AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1920, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

( AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. C4BL? A88RPI) (Received This Da> at, 8.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, January 9. A deputation from the Ironworkers Association waited on the Minister o Works and urged the nationalisation or Lithgow ironworks and compensation to the workers, owing to the closing of the works. The Minister promised that Cabinet would consider the matter.

SHIPPING HOLD-UP. SYDNEY, This Day. As a result of the marine engineers strike, over 250 thousand tons of shipping aro idle in the Commonwealth. ROBBERIES AT HONG KONG. BRISBANE, This Day. Passengers by the Tangomaru from Japan, bring news of a reign of terroi in Hong Kong, as'a result of depredations by Chinese pirates and robl» r gangs. Daylight robberies are of daily occurrence. Members of the police aie frequently shot in the streets. A PROTEST. BRISBANE, 'Diis Day.

Tlie Legislative Council has appointed a committee to protest to Government against the appointment of Bennon. A similar.protest was prepared for presentation to the Government.

WHEAT COMMISSION. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 12. The report of the Wheat Commission gives details only of the administration of the State wheat office. Other matters arc still in abeyance, owing to the illness of Georgeson. In an aggregate report, there is severe condemnation of the confusion and muddle which prevailed in -the wheat office until practically the beginning of 1919. His Honor found there bad been heavy losses in both wheat and mopej, but at present it is impossible to estimate the loss of wheat. He severely condemns the failure to appreciate the seriousness of the mouse plague until extensive damage was done and comes to the conclusion that with the belief that the handling of wheat would not last more than a year, the office was not adequately stnlfed with experienced men, and they became overwhelmed with the magnitude of the business, which intimately confronted them. H( also reported that certain persons ap pearetf to have conspired to fraud' office in connection with contracts foi B\im>l ies.