Australian News

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 April 1914, Page 3

Australian News

Telectric telegraph, copyright. | [per ppjsss association. 1 (Received This Day 9.30 a.m.) A TRAGEDY. Sydney, This Day. A tragedy is reported from Y ass, Robert. Reidy, aged 60 years, evidently developed insanity suddenly and struck his wife, who was packing clothes, on the back of the head with an axe and afterwards cut her throat with a knife. Reidy subsequently cut his own throat. Both are dead. The murder was witnessed by a nine-year-old grand-daughter. Reidy was inclined to be peculiar and was continually indulging in prayer.

PUBLIC TO PAY. The new Federal watersiders' award has caused a sensation, in shipping circles. It is estimated tht it .means an increase in wages in Sydney alone of £130,000 peayear. The shipowners have not attempted to disguisfi the fact that the public, will have to pay. MOTION OF CENSURE. Mlebourne, This Day. Mr A. Fisher, in moving the motion of censure accused members of the Government of .slandering the former Labour Government and the people, by stating that the rolls should be cleansed before an election. Referring to the Trans-Australian railway lie declared that the Government had let one contract without calling for tenders. He blamed the Government for reverting to the contractsystem instead of upholding the day labour system, and abolishing preference to unionists.

The Hon. >T. Cook ridiculed the feebleness of the charges,, but agreed to take the amendment as a serious motion of censure.

STRIKE EPIDEMIC. There are a large liumebr of winkers striking in different parts of the Commonwealth, there being 110 less than five distinct strikes in Sydney, mpstly through men being dismissed for various reasons. Only one looks like spreading: that of the carters, who are refusing to handle chaff declared to be non-union. This strike started at Coolamon, where members of the Australian Workers Union have struck. The farmers handled their own chaff, but the enginedriver, fireman and guard refused to work the train carrying the chaff and were dismissed. Others brought it into Sydney and now the carters refused to touch it. The Federation of Labour upheld the' strikers and the Employers' Federation will support the Master Carriers' Association in any steps that may be taken. AN ARREST. A man was arrested at ITudgee charged with the murder of Dixon, who was found on the 22nd February in a camp with < his head badly injured. Re died in the hospital. AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE. Melbourne, This Day. Bridges has been appointed Director-General of the Australian forces. M ELBOTTR NE MARKETS. Wheat is .'is 9d bushel, flour £!), bran and pollard £5, bailey (English malting) -5s -5d to .'ls 4d, Cape barley 2s 2d to 2s 4d, oats (Algerian) Is Sd to Is lOd, maize '5s lOd, peas 3s 5d to - c ss f!d, potatoes £4 los to £5, onions £6 to £0 ss.