VARIOUS CABLED ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1921, Page 3

VARIOUS CABLED ITEMS

BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT

THE ESMOND CASE

SYDNEY, Jan. 11

The regulations under which Mr Esmond was refused permission to land were only gazetted on Monday last, making it appear that the action taken in his case was determined upon prior to the arrival of the Makura. The Ministers in Melbourne have declined to make any comment on the case. HIGH PRICED GOODS. (Received Tins Dav at 8 a.in.) SYDNEY, Jan 12. York Street merchants,are embarrassed at the celerity with which English manufacturers are filling Australian orders, which is without precedent' since 1914, and lias resulted in flooding the whole market with goods purchased at high prices, thus preventing an v reduction in local prices, until supplies are exhausted. It must also result in the cessation of further orders in England for an extended period.

BREAD AND FLOUR PRICES DOWN

ADELAIDE, Jan. 12

The Commission has reduced the price of flour by £l, to C2O per ton, and bread to (id per loaf.

FIRST SPIRITUALIST CHURCH. BRISBANE, Jan. 12. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle laid the foundation stone of the Australasian First Spiritualistic Church, which is costing £IO,OOO. A DISLOYALIST. (Received This Day at 10.40 a.in.) SYDNEY, Jan 13. The Federal authorities state Esmonde will be allowed to leave the Makunii if he takes the oath of allegiance. Esmonde refuses to submit to what he terms such an indignity. In a statement to the press he states lie is a natural born British born subject, travelling on properly vised authenticated British passports. He holds a passport from Lord Curzon. His brother made the supreme sacrifice at Jutland Ho was rejected, being medically unfit. He prefers not to land in a country, placing such humiliating conditions on him. THE LIQUOR REFERENDUM. I

’ j SYDNEY, Jan 13. j Mr Fuller, commenting on the Gov- ' eminent’.s attitude towards the liqour ' referendum says the Storey Government stands ns representative of vested interests of the liquor traffic which i nder the conditions it is conducted i.- : productve of much misery, poverty, and : unhappiness; and fills the gaols. It is responsible for terrible crimes, it breaks up hnpp v homes and saps the manhood of the land. Government have flouted the law. It should have repealed the Act if it had no intention of giving effect to it. j Mr Hammond predicts a motion of j censure when Parliament meets. He j ridicules the lack of money excuse and i adds that if the soldiers who defended the country take deferred bonds, the people who injured the country should also take them. 1 TRANSPORTERS’ CONFERENCE. i < ~~ (Received This Day at 10.35 n.m.) MELBOURNE, Jan 15. Nothing definite has resulted at the Transporters’ Conference which was adjourned till Thursday. Tt is suggested that Mr Hughes act as mediator at

a round tin* table conference. NEWCASTLE COAL. (Received This Day at 12.20 p.m.l NEWCASTLE, Jan 13. During 1920, the export of coal exceeded the previous year's total by 1250 thousand tons, the totals being 4253 thousand tuns valued at £3,795,000 for 1920, against 2903 thousand valued at .£2,835,000 sterling for 1919. Of four million exported 2,839 thousand tons were shipper dto inter-state and to New Zealand and -the remainder went to thirty-one countries. NOTICE TO OFFICERS. NEWCASTLE, Jan 13. Oversea ship-owners have given officers month’s notice. SCIENCE CONGRESS. , MELBOURNE, Jan 13. The Science Congress discussed industrial fatigue. J. Heaton said employ- , ers were considering human as well as ( meohnncal wear and tear. The policy - of excessive hours during the early days of the war bad produced an exhaustion | which reacted disastrously on the output of munitions. Observation demon- ; strated in general, a forty-eight hours ( week was more productive than fiftyone or sixty-one. Congress passed a motion that a Committee investigate ; and report to the next Congress on in- ,

dustrial fatigue in Australia. Other papers urged the organisation of scientific research on a proper footing, proclaiming Macquarrie Islands as a national faunal reserve and possibility of utilising prickly pear for stock and for human food.