Commonwealth Cables

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 82, 11 August 1923, Page 7

Commonwealth Cables

Press Association —Copyright Sydney, August 10. In the Assembly,.- Mr Bruxner denied Sir Joseph Fuller’s statement that the fanners had already been paid half a million compensation for the 1910-17 wheat damage Ho said that if the Government were unable to prove he was wrong, he would put up a member of bis Pariy to move an amendment to the Add e-.fv-in-Reply, which would test the leeiing of tho House. Mr Chaffey, in reply, said the Government still had to settle up with tho wheat pools for other years; also, that every penny due to tfio farmers would bo paid, but as the 191fj-17 pool 'had been reimbursed to the extent of £‘.855,789 in excess of the amount realised by the wheat, tho Government would deserve censure if it paid nil additional half a million as compensation.

Tho debate wag adjourned till Tuesday. Political circles regard Air Bruxnerts speech as containing all the elements of a crisis, unless Cabinet diplomacy overcomes the difficulty. Questions were asked both in tho State and Federal Parliaments regarding the reported formation of an organisation similar to tho Klu Klus Klan in Australia and tho need for action to prevent such a malign organisation getting a hold. An inquiry and preventive action if necessary were promised. Some mouths ago an advertisement appeared in a Sydney paper calLng a meeting of the Klu Klux Klan in one of tho suburbs. Since thou there have been various rumours, though nothing of u character to show any such organisation is actively in existence. Sydney, August 10.

The Hebburn colliery has resumed. Rod Hand and Aberdare are the only two mines idle at present. The Chief Inspector of Mines has! returned from .broken Hdl. He says the complete suppression of the fire in the central mines will require a lot of work, taking considerable time. I Hobart, August 10. Thirteen of the seventeen members of the Ministry held a caucus, with the object of inducing Cabinet to institute railway .reforms. Premier Hayes forestalled action by tendering the resignation of the Cabinet. Sydney, August 10. A conference of Anglican clergy in the Sydney Diocese reviewed the Hickson Mission, the judgment generally, being that the Mission had proved a blessing to th© community in many ways, not only respecting remarkable cures, but in spiritual benefits. Though not deciding to coordinate in the spiritual mission work of the different denominational churches, th© members of th© conference determined to do what they could as individuals in carrying forward the message of Christ’s healing. FVanco has notified Mr Hicks that she will be unable to send a tennis team to Australia this year. Efforts are being made to secure a visit ' from Spain or America. At the first annual meeting of the Cremation Company, the architect was instructed to call for tenders at a cost of CGOOO for a crematorium to ho erected within the necropolis at Rookwood. Melbourne, August 10. A deputation from the Northern Territory asked Mr Chapman to take steps to deal noth the Buffalo flv. which was causing greater havoc among cattle than tick ot j-edwator. Mr Chapman promised to refer the matter to the ' Bureau of Ssionco and Industry.

In the House of Representatives, Mr Bowden, in explaining the Defence Estimates, said that pending an arrangement at the Imperial Conference, the Government had set a«ido 21 millions ag a reserve for dofonne purposes, and the naval, military, and air forces would proceed on the same lines as intended in 1922-23. The first item on the Estimates was agreed to, and progress was reported at midnight. A twenty-four hour sitting is expected to-day, when an effort wil] be made to pass the whole of the Estimates.