AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1922, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

AUBTBALIAN AND N.2. CABLE ASSOCIATION

METHODIST CONFERENCE

(Received This Day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 22. Rev. Dyer was elected President ol the Methodist Conference.

ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. SYDNEY, Feb. 22

The economic round-table conference has opened. Mr Hughes in his opening address stressed the need for more production at a lessened cost. He instanced th© fact that a ship could be built at £l6 per ton in Glasgow, which cost £3O in Australia, He added that Government was prepared to do anything acceptable to both parties, in order to remedy the existing economic evils.

PLAGUED RATS. , SYDNEY, Feb. 22. Two plague rats were discovered one at Paddington and one in the city. PLAGUE FIGURES. BRISBANE, Feb. 22. Official plague figures show fifty-six cases in Brisbane, and twenty-eight deaths; thirty-two cases in Townsville and twenty-deaths; eighteen eases at Cairns and eleven deaths. THE MURDER CASE. MELBOURNE, Feb. 22. In the Tirtschke ease the Crown evidence has closed. Counsel for Ross entered upon the defence which stated would be prdof of a complete alibi.

JOURNALISTIC APPOINTMENT SYDNEY, February 22.

Mr Farmer-Whyte, editor of . tile Brisbane “Daily ’Mail” lias been appointed Editor of the Sydney “Daily Telegraph.” He was formerly sub-ed-itor of the “New Zealand Herald.” A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) ADELAIDE, Feb. 23 A mysterious disease is responsible for seven deaths out of ten cases at Ranmark Hospital. The doctors are puzzled. They have injected serum from the dead body into sheep for investigation. A SUBMARINE VOLCANO. (Received This Day at 10.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 23. A warning has been issued to shipping that the master of the ship Glengyle reported sighting an iincliartored submarine volcano, in latitude three degrees.sß minutes north, longitude 124 degrees 10 minutes east.

THE MURDER TRIAL. MELBOURNE, Feb. 23. Ross giving evidence in bis own defence, denied tbe evidence of Matthews and Harding, lie declared lie left the cafe on the night of the crime and slept at home. He said the defectives were manufacturing evidence in order to fit him, because he heat them in a previous case. He alleged that the hairs found in a blanket, supposedly Tirtsehke’s, we He those of relatives of the family who slept with them. His mother and brother gave supporting evidence. GERMAN PROPERTIES. MELBOURNE, Feb. 23 The Federal Executive Council has issued' a regulation stating that the properties taken from German owners in New Guinea, will be sold outright, with certain concessions to Australian soldiers respecting payment and custody. They may sell only to Australian soldiers or to a natural born British subject. MONEY PLENTIFUL. MELBOURNE, Feb. 23. TUe Federal Treasurer is in receipt of cable information advising him that a large amount of money is available in London for investment owing to tin* unfavourable conditions of British export.

THREAT WITHDRAWN. SYDNEY, Feh. 23

After listening to the explanation of Mr Dooley on the strike report, the Railway Conference declared the throat of a regulation strike off.

A LIBEL SUIT. SYDNEY, Fob. 23. Speaker Levy has issued a wr.L £SOOO against Benjamin Marks for de famntion.