AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20354, 10 March 1928, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY. BIG MERGER AT PORT KUirRUA. CPreE» Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, March 9. A new British and Australian company has been formed to develop the Iron and steel industry at Port Kembla. Two leading British companies and two Australian companies are co-operating, and between them will supply the initial caxfital of £5,000,000 to develop the industry. The total capital resources of the combined organisation exceed £23,000.000.

MURDER OF ELDERLY COUPLE. POLICE MAKE AN ARREST. MELBOURNE, March 9. _ The police have arrested George Erie Gordon in connection with the deaths of Clements and his wife, and charged him with murder. An elderly couple, Richard Clements and his wife, were found dead at their home at Balnmal, near Bairnsdalo, on February 17. On breaking into the house the police found the aged couple lying in pools of blood, with their skulls battered, and a blood-stained hammer nearby. The house was a scene of disorder, all the drawers being sacked.

THE TIMBER MILL FIRE. ESTIMATE OP DAMAGE. SYDNEY, March 9. The damage at Hudson’s fire is estimated to exceed £60,000. The fire was not discovered till it had obtained a strong hold, .. The absence of wind greatly assisted the firemen.

NEW SOUTH WALES MINERALS. VALUE OF YEAR’S OUTPUT. SYDNEY, March 9. Tlie value of minerals won in New South Wales in 1927 is estimated at £18,497,000, a decrease of £444,000 compared with 1926. The quantity of coal won last year was 11,000,000 tons, valued at the pit mouth at £9,782,000. This value is the highest on record. The value of the output of silver, lead,' and zinc, however, was £4,484,000, a decline of £1,264,000. The iron and steel manufacturing industry continues to expand, the output from ores mined in New South Wales being 119,000 tons, valued at £654,000, an increase of £75,000 compared with the previous year. The yield of gold amounted to 18,032 ounces (fine), valued at £76,000.

BRISBANE FIRE BRIGADE. STRIKE OP ALL MEMBERS. BRISBANE, March 9. , (Received March 9, at 7 p.in.) All the members of the fire brigade struck as a protest against the action of the chief ofiiccr in suspending a number of men for refusing duty. All the stations throughout the night were manned by skeleton staffs, but luckily there was no outbreaks of fire, as tie number of men available to-day ;s quite inadequate. The men have returned to work, the Arbitration Court having decided to intervene and hear the dispute.