AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20335, 17 February 1928, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

TRADE TREATY WITH DOMINION. DISCUSSIONS PENDING. (Pr«» Association—By Telegraph—OnpyriK&t. > CANBERRA, February 10. Mr Bruce announced thaf arrangements had been made for the Minister of Trade and Customs, Mr H. E. Prattcn, to leave Australia for New Zealand on March 8 for the purpose of discussing areciprocal trade treaty between the Commonwealth and the Dominion, and general trade relations. PORK. BACON, AND HAMS. IMPORTS FROM THE DOMINION. SYDNEY, February 13. The Minister of Customs has undertaken to bring the application made hy the Primary Producers’ Union for increased duties on pork, bacon, and hams before Cabinet at au early date. The objective is mainly to shut out importations from New Zealand. The application points out that it is considered that a duty equivalent to that on butter and cheese —namely, 6d to 7d per lb—is the minimum required to put the pig industry on a more stable foundation. The extent to which New Zealand is competing in the Sydney market may be gaugpd from the fact that last month 281,6121 b weight of green pork and bacon ready for smoking was imported from the Dominion into New South Wales. The imports for 1927 from the Dominion were 530,2041 b of pork and 341,0991 b of bacon. FLOODS IN MANY DISTRICTS. PROPERTY AND CROPS DAMAGED. SYDNEY, February 16. (Received Feb. 16, at 11 p.m’.)., Following further heavy rain, floods are reported in the valley of the Clarence River. Water invaded many homes in the low-lying portion of South Grafton, where boats wore used to rescue the inmates, while thousands of acres of farm and grazing lands along the valley are under water, and severe damage has been caused to crops and property. The body of an unknown man, a victim of the flood, has been discovered. At latest report the waters were faking. Kerapsey also reports a flood, several residents being compelled to leave their homes, and a number of stock was drowned in the flooded area. Splendid rains were experienced on the pastoral country out west, and Wentworth reports nearly sin, the town being partially flooded. Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland all report soaking rains, with floods, railway and road washouts, and considerable damage to property and crops in some districts.