AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11583, 25 May 1916, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Adelaide, May 23. The Premiers’ Conference discussed the settlement of returned soldiers, including non-disbanding until opportunities have been given for opening avenues of employment and adjusting industrial conditions A commtitee was appointed to report on the question.

WAR PENSIONS BILL. Melbourne, May 23. In the House of Representatives, the War Pensions Bili was amended to include widowed mothers of unmarried soldiers, irrespective of their financial position, while instead of. 10a a fortnight to each child of deceased soldiers, the allowance is made 20s a fortnight for the first, 15s for the secondhand 10s for each succeeding child. A STRIKE SETTLED. Sydney, May 24. The strike of iron workers at Walsh Island has been settled. CARGC PILFERING. ' Sydney, May 24. In sentencing a prisoner to seven years’ penal servitude for cargo pilfering, Judge Murray said the amount of thieving at the wharves amounted to a public scandal and caused the port to stink in the nostrils of every decent citizen. COMMCNWEALTH FOCD PRICES, Sydney, May 3. Official statistics show that the price of food stuffs in the Commonwealth dunrig April decreased 3 per cent, compared with March. ROBBER SHIPPING RATES. | LIKELY TO DECLINE. AMERICAN SHIPS FOR SALE, Sydney, May 24, San Francisco files state that there are indications on the Pacific coast that the present high shipping rates are likely to decline. Colour is lent to the report by an announcement that a number of vessels, including several new ones,are offered fer sale. The Chronicle adds that practically every vessel plying out of San Francisco under charter could be bought at reasonable rates.

IMPORTANCE OF JAPAN. Sydney, May 34. At the Millions (duo luncheon Mr Snttor. Commercial Commissioner for the East, emphasised the growing importance of Japan, and urged the establishment of a Chair to dominate commercial policy in the East. He said as long as the spirit of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance kept up. No doubt Japm came to the rescue when Russia was absolutely defeated and Russia’s artillery practically destroyed, and which Japan, in resoonse to appeals from Russia and ’England, supported. Referring to trade, he warned Australia against the possibility of losing Japanese trade as the result of the publication of hostile criticisms and pin pricks time and time again PREVALENCE OF STRIKES. A GERMAN AT THE SOURCE. Sydney, May 24 Referring to the prevalence of strikes, Mr Black found that they were engineered, by tne secretary of one union, who was a German, He advised the Federal authorities to take certain action, which had resulted in the eud of disputes. SPREAD OF MENINGITIS. Melbourne, May 34. The Chief Health Officer has announced that if the meningitis outbreak does not abate it will be necessary to consider the question of limiting audiences or closing all | places of amusement. SHIPPING. i Fremantle, May 34. I Arrived. —Khyber, from Loudon.