AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1922, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN.

VtJSTBALIAN ArfD N.Z. OABUK ASSOOIATIOK N.S.W. POLITICS. SYDNEY, May 1. The Coalition party will discuss the Salaries Bill to-day and endeavour to calm the anxieties of recalcitrants. Tt is stated several of the latter, including Hoskings, late whip, are in favour of retaliating on Ministers by moving an amendment for greater reductions in Ministers’ salaries.

FREIGHT REDUCTIONS. SYDNEY, May 1. A reduction is announced in overseas freight on sheepskins and by-products of tallow. The reduction of sheepskins is from 1£ to ljd per pound from Australia to France, reduction of steariue olive 160 sto 130 s per ton. Freight on tin clippings is reduced from 100 sto 75s per ton.

UNION CONFERENCE. SYDNEY, May 1

A conference of unions has been called to consider the request by the railway commissioners that railway labourers should pass a medical test. It was decided the present time was inopportune to strike. There were too many unemployed, and unions were not financially strong enough to stand a seige.

CHESS. MELBOURNE, May 1. Details of the chess championship show —Watson eleven wins, and two losses £SO; Vincr (Now South Wales) ten wins, one draw, two loses 10J pts, £3O; Crakanthorp (New South Wales), Gunderson (Victoria), Boyce (Queensland'), Davies (Now Zealand) eight pts eneh, equal third £2O. Davies won seven, drew two, and lost four. FEDERAL POLITICS. ADELAIDE, May 1. The South Ausralian Liberal Union has disregarded the representations made by .Mr Hughes and other Ministers to close their ranks and decided to nominate candidates for the next Federal elections in opposition to the National candidates.

CATTLE SUBSIDY. BRISBANE, May I

The cattle council has completed an arrangement in the tonus of Mr Hughes’ offer to subsidise the beef industry, all parties agreeing to specified proportionate reductions. It is estimated that a dressed weight of 105 million pounds of beef the exportable is eighty-one per tent. The Federal Government’s concession of a farthing per pound will yield £105.221 sterling. 'Hie freight concession on the same meat works out a reduction of Jd, and the yields of half labour reduction of onesixteenth yields a quarter, a total of £453,077 sterling, equal to £1 10s per head or 4s 7d per hundred pound.

THE MICE PLAGUE. SYDNEY, April 30.

A conference of western district branches of the agricultural bureau resolved to ask Government, in view of he widespread damage resulting from the mouse plague to negotiate with the Pasteur Institute to introduce a virus for the spread of disease among mice. Statements have lmen made showing that mice are still widely ravaging the wheat fields ; also that tile last mouse plague caused a loss of wheat valued at one million sterling, besides an' untold loss on farms and in homes.

ADMIRAL’S FAREWELL. SYDNEY, May I

Wlmt is regarded as one of the finest compliments a Navy can pay to a departing commander was accorded to Bear-Admiral Dumaresq. After his handing over command to Commodore Addison on board the warship Brisbane he war rowed ashore in a boat manned by eight commanders of warships in port.

Q C KENS LAND CELEBRATION. BRISBANE, May 1. Labour Day was celebrated to-day ns a close holiday, with the usual trade unionists’ procession. AUSTRALIA’S PAST. SYDNEY, May 1. Speaking at the anniversary of the landing of Captain Cook here, Chief Justice, Mr Cullen, referring to Ausrnlift’s progress, said : “ Wp can look the whole world in the face, and owe no compliment to anybody, high or low,-who thinks Australia. lias anything to be ashamed of.” He mentioned this, because lie saw a suggestion that Australia should try to forget her early days, liecnusp the first people who oanio here, came involuntarily. lie pointed out it was not the, worst of Britan in’s criminals who were sent here. Only the host of the offenders were sent, to give them a chance to make good in a new land. Some of the best of the population got a new start under this system, and lie appealed to his hearers to put those foolish jabberers in their places, who say Australia ha.s to he perpetually reminded that in the first fleet were some who would rather have remained behind. THE MISSING BARQUE. SYDNEY, May 1. The pilot at Camden Haven reports that ho sighted the Mo mi re wa on tho afternoon of April 9. The, agents state the vessel may he expected to reach the Clarence river at any hour, as there ha.s been no had weather since April ,1.