AUSTRALIAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15874, 13 July 1922, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

<Elec Tel. Copyright-United Press Assn.* _,, . . SYDNEY, July 12. Ihe police arrested two youths, Frederick Powell and Stanley.SpithilK on a charge of assault m company, with intent to rob The offence was committed in May last, the police alleging that both accused are in some way connected with th 3 murder of Mr. Kemniis,' the bank manager. The hammer with which Hemmis was killed has been identified as having been stolen from a laundry at liornsby several days ago. ' Cabinet lias put the finishing touches to a Bill abolishing the forty-four hour week. The measure will be introduced on the conclusion of the censure debate. Ihere will be no .universal sweeping away of the forty-four hours', week, but the Bill makes it impossible to fix fortyfour as Che minimum in industries under State control. The Bill permits employers and employees to come to an agreement to work a forty-four hours' •week.

" (Received July 13, 10 a.m.) m SYDNEY, July 13. ' The advocacy of community singing is finding much expression in the press. It has already got a strong hold of the leading centres in South Australia and West Australia, and is proving more popular. The success of the movement in New Zealand, and its inspiring effect upon public life there, is widely quoted m support. i The Federal and State Governments are considering an important modification of the railway gauge unification scheme, whereby it is claimed the mileage will be reduced some hundreds of miles and be independent of Victorian and South Australian co-operation, which does not favor the existing proposals; also that it would assist in developing national land undertakings and completing important hung-up railways. it would be more advantageous from a strategic standpoint and would greatly reduce the initial cost and work in altering gauges. The scheme is to link up the trans-Continental railway » from Port Augusta with the New South Wales system, by one of three suggested routes, largely across country, instead of, as previously proposed, converting coastal lines. • . .'• ■ ' MELBOURNE, July 12: An analysis of the Expeditionary Force statistics disclose that the rate of mortality while absent from Australia was approximately 7| per cent: per annum. Voder normal Australian conditions tho rate of mortality of a body'of men of' similar ages would be approximately one half per cent, per annum. • • ■ • '■:" (Received July 13, 11.20 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 13; Kiandra registered four • degrees* of frost on Wednesday, the coldest • record this winter. ,' . . . The Premier has communicated' wii|i Mr. Hughes in connection. with the discontinuance of the weather reports." Protests have also been made .'by many sections of the community. '"; In the Assembly on the censure 'debate an uninteresting division is expected to-night. The Government ' victory is considered certain. Tho Graziers' Association reported that eighteen sheds have already started .shearing under the award ' rates. 1 lonty of labor is offering aud no serious trouble is anticipated. : - MELBOURNE, July 13.; In tho House of Representatives, ,JJr. Ryrio promised to make enquiries regarding the discontinuance of. weather reports. Mr. Sculling (Labor) moved an amendment to-the Address-in-Replyj that tho House is opposed to the closing of the. Geelong woollen mills. Mr. Greene, in vindicating the policy of. the Government respecting primary j industries, sjaid that during the past' ten years the yield, including fruit and dairy produce, increased by £99,817,000, or 225 per cent. The Minister ignored a thrust from a country member asking the increased cost of production.