AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22397, 19 October 1934, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

THE WAVERLEY MURDER ,A YOUTH ARRESTED MELBOURNE, October 17. Detectives arrested a youth, aged 18, on a charge of murdering Paul Drasdroff at Waverley. INNOCENCE ESTABLISHED MELBOURNE, October 18. The detectives, after questioning the youth, are now convinced that he had nothing to do with the murder. The police are unlikely to proceed further with this charge.

Ignoring an order to put up his hands, Paul Drasdroff, aged 45 years, a Russian, was shot dead in his suburban shop by a youthful bandit, who, with a companion, was interfering with the till when he was surprised by Drasdroff. The men escaped in the darkness before they could bo overtaken by Drasdroff’s wife. CANE WORKERS* STRIKE BRISBANE, October 18. Following a mass meeting of mill workers and cane cutters in the Mourilyan area a strike was declared, and the Mourilyan mill, which is one of the largest in Australia, is now idle. The dispute developed over rates of pay for the handling of cane burnt by farmers to prevent the spread of weils disease. The strike involves about 400 cane cutters, of whom 97 per cent, are foreigners. chiefly Italians. The mill workers, who are almost entirely British, unanimously decided to support the strike. MORTGAGE LEGISLATION SYDNEY, October 18. (Received Oct. 18, at 5.5 p.m.) The attention of the Assembly has been directed to the New Zealand proposal to introduce legislation for the establishment of a national mortgages corporation. The Premier (Mr B. S. Stevens) said that the State Government intended to introduce legislation to establish means to deal with mortgages as between debtor and creditor. He added that the question was being considered in the light not only of the New Zealand proposals but also of the suggestions made by the Departmental Committee and proposals emanating from other coluntries.