AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21264, 19 February 1931, Page 10

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

SHEARERS STRIKE ENDING. GENERAL RUSH FOR WORK. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) BRISBANE, February 17. It is expected that the shearers’ strike will be declared off. At Barealdine on Thursday a firm of shearing contractors notified the Strike Committee that 200 men were required before March 1, and if the men were not prepared to accept work other labour would be engaged. The committee posted notices stating that the proposals would not be entertained, but gave no details thereof. These, however, were distributed publicly, whereupon the men took strong exception to the committee's attitude, and there was a general rush to seek engagement. The strike at Capella has broken. OFFENCE AGAINST A BOY. POLITICIAN CONVICTED. ADELAIDE, February 17. Albert Augustine Edwards, who was a member of the House of the Assembly, was convicted of an offence concerning a boy, and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with hard labour. The case excited tremendous interest. Edwards said: “My enemies have succeeded with loaded dice.” An appeal is likely to be lodged. ADELAIDE’S DAILY PAPERS. AMALGAMATION ANNOUNCED. ADELAIDE, February 17. Beginning next Saturday, at 2 o’clock in the morning, the daily papers, the Register and the Advertiser, will be issued as a combined paper, entitled the Adelaide Advertiser. This amalgamation is necessitated by the pressure of economic cii'cumstanccs. The proprietors of the Register reached .the decision to cease publishing with great reluctance, as this journal has been associated with the history of South Australia from its foundation. WATERSIDE WORKERS. COURT’S RULING ON PREFERENCE. MELBOURNE, February 17. By a majority of three to two the High Court of Australia dismissed the shipowners’ action asking for a declaration that the regulations passed by the Commonwealth Government giving preference .to members of the Waterside Workers’ Federation were invalid and for an order restraining the Government from putting the regulations into effect. The shipowners subsequently held a meeting to consider the court’s decision and afterwards issued a statement to the effect that they had done all possible within the law towards keeping their promise to volunteer workers by affording them preference in employment. NEW ZEALANDER ARRESTED. CHARGE OF FALSE PRETENCES. SYDNEY, February 17. Upon the arrival of the Marama today detectives'went aboard and arrested Edward Lewis Schneider, aged 37, on a charge of false pretences in Auckland. Later he was brought before the court, and remanded to February 26, awaiting an escort for extradition to New Zealand. THE . BENTLEIGH MURDER. M'MAHON PROVES ALIBI. MELBOURNE, February 18, (Received Feb. 18, at 10 pin.) Robert M'Mahon has been released from custody, the Crown entering a nolle prosequi. The Crown Prosecutor intimated that M'Mahon had established beyond doubt that he was 100 miles from the scene of the murder when the crime was committed. A previous message read as follows: The newspapers are giving attention to the case of Robert M’Mahon, who is charged with the murder of Mena Griffiths at Bentleigh. M'Mahon, who carried a swag into New South Wales, was tracked down, detained, and lined up for identification. He was released and still later was rearrested in Sydney and again paraded along with other prisoners for identification. He was then definitely charged with the murder and committed for trial. It now appears that the police are convinced that they have got the wrong man. M'Mahon has been able to prove an alibi to the effect that he was actually in Leeton (New South Wales) on the precise date of the murder, but he must remain in custody formally until he appears before the Criminal Gqurt, which has power to release him, after which he has no redress for -wrongful arrest and imprisonment. CLOUDBURST NEAR MOLONG. EXPRESS TRAIN DERAILED. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, February 18. A cloudburst near Molong badly damaged the railway line last night, and caused a shallow lake to form. The Forbes express dashed into this, and the permanent way collapsed, derailing the engine, the tender, and two carriages. Fifty passengers were marooned, and were unable to get away in the darkness owing to the water. A relief train was sent from Bathurst. There is no mention of casualties.