AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1922, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. SYDNEY, Jan. 6. Divorce applications for 1921 totalled 1353 as against 1431 in 1920. Decrees absolute were granted in 710 eases. The Town Hall will be opened for business next Saturday, and oil subsequent Saturdays. The Sonoma sailed with a shipment of four hundred thousand sovereigns. Extra precautions were taken against a recurrence of the previous robbery. A heat wave lias followed the rain. The thermometer reached 97 in the city yesterday. Extensive damage was caused to the Port Kembla breakwater as the result of the recent storm. Over twenty thousand tons of blue metal boulders were dislodged from the northern walls ami washed into the sea. The industrial returns show that 5827 factories employed 145,241 persons during 1921. The aggregate output was valued at £136,992,218. The number of factories increased by 175 in the year. The wages returns show an increase of over lour millions. The coal owners estimate that the miners ill the northern districts lost £465,639 during the year, as the result of Sectional strikes. The Federation has issued a further appeal to the miners urging them not to ballot in favour of a strike as the times are critical. It is stated that the Pastoral Finance Association was sold to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency for .•CIO,OOO cash on signing the contract, and £35,000 subsequently, subject to 140,000 bales of wool being received from former clients of flic Association.

Sydney’s new morning paper the “Daily Mail” lias made its appearance. It contains eight pitges, and the price is one penny, as against twopence for the other morning papers. It lias its own cable service, and announces that it is not allied or connected with any party or faction. It is intended to be a paper for the people, published at prices which the people regard as fair and just. MELBOURNE, Jan. 6. Three men were killed owing to a boiler bursting at the Australian Portland Cement Works at Fyansford. Charles Curtis, George Lidstone and Alexander Clavarino were having lunch at the time, twelve feet in front of the furnace. When the explosion occurred a stream of steam and aslies shot out. AUSTR ALI AN PROD UCERS. MELBOURNE, Jan. 6. The Butter Conference here continued to-day. It was resolved that the time has arrived when a committee representative of the butter producers should be created, with the - object of uplifting the butter standards and of dealing with other economic matters a fleeting the industry. A committee was appointed to draft proposals in accordance with the resolution, which will be considered by a Federal Producers’ Conference, convened for the purpose.

RACNG STUD SOLD. SYDNEY, January 6. Mr Barney Allen’s Dartmouth racing stud has been auctioned. The prices (excepting those for the brood mares, which were good) were moderate. Six-ty-nine lots realised only 5000 guineas. IRRIGATION SCHEME. SYDNEY, Jan. 6. The N.S.W. Auditor-General’s report states the Muriumliidgee Irrigation Area shows a net loss for the year of £-171,399, which is mainly attributable to the canning factory there, and the increa.se in the interest on capital. The position of the canning factory is described us calamitous. N.S.W. INDUSTRIES. SYDNEY, January 6. The industrial returns show that 5827 factories employed 145,241 persons during 1921. The aggregate output was valued at £136,992,218. The number of factories increased by 175 in the year. The wages returns show an increase of over £4,000,000.