AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1921, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

A (IS HUMAN AND N.SI. CAtIT.E ASSOCIATION". SPEAKER ELECTED. ( SYDNEY, December 13. j Mr Simon Hit-key. the Labour Member for Botany, has been elected SPeaker of the New South Wales Assembly. This leaves the state of the parties ; as follows: Government 44; Opposiiuu (Farmers and Nationalists) 45. ! COLLIKRY ACCIDENT. FOUR MINERS BURIED. SYDNEY, December 13. A fall of coal at Stanford Merthyr Colliery, near Kurrikurri, buried four men, named Robert Irving, Ezra Rawlings, Meredith Williams and Reginald Tucker. Irving was working the tops when a fall of tops occurred, entombing him. The other three rushed to the rescue, hut attempting to extricate him, they were buried by a second fall After heroic work in the danger zone, The other miners recovered the entombed men. When found, Irving was j dead and the other three seriously in- j ju red, N.S.W. POLITICS. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) " SYDNEY, December 14. Government having failed in its effort to secure a candidate for the much hawked Speakership of the Assembly, women took a hand in the matter. A ( deputation of eighteen .waited on Dr Arthur, a Nationalist and supporter Motherhood Endowment and asked him to secure the passing of the Endowment Bill and incidentally thereby save the Government from defeat. Dr Arthur declined the martyrdom. not only because he considered the prospects of the Bill were not bright lmt because they were asking him to sink his principles and consign himself to political contempt and oblivion to save a Government which was most the reckless irresponsible and dangerous there had ever eben in New South Wales.