benefiting the State prospects as a whole, have relieved the drought areas. HURRICANE IN THE WEST. LAKE GRACE DISTRICT SUFFERS. PERTH, December 15. A hurricane, accompanied by rain and hailstones of unusual size, caused extensive damage in the Lake Grace district, in the wheat belt. Some crops were totally destroyed. Tire storm was confined "to a narrow area. Farmers m the Kondinin district also suffered. A message from Merredin estimates the loss to that district at .over £30,000. ARBITRATION AMENDMENT BILL. INTRODUCED IN FEDERAL HOUSE. CANBERRA, December 15. (Received Dec. 15, at 9.5 p.m.) In the House of Representatives the Attory-gcneral introduced the Arbitration Amendment Bill. As far as is permitted bv the Constitution the Bill gives effect to* the industrial policy announced in Mr Bruce’s policy speech at the last elections. The Bill provides for secret ballots where 10 or more members demand one, and for a system of inspec tion and investigation of the affairs of unions, while inspectors are to be ap pointed subject to the Public Service Act. The Bill also provides for the right of entry into premises where, industries are carried on. If a lockout accurs a strike in that industry will not be regarded as an offenc e and vice versa. The penalties for strikes and lockouts are to bo reduced where a responsible organisation has endeavoured to prevent the offence. The full penalty of £IOOO can be imposed on employers and organisations, but the maximum penalty which can be imposed on any individual is £SO. The Bill also prohibits State industrial authorities handling matters _ dealt with under Federal awards, and it embodies tile principle of voluntary arbitration, the judges and conciliation commissioners being authorised to determine all voluntary arbitration. This will enable the court to deal with industries where a dispute does not actuallv exist. Declaring goods or places “ black ” will be an offence, and no person may be prevented from offeiinp or accepting employment by undue influence, and penalties ranging from £2O tn £SOO may be imposed for various offences. THE BLAXLAND MURDER. COST OF THE DEFENCE. SYDNEY, December 15. (Receiver! Dec. 15, at 10 p.m.) The solicitor for the Higgs brothers states that he is about to make representations to the Premier in order to ascertain whether the Government is willing to reimburse Higgs, sen., the father of the acquitted men. for the disbursements he had to make for ,he defence of his sons.