AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 24 May 1922, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Press Assn. —By Tel.—Copyright. ■■■' ■■ MELBOURNE, May 23. ■ The report of the Board inquiring into the distribution of the Gun Alley ' murder reward, recommended that the • larger part be given to Ivy Matthews, | and substantial sums to Olive Maddox i and Harding. SYDNEY, May 23. | Sydney speculators are . investing m the Muriel Tank gold find. They are despatching several parties to the field. Another strike is reported from the Young, where a gold reef has been discovered at Bribaree, 30 miles west of the town. A rush for miners’ righto has set in. The Wellington Colleries’ steamer Meeinderry and the Wallsend, cbllided in the early hours of the morning off Red Head, near Newcastle. The Meeinderry was badly damaged and put back to port in a sinking condition with a flooded boiler room, but the captain managed to beach her. The Wallsend was not affected. There were no casualties. The “Morning Herald,” in a special article dealing with languishing industries, declares that if Australia is again to have access to foreign markets for the sale of coal, the cost of production must be materially reduced. The wages of' miners are very high. Though the cost of living has fallen wages in the coal industry have not been reduced but increased 100 per cent, since 1913. It is obvious that Australia cannot continue to pay these wages and compete with the cheaper producing countries. Neither can the tariff be raised to keep the manufacturers of these countribs out. That would only mean bleeding the consumer, who is really the worker. The “Herald” declares that Government control is throttling, and largely responsible for destroying trade. The Continental nations and America captured former valuable overseas tr'ade Australia enjoyed, and shut her out

from the world’s markets. Sir George Fuller reiterated that the Government was in favour of a voluntary wheat pool, which produced successful results. The Government was prepared to encourage its continuance. It is understood that a marked difference of opinion exists in the Coalition respecting the suggested abolition of proportional representation. The National organisation is avowedly opposed to the proportional system, but the Progressives regard it as essential to its existence.

A clash is anticipated when the Government takes steps to amend the electoral system next session.

Sir Thomas Henley, in a criticism of the Commonwealth Government, which he accuses of political huckstering, in connexion with the attitude towards the coal industry, says the industry is being strangled by the owners, miners and Commonwealth. Some miners are receiving £3O per fortnight, whilst the owners are making upwards of 50 per cent.

Matters in connexion with the Theosophical split are waxing warmer. Several papers have taken the matter up, publishing much correspondence and comment.

Public interest is widely aroused. The battle chiefly rages round the resurrected charges against Bishop Leadbeater’s alleged pernicious methods of training boys, which Mrs Besant states were inquired into years ago and on which he was declared innocent.

Opponents dispute this view and demand that as head of the Society she should conduct full investigation into the allegations. Mr A. B. Peddington has resigned the presidency of the Public Questions Society of Sydney University, as he is unable to agree to the invitation to Mrs Besant to address the students.

.In his letter he explained that the Society is in search of truth, and as Mrs Besant refused inquiry into Bishop Leadbeater’s career, she is obviously out of her element, and not entitled to be heard by a Society existing for the pursuit of truth. One of the most pressing problems which the new Government is faced with is the seething discontent on some soldier settlements. Men make sweeping. complaints regarding the alleged inefficient official administration, broken promises, want of necessary funds to tide over the earlier stages of settlement and to develop holdings, and other that are called remediable troubles.

Considerable numbers have abandoned their holdings disgusted with the treatment and the barren outlook while others are threatening to leave.

The bad season has added to difficulties of the position. Mr Chaffiey (Minister of Lands) is visiting the settlements inquiring into the complaints with a view to Government action to remove the causes of discontent.

The hearing has commenced of what is known as the Wooltops case, in which the Commonwealth and a central committee are proceeding against the Colonial Spinning and Weaving Co., Ltd.

Plaintiffs’ claim is for money allegedly due by defendant Company as license fees for allowing the company to sell wooltops to foreign countries. The sum of £250,000 is claimed as damages for breach of agreement, and £282,000 paid by plaintiffs conditional upon such release.

A cross action is indicated involving about^£l,ooo,ooo in which the defendant company alleges that the Commonwealth Government was guilty of breaches of agreement in refusing to consent to further sales of wooltops except on conditions which give the Government the greater share of the profits from the company’s operations than they are entitled to. The Bishop of Melanesia, referring to the New Hebrides Condominium, said it remains exactly where it always has been. There will be no settlement till the Great Powers are able to get away from the bigger questions and find time to attend to such smaller matters.

As a rule he did not think there had been any clash between mission and commercial interests. The planters on the whole were a good set of men, and the government regulations were very stringent.

The labour question was purely one of shortage. Government officials were against anything like compulsory labour. What was to be done to solve the question he did not know.