AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1922, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

VUBTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. LABOUR TROUBLES IN FIJI. SUVA, March 15. The Indian Commission visiting Fiji has practically concluded its Labour, and is returning to India after the arrival of Governor Rodwell on 25th. The results a're believed to be unfavourable, members of the Commission do not favour Indian immigration for labour, but settlement which will not help the planters, who are gene; ally adverse to any settlement scheme without labour conditions.

Sliarma speaking at Nadi advised the Tndi yis to burn in effigy the Colonial Sugar Refining Company’s delegates who state they are still negotiating with the Compnjiiy regarding wages of Europeans, and are strongly opposed to equal status proposals. Meetings are suggested to encourage European instead of Indian settlement and oppose the Indian claim for equal status.

Very few Indians accepted the reduced rate of pay offered by the company and are working their own rice fields and farms

Tbc sugar outlook is pessimistic unless sufficient labour becomes available.

BRISBANE WOOL SALES. BRISBANE, .March 15

At the wool sales the prices were good. Fleece were 15 per cent ; medium and inferior 1(1 to 15 per cent; good skirtings five per cent, and medium skirtings 7Vd per cent lower than those, of last sale. COOGEE TRAGEDY.

SYDNEY, March 15

Al the inquest on Gannon, the victim of the recent Coogee tragedy the coroner said he was unable to decide on the evidence who rescued Gannon, but it was sufficient to say they were brave men, and did everything that was humanly possible to rescue him.

£SOO REWARD. (Received This Uav at 10-15 a.m.) SYDNEY, -March 1(5.

A big lire in tlie department store ••( Kiama early in the week caused £15,000 damage. It is believed to have been committed by burglars and £SOO reward is offered for the conviction .of the perpetrators.

CLOSING DOWN. SYDNEY, .March Hi.

The l'miaining blast furnace at the steel works at Port Waratali, has been closed down and 300 men were dismissed. It is expected the Company’s contracts will be fulfilled by the end of the month. The works will l Den close. The extent of the depression at Lithgow is reflected in tlit* reduced membership of the iron workers union, which lias dwindled from 000 to 131 c'embois during eighteen month:.'.

j MEAT WORKS REOI’EV ' 1 .MELBOURNE, March 10. ! Air Hughes lias announced that Yostey’s are reopening their meat works at Darwin at an earlv date.

EFFICIENCY LEAGUE. SYDNEY, -March Li. The business men’s efficiency league of X.S.W. by ballot, decided as tit? result of replies from many representative business men ami institutions in United States and Canada, that prohibition proved successful in those countries from a business standpoint and iesuhj.'d to continue an educational campaign with the object of securing it I ere.

ABOUT FIJI. SYDNEY, March Hi. Lord Rodw ill. Governor of Fiji, has returned after a six months visit to England, He said the great need of the Pacific Islands was population, including Europeans. In many islands the native populaton was decreasing, hut that tendency appeared to he arrested in Fiji group.

COUNCIL OF ACTION. ■Received This Day at 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, March Hi. The Council of Action decided to hold Ihe second congress of unions at M/4ktniiny on 2()th June, to consider reports on socialisation of industry, prevention of war and generally to take stock of the economic position of the workers.

swimaiing squabble. SYDNEY, March lfi. A rt,-T ;i stormy meet in”', Now South Woles Swimming Assoeialion reinstated Hardwick :ts on oniateiir by 75 to 7. The President, James Toylor, ruled the matter out ol' order and the decision u;ns dissented from, whereupon Taylor and the remainder of the oflieiols resigned. The meeting persuaded L. Dull' (secretory) to withdraw his resignation.

scrapping airships. MELBOURNE, March 1G The Commonwealth lias been officially informed that the British Government intends scrapping airships intended for the establishment of the Km pine airship service.

LOSING TRAD!-

MELBOURNE March lfi

A. 11. McDonald, manufacturer of farm implements, giving evidence before the Arbitration Court, stated the engineering award of 1921 I l ightened customers and his export trade had gone. Only one big machine was sent to New Zealand.

Lewis, of Kelly and Lewis, stated that soon after the award came into operation, a big contract from New Zealand was cancelled.

U.S.A. restrictions. VANCOUVER, March 15. A. liberal use of tie? exemption clauses of the new Immigration Limitation Law by the American immigration officials, has enabled 22 of the detained Niagara passengers to enter the United States. Three are si-ill held, but these will probably be passed.