AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 3865, 10 April 1928, Page 27

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

AWARDS AT ROYAL SHOW. NEW ZEALAND SUCCESSES. SYDNEY, April 3. New Zealand successes at the • Royal Show: Shorthorns, open class, bull (four years), Mr J. Scrymgeour’s King of the Flowers secured third prize; Aberdeen Angus, cow (three years), Mr H. Munro’s Celandine of Glenelg, first and champion. TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. SYDNEY, April 3. The Traffic Advisory Committee, which was appointed by the State Government to investigate traffic problems, recommends the establishment of a Ministry of Transport fully empowered to deal with the conditions at present contributing to congestion in the city streets. So far as Sydney is concerned it is suggested that the surface trams should continue until the underground railway system is, completed. A trial of double-decker trams and buses, and the co-ordination of these services, is advocated in the interests of economy of street space and improved transportation for the public. Direct State roads for fast motor traffic are also suggested. THE SURGEONS’ CONGRESS. CANBERRA, April 3. The Australian Surgeons’ Congress adopted a series of resolutions dealing with public, hospitals, including the following finding: —‘‘ Patients who are not in a position to pay anything towards the cost of their hospital maintenance and treatment should have first claim on public hospitals. Patients able to pay either in whole or in part should not be excluded from the facilities obtainable in properly-equipped modern hospitals. To meet the needs of these the community hospital system under which all classes of patients are received—-non-paying, intermediate, and paying—is the ideal to be aimed at, and should replace the present unsatisfactory system of small private hospitals.” FEDERAL CUSTOMS RECEIPTS. SYDNEY, April 3. The Federal Customs receipts for the nine months amount to £32 384,060, £964,000 below a year ago, and £1,215,000 less than the estimate. The postal revenue was £9,041,000, an increase of £449,000, but £250,000 below the estimate. MR H. E. PRATTEN. SYDNEY. April 3. Mr H. E. Pratten (Minister for Trade and Customs) returned by the Maunganui. He said that one of the stumbling blocks which confronted him in his negotiations for a reciprocal agreement . with New Zealand was the butter .problem. This was largely due to the attitude of the primary producers in both countries. He-added that New Zealand was greatly interested in the negotiations, which are still incomplete. THE STRANDED RIVERINA. X • SYDNEY, April 3. The stranded Riverina was auctioned, and realised £3lO,

THE ZEALANDIA HELD UP. SYDNEY, April 3. VV hen the Huddart Parker Company sought to fill three vacancies in the galley of the steamer Zealandia caused by the nien giving notice, they were unable to secure substitutes, and just as the steamer with 200 passengers was about to sail for Hobart the remainder of the cooks walked ashore, and the sailing was indefinitely postponed. The dispute is believed to be connected with the recent Ulimaroa trouble, as both vessels belong to the same company.

April 4. Further efforts t 0 despatch the Zealandia have failed. The voyage has been cancelled, and both the Zealandia and the Corio have been tied up. The opinion is expressed in shipping circles that the cooks' action in holding up the company s two ships is a reprisal against the company’s strong stand in the Uulimaroa dispute.

THE SHIPPING DISPUTE. SYDNEY, April 6. Shipping circles fear that the cooks’ trouble, which at present affects only the Huddart, Parker’s ships, may extend. It is rumoured that the union intends to insist on 'the employment of an extra man in the galley of every interstate col Her. In such an event it is believed that the owners -will lay the ships up rather than accede to the demand.

CRIMES AGAINST GIRLS. SYDNEY, April 4. Replying to a women’s deputation, which asked that the lash should be included in punishment for serious crimes against girls and that offenders should be segregated for all time, the Attorneygeneral (Mr Boyce) said that the Government could not interfere in the administration of justice by judges who were already empowered to order whippings. He would, however, consider the question of segregation and consult his colleagues thereon.

UNEMPLOYMENT CONFERENCE. SYDNEY, April 6. It is believed that the Labour Council, as a result of a decision reached last nDht’ may lift the boycott on the unemployment conference and instruct the representatives again to participate in the dicussions. Considerable difference of opinion prevailed on the subject, and sharp criticism of the council by Mr Garden for withdrawing the delegates is understood to have been the cause of reconsideration of the position. -Mr Garden said that the Australian •Workers’ Union, by supporting afforestation, had adopted a good policy, placing the onus on the employers to evolve a scheme to alleviate unemployment. Mr Ryan, one of the delegates who retired from the conference, controverted this view, declaring that the Australian Workers’ Union only supported the conference in the hope of getting some good positions from the Government. The council agreed by 18 votes to 16 to endorse the manifesto in regard to the conference, but to refer the question of lifting the embargo to the executive. IDENTITY OF A SOLDIER. SYDNEY, April 6. A Salvation Army officer from New Zealand has definitely established the identity of George Thomas M’Quay, the New Zealand soldier who, for eleven years has been an inipate of Callan Park Hospital. He was originally picked up ii. London wandering Aimlessly, and dressed in “ civies,” with an Australian military hat. He was unable to give any account of himself beyond the statement that he was an Australian soldier. A DELEGATION OF SCOTSMEN. - SYDNEY. April 4. A delegation of 650 Scotsmen, who settled or were brought up in Australia, departed for Scotland by the steamer Hobson’s Bay amid the skirl of bagpipes. The steamer was specially chartered for the purpose. The objective of the delegation, which represents New South Wales and Queensland, is to give a concrete demonstration that Australia is a goo'd land for Scotsmen to settle in and thereby induce more Scots to settle there. , The delegation lias guaranteed to bring back new Scottish immigrants equivalent to its own number. BIG FIRE IN TASMANIA. HOBART, April 4. Fire at Cygnet, in the Huon district, destroyed Harvey’s apple evaporator plant and fruit-pulping factories. The damage is estimated at £20,000. „ CREMATION OF A HINDU. . SYDNEY, April 4. the cremation of a Hindu at Lismore the police recovered from the Richmond River the charred bones in a bag. The remains are not likely to- cause pollution of the stream, but steps will probably be adopted to prevent a practice similar to the Hindu custom of throwing the bones in the sacred Ganges. Formerly a portion of the remains of Hindus dying in Australia were sent home for this purpose.

BRIDEGROOM LOSES MEMORY. SYDNEY, April 6. H. Loder, a Westralian who disappeared from an hotel in Sydney, where he was staying with his bride on a honeymoon visit, was found yesterday at Kiama. He was cold and hungry, and suffering from loss of memory. He was unable to explain what happened, but apparently he walked all the way from , the citv

SALE OF COMMONWEALTH LINE. „ SYDNEY, April 5. Mr Bruce states that a number of tenders have been received for the purchase of the Commonwealth Line of steamers, but they have not yet been considered by the Government. FATALLY MAULED BY A SHARK, u.v - SYDNEY, April 5. While bathing m the surf near New-' castle last evening, Mr Arthur. E. Lane, business manager for Henry Lane (Australia), Ltd., was attacked by a shark and severely mauled. He died en route to the hospital. Miss Lucy Donaldson, aged 20, was bathing nearby with, a girl friend. She sent the latter for assistance while she herself hurried out to Mr Lane, who was 50yds away. Miss Donaldson splashed the water as she neared Mr Lane. The shark became frightened and disappeared. The girl found Mr Lane almost unconscious. She dragged him to the shore, where assistance was available. The man’s right hand was bitten off, and there were large pieces out of his left thigh, while his calf and shin bone showed the marks of the shark’s teeth. A MOTORING FATALITY. . SYDNEY, April 5. Roderick Murchison, aged 22, and his sister Molly, aged 20, members of a Ros® Bay family, were killed while motoring near Singleton. They evidently tried to avoid a hare on the road. The car swerved and struck a telegraph pole with such force that it snapped and hung from the wires. Then the car overturned, crushing ths occupants. The body of the hare wai picked up near by. ATHLETE’S FALSE DECLARATION. MELBOURNE, April 5. Walter Charles Preston, a professional runner, wag committed for trial on a charge of making a false statement in a statutory declaration. It was alleged that Preston was a professional runner in New Zealand, where he made £l5OO in stake money. Then he came to Australia, where, under the name of Walter Kimber, h< ran at various places and won many races. He afterwards went to Victoria and competed with success at country meetings. It is stated that he had won £2BO in stakes since March, 1927. It was also alleged that Preston, who pleaded not guilty, _ made a false declaration to the Victorian Athletic League. Preston was to-day remanded on a further charge of obtaining £4O from the Stawell Easter Gift Club by means of false pretences.

BUTTER AND CHEESE EXPORTS. - SYDNEY, April 5. Negotiations between the Federal Government and the British shipping companies have resulted in a 2£ per cent, reduction in the French rates on butter and cheese on the condition that the exports from Australia reach 30,000 tons in 12 months. PURCHASE OF RADIUM. MELBOURNE, April 6. The first consignment of radium, valued at £55,000, part of £lOO,OOO worth, imported by the Federal Government for cancer treatment, has been landed. The greatest secrecy was observed in order to obviate any unlawful attempt to secure it. STORM IN THE RIVERINA. SYDNEY, April 6. A storm in the Riverina district culminated in a terrific downpour. A huge volume of water swept down from the hills and washed out a length of railway near Harefield, delaying the expresse4 from Melbourne. WOMAN LOST IN THE BUSH. SYDNEY, April 7. Mrs William Owens, of Mascot, who lost her way while wandering in the bush on the Pennant Hills, was discovered yesterday in a famished condition, but otherwise not seriously affected She was seven days and a-half without food. A party of searchers scoured the neighbourhood fruitlessly. Once the woman at midnight saw a cottage, but as she approached it a savage dog ran at her. Shebeat it off with a stick, and then retreated to the'bush. LABOUR PARTY’S CONFERENCE. SYDNEY, April The Australian Labour Party’s conference was opened with Mr J Garden’s supporters in control. Much argument marked the proceedings, with allegations of corrupt practices regarding the Albury group ballot. The conference decided that the Labour Party, if successful at the next election, should pass legislation V.aking it obligatory that a Labour member should vacate his* seat if he failed to carry out the directions of his party. . April 8. At the Labour Conference, Mr Voight, the minute secretary of the party, speaking to the presentation of the executive’s annual report, said that the Australian Labour and Communist Parties ifrere really at one in their ideals. The aim of both was the socialisation of industry, which was the only solution of every labour , trouble. MELBOURNE TRAMWAYMEN. MELBOURNE, April 7. The tramwaymen on 15 city routes have declared a 24-hour strike for to-day, because the Tramways Board refused to recognise to-day as a holiday under the Arbitration Court award, the extra payment for which would amount to £l5OO. April 8. After a compulsory conference of the parties to the tramway dispute the men decided io return to work and all services arc now normal. , -