AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21539, 11 January 1932, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

FIGHTING THE BUSH FIRES. NEW GUARDSMEN VOLUNTEER. SYDNEY, January 9. Two hundred fire-fighters will leave the city to-day for Cobar. They were selected from 1000 New Guardsmen who volunteered. Buses will be provided by Mr Stewart, M.P., to carry the men. After a lull the wind rose again in the western districts, fanning the flames. Fresh fires have broken out. HOMEBUSH STATE ABATTOIRS. QUESTION OF LEASING. , SYDNEY, January 9. It is stated in Ministerial circles that after all the State Cabinet may not sanction leasing the Homebush State Abattoirs to a private co-operative company. Cabinet recently failed to reach a decision on the matter. NEW SOUTH WALES FINANCE. DEFICIT FOR SIX MONTHS. SYDNEY, January 9. The State expenditure for the six months of the present financial year ended December 31 exceeded the revenue by £8,279,763. The revenue was £19,599,158 and the expenditure £27,878,921. The deficit to date is more than Mr Lang’s estimate for the whole year. The expenditure increased by over £2,000,000 compared with the same period of the last financial year, and the receipts have fallen by £1,250,000 in the same period. The situation, however, is expected to improve during the next half-year, as the income tax is due. Queensland’s credit balance on December 31 was £1,100,111.

DROWNED WHILE ON HONEYMOON. TRAGEDY IN TASMANIA. HOBART, January 10. (Received Jan. 10, at 5.5 p.m.) Mrs A. M'Aulay, wife of Dr Leicester M'Aulay, professor of physics at the Tasmanian University, was drowned in the River Shannon, near the Great Lake. The couple were married on New Year’s Eve, and were on their honeymoon. Deceased was drawn into an intake pipe while she was bathing. DISTURBANCES AT DARWIN. CONSTABLES FIRED AT. DARWIN, January 10. (Received Jan. 10, at 8 p.m.) Violent disturbances took place at Pine Creek following the arrest of Communist rioters, who fired shots at two local constables, one of whom was injured. A portion of the gaol was then Mown up with dynamite in order to release the Communists. The trouble started when a local hotel was declared “black.” Police reinforcements arc arriving. HINDU KILLED WITH AXE. COUNTRYMAN ARRESTED. SYDNEY, January 10. (Received Jan. 11, at 1 a.m.) In an altercation between two Hindus near Lismore to-day, one was killed. The victim, Rhain Chund, who was middle aged, was battered on the head with an axe and was terribly mutilated, the neck being almost severed. His compatriot has been arreatadL,