AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23107, 5 February 1937, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

WATERFRONT ENGINEERS A DECISION TO STRIKE SYDNEY, Feb. 4. (Received Feb. 5, at 1 a.m.) Waterfront engineers to-day, at a mass meeting, decided to strike for higher wages, demanding a 20 per cent, all-round increase, a 10 per cent, increase in casual rates, and adjustments to overtime rates. Four hundred engineers are at present involved, and it is likely that 500 metal workers will be drawn into the dispute. The chief firms affected are the Cockatoo docks, Mort’s dock, Adelaide, the Howard Steamship Companies, the smaller coastal shipping companies, Burns Philp, and a few private concerns. DISEASE AMONG CATTLE ' SYDNEY, Feb. 4. (Received Feb. 5, at 1 a.m.) A mysterious disease among herds on the north coast of New South Wales, “ the three-day sickness,” has assumed alarming proportions. The stock inspector at Grafton reports that cattle are “ riddled ” with it, but the mortality is low. A report from Casino states that cows go dry for over a week, and thus thousands of gallons of milk are lost.

The Government’s officers describe the ailment as ephemeral fever, and advise providing plenty of shade and water for the animals affected.

SYDNEY WOOL SALES SYDNEY, Feb. 4. (Received Feb. 5, at 0.30 a.m.) At the wool sales 12,825 bales were offered and 12,090 sold, while 873 were disposed of privately. Competition at the closing auctions to-day was keen and widespread, and the hardening tendency continued. A fresh season’s record for the Sydney market of 40id was established for five bales of merino from Yass. ,

SHARK ATTACKS BOAT SYDNEY, Feb. 4. (Received Feb. 5, at 1.45 a.m.) Two fishermen in an open launch had an unenviable experience at Botany Bay overnight. A large shark tore a hole in the bottom of the launch, which, soon filled, but did not actually sink, enabling the men to float, submerged to their necks for three and a-half hours in deadly peril of a further shark attack. When they were rescued by another fishing party some of the shark’s teeth were found embedded in the launch timbers. The men think the shark was attracted by the odour of a dead baby shark which they were using for bait.