AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 1912, 31 March 1920, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SHORTER WEEK DEMANDED. By Cable. — Press Associatinn,-j-Coruright. SYDNEY, Mar. 30. The Factory Employees' Union has decided to serve notices on the employers demanding a 40-hour week without reduction of pay. Ten thousand employees are affected. The Employers' Federation has decided to resist to the utmost attempts by the employees to bring about a shorter working week. FORCING~AN ISSUE. (Rec. Mar. 31, 10.55) SYDNEY, Mar. 81. The Master Builders' Association has decided to prosecute the bricklayers for refusing to work on Saturday, and have convened a meeting on Tuesday to discuss a general close-down on all works, pending a settlement of the trouble in the Arbitration Court, or by legislation. STRIKE OF~PRINTERS. MELBOURNE, Mar. 30. Negotiations for the settlement of the printers' strike have failed. GOVERNMENT CONTROL. MELBOURNE, Mar. 30. Shipowners anticipate that the Government control of ships, wool, and wheat will cease at the end of June. STATE PREMIERS' CONFERENCE. SYDNEY, Mar. 30. The State Premiers' Conference, which was fixed for April 26, has been postponed owing to the uncertainly of the result of the New South Wales elections. NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTIONS. SYDNEY,*Mar. 30. Mr J. T. Crane, Assistant-Minister of Lands, has been definitely defeated for Namoi. STATE OF THE PARTIES. (Rcc. Mar. 31, 10.55) SYDNEY, Mar. SI. The latest election figures give Labour 44 seats and the anti-Labour parties 46 seats. NEWSPAPER PRICES. j (Rec. Mar. 31, 1055) MELBOURNE. Mar. 31. The price of the "Argus" has been fixed at lid daily. The Saturday issue remains at 2d. THE MORATORIUM. (Rec. Mar. 31. 10.55) MELBOURNE, Mar. 81. In the House of Representatives, the Rt. Hon. W. M. Hughes stated that there would be no extension of the Moratorium. BEER PRICES INCREASE. (Rec. Mar. 31, 10.55) MELBOURNE, Mar. 31. The price of beer has been increased by 23/- per hogshead, and bottled beer by 2/- per dozen, owing to the new tariff (which increases the tariff on liquor). THE PRICEOF BREAD. (Bee. Mar. 31, 1055) MELBOURNE, Mar. 81. The price of the 41b loaf has been fixed at IOJd. COALmONBREAKS UP. (Rcc. Mar. 31, 1055) ADELAIDE. Mar. 31. The Hon. H. E. Anstey, Commissioner of Crown Lands, and the Hon. W. H. Harvey, Minister of Agriculture, both Nationalists, hare resigned from the Peak* Government. This means the breaking-up of the Coalition, and the creation of a Liberal Government