AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1918, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

I, | fpj a PRESS ASSOCIATION.- -COPYRIGHT.] NEWMARKET HANDICAP. MELBOURNE . February 26. Thirty two acceptances have been received for the Newmarket Handicap. Wedge’s time was a record for the Futurity Stakes. , ' CAUSE OF TRAGEDY. MELBOURNE, February 26. ,A statement was made that Davies was short in his accounts as secretary to the Iron Moulders’ Union to the extent of £176(1. The officials of the Union declare that Davies threatened to do” away with himself wife and family if prosecuted. RESUMED WORK. (Received This Day at 1.20 a.m.) SYDNEY February 25. The Eastern Extension Company has resumed handling London press messages. THE PACIFIC COLONIES. JAPAN’S ATTITUDE. .(Received, This Dav at 8.50. a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Japanese Consul-Genera], lecturing here, and referring to the war, said:—-“You may rest assured that Japan, during and after the war, will be found protecting a renewal of peace in the Pacific with, all her power, indefatigably juid energetically, so that justice and the common interests of mankind shall prevail, instead of ,tho brutal militarism. There was a strong desire in Japan, as inkfll as in Australia and New Zealand, that, the German colonies in the Pacific, should not be handed baulk to Germany. If they /were, the peace of .the Pacific could not he regarded as secure from the operations of the threatening and dangerous elements.” UNFIT SOLDIERS. A SERIOUS POSITION. MELBOURNE, This Day. Of 49,754 members of tile expeditionary forces who have returned to the Commonwealth to 31st December last, 10,333 saw no service, having failed to pass the standard set by the medical authorities in England, and were sent hack as unfit, The Minister of Defence is perplexed at this result of the confliction of opinions as to the medical standard on grounds of'"cost of sending and detrimental effect, on recruiting. These conditions cannot be allowed to continue, and the Minister bus approved of sending the Director-General of Medical Services, wlio Will be assisted by other expert s, going to England and 1* ranee to fully investigate.