AUSTRALIAN

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1919, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN

fa08X71)1,1 AN <fc N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] ("PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] WHEAT PRICES. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, September 18.

The Farmers Conference recorded the opening of the most effective means of preventing the extinction of the wheat industry was for the Federal Government to quarantee a minimum price of 5/6 per bushel for a period of three years; that no wheat be sold for local consumption at less than the export parity; that milling wheat now held in various pools be not sold locally or for export, at less than 7/- bushel.

BREAD SUPPLY. SYDNEY, September 17. Supplies of bread are now increasing although there is. only sufficient to place everyone on half rations. Some bakeries were rushed by excited crowds. At suburban shops, queues a mile long waited for hours. •

All efforts to settle the dispute have failed. 9 The men have submitted fresh proposals hut the masters have refused to negotiate unless the men return to work under the old conditions.

The strikers have now therefore handed over the control of the dispute to the officials of the Labor Council which has decided to stand behind the men.

SHIPWRIGHT’S STRIKE. SYDNEY, September 17. The shipwrights at ,Walsh Island have struck over the dismissal of a fireman. The launching of a 5,500 ton steamer arranged for Friday has been postponed

SEAMEN’S AGREEMENT. MELBOURNE, September 16. Senator Millen announces that an agreement has been reached between the ship-owners, representing 95 per cent of the total tonnage, and the seamen which will be formally signed on Monday. It will increase the wages by 35s monthly over the award of December 1918. There is to be a flat rate of 2s 6d an hour for overtime. An allowance of four hours off in port for each week is stipulated. Hie agreement ils retrospective to August. It expires in December of 1921.

FARMERS CONFER. (Received This Dav at 11.20. a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Farmers Conference resolved to place on the platform of the party, insurance against accident, illness, unemployment, old age and death, on lines of the English measure. It was also decided against the system of pre-selection of parliamentary candidates. RESUMING AT COBAR, SYDNEY, This Day. Mining operations will be resumed at Cobar on Monday.

federal politics. (Received This Day at 11.20. a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. In the 'House of Representatives, Mr Hughes stated that the British Government was advancing tho Commonwealth five hundred thousand to foster tho treatment of spelter in Australia, The Minister of Customs announced that on the importation of hall races from America recently, it had been ifoulnd the articles were of German manufacture. The races were seized and destroyed.

During the debate on the Peace Treaty, Mr Hughes corrected his former figures in reference to the claim for nil indemnity, stating they should have been war expenditure 364 million, and capitalised value of pensions, damage to civilian property and similar war crr.te, one hundred million

SHIPPING AGREEMENT MELBOURNE, This Day. Shipowners have agreed to return sick seamen to their home ports paving wages till their return to duty, providing the illness is contracted in service aboard ship, and to provide better accommodation. for the crews.