THE COMMONWEALTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16284, 26 November 1920, Page 8

THE COMMONWEALTH.

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. My Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. ..Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received November 26, 8.40 a.mA ' GEORGESON wheat inquiry. SYDNEY, November 26. ■. Mr-.Justice Pring opens an inquiry on Monday into allegations of graft in connection with the Qcorgcson Wheat Inquiry. » A SLUMP IN TRADE. A slump lias occurred in the interstate cargo trade, for the first tune! in many years shippers are not inquiring for space to ship big parcels of goods for the Christmas trade. Easing off has not come suddenly, but the unsettled state of the markets during tho past six months has gradually been re- , fleeted in coastal trade. Merchants are very unsettled and are afraid of anticipating what tho position tnay ho three months hence. . ■ EFFECT OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES. During the period 1916 to 1919 in•dustrial disputes totalled 1676, involving 566,000 workers and 10,000,000 working days lost. The Commonwealth i figures show 2613 disputes, affecting ,761)000 workers and 14,809,000 days ■W. MURDER AND SUICIDE. A returned soldier named Alexander M’Lean fatally shot a girl of eighteen and committed suicide at Macksvillo. The jraotivp was jealousy. PARLIAMENTARY SALARIES. The Commission recommends that.tho ' salaries of members of Parliament shall, ho £875. ot Ministers £1945, of the At-torney-General £2095. and of the Premier £2445. (This is in correction of a previous message.) The Labour caucus adopted the recommendations, and also commensurate increases for the Speaker and chairman of committees, and recommended that a Bill to give effect to the proposals immediately be introduced to Parliament. LABOUR C7ESARS AND ROMANvv,'vv;..’ OFFS. . ■At the annual meeting of the Em- ’ plovers’ Federation the president in his add ross, referring to the loss of time and money through strikes, said that, what Australia- was suffering from was the temporary‘.and accidental prominence and power of those autocratic Crosars ana Romanoffs of the Labour . Party. Until they were replaced by men of greater ability, experience and moderation there could be little respite from industrial turmoil and unrest. He ' claimed Qiat the Arbitration Courts had . proved a restraining influence and a powqr for good hardly'to bo over-estl- • matjfed. PENSIONS AND HOSPITALS. Th 9 annual conference of the Nationalist Party adopted a resolution in favour of an increase in invalid and old .age pensions, in view of the high cost of living, and Government supported hospitals, instead of leaving those institutions dependent on public subscriptions. ; THE BASIC WAGE. MELBOURNE, November 26. / In the House of Representatives the Hon F. G. Tudor moved m accordance * with Mr Hughes’s Bendigo pledge of 1919, that the Government would give immediate effect to the basic wage findingl Ho stated that some Industries Were already , paying the wage. From 1913.,t0 1918 production had increased . by, £64,000.009, hut wages by only £4,600;0b0, or 7 to 8 per cent. While » the . workers received only £4,500,000 increase the manufacturer’s had receiv--1 profit. The debate was adjourned, LADY ALDERMAN. /' -ra PERTH, November 26. , 'Mrs Clapham was elected alderman , In the City Council!. The Labour candii ’ dates were defeated. The electors were I v apathetic, only 10 per cent voting. | prohibition MOVEMENT. K , ■ ‘ NEWCASTLE, November 26. ■ ,»,lhe Anglican Synod passed a resoln- ■ «pn .against prohibition, but urged the people to make a dose study of the problem with a view to refomtrade.