AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22204, 6 March 1934, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

A TRAWLER SINKS. CREW OF SEVEN RESCUED. SYDNEY, March 5. The 84-ton trawler Unique sank off the south codkt last night. The crew of seven was rescued by the steamer Bermagui and brought to Sydney. The Unique was steaming up the coast off Newhaven when it was noticed that the plates were leaking. Water entered i>o fast that the master (Captain Bell) decided to abandon the vessel. The crew lowered the boat and made for Newhaven. They had rowed some miles when they saw, the lights of the Bermagui, and signalled her. ' ■>

The Unique was formerly a tug.

. THE WHEAT INQUIRY. FORMER MINISTER’S EVIDENCE. , SYDNEY, March 5. (Received March , fl, at 0.6 a.m.) 1 Giving evidence at the inquiry into the wheat industry C. A. Hawker, a former Minister for Commerce, 'declared that “The debt structure Of the wheat industry of the Commonwealth was £150,000,000.” He added that unless the mortgagees advanced money to the farmers to enable them to purchase new machinery or recohdition, the existing plant they would collapse in the near, future. } Everywhere t machinery needed replacement. Witnesi told of the dilapidated state of the, wheat belt in Western Australia, where thousands of farms had been abandoned. He, gave instances of inefficiency. being forced upon farmer 9 and expressed the opinion' that numerous farmers were turning attention to sheep raising. .