AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1922, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. OABLI ASSOCIATION. MAY DAY. SYDNEY, May 8. May Day celebrations organised by the Labour Council and Socialist organisations .passed tamely. The procession .was minus the .Red Flag, but-the . participants wearing the Red rosettes were also minus the promised band. They inarched through the streets to the (Domain, .where from several platforms emblazoned • declamatory.banners against capitalism, wage slavery, and in favour of communism. The usual .watered revolutionary speeches were delivered to largo crowds. The burden of Abe speeches was the necessity of uniting against and reduction of wages or increase of .working hours. <A resolution vns adopted pledging the workers to do all in their power to abolish labour slavery, refusing to accept any loss wages or work longer hours. 'The adoption of the resolution was the signal for the hoisting of the Red flag, and a counter demonstration with the display of white bannerettes. Mrs Pankhurst and Mrs Walsh in a militant speech declared they were celebrating the coming revolution which was going to give power to the workers. Howie (President of the Labour Council) declared against Professor Meredith Atkinson’s recent statements regarding Soviet Russia; declaring he did not fear the light of day. defended the Soviet system. The proceedings generally were good humoured and orderly. *

CH IXK.SE HEADQUARTERS. SYDNEY, May 8. The,official headquarters of the:G|iinese Republic have been opened. Representatives of Australasia wore present. A PROBATE CASE. MELBOURNE, May 8. •1-he .Lippe .probate ease cabled on 7th April, .was mentioned in the Practice ■Court before Justice Sehutt on Saturday. The judge remarked that it was a peculiar case and inquired whether .the .parties were content to have the matter tried on affidavit. Lowe for the executor, said he was b.v no moans Mice that all the facts would conic before the .Court on affidavit. The judge said he would yet the ease down on the list for hearingj subject to any application to have the matter .tried in the Practice 'Court, and ordeied the discovery of certain letters which the executors bad referred to. REDUCTNG Fit ELGUTS. MELBOURNE, May 8 Six shipping companies interested in •the transport of coal from Newcastle have reduced freights by 2s per ton. INDUSTRIAL UPHEAVAL THREATENED. TO .FIGIIT WAGE CUTS. MELBOURNE, May 8. A grave industrial crisis is threatened in Victoria, owing to the attitude of several of tho unions against t reductions, in wages. A strike in the electrical trade has only been averted until negotiations be. gin between" the Disputes Committee, the Trades Hall, and the employers. There is also a grave possibility of the members of the Australian .Workers’ Union refusing to accept the terms of Justice Powers’s shearers’ award (with a large wage-cut, as cabled elsewhere). If this action is taken, .the pastoral industry throughout Australia .will be brought to a standstill. j The employees in the city sewerage, system also threaten to strike unless: their grievances regarding the reduc-i tion of wages are settled by May 22. The Gas Workers’ Union of Melbourne also .threaten similar action on, Tuesday if their wages are reduced. UNEM PLOYED SOLDIERS. SYDNEY, May 8. A-t a mooting at Sydney Town Hall called to discuss methods for finding ■work for the unemployed soldiers, it was stated that then- it re now 700 unemployed returned men in Sydney city and Newcastle. In addition to these there are GOOO soldier settlers in the country who are at the end of their resources. A BIG EIRE. PERTH, May 8 A big lire destroyed the premises of Robert Harper and Co., merchants and manufacturers. The damage amounted to £‘40,000. N.S.W. LABOUR. SYDNEY, May 8 Tho Agenda paper for the State Conference of the Australian Labour Party to be held in June, covers a host <f varied resolutions. Among them is a proposal that all the Scriptures and Kiblc-in-Statc-Schools shall he abolished Another provides that all private schools shall lie confiscated, and placed under the State Education Department. There is a proposal that beer should lie declared a necessary commodity, and brought under the Anti-Profiteering Act. Another resolution provides that the Parliamentary Liquor bar be abolished, owing to the state of members during the sittings of the House. Another proposal advocates the addition of State Parliaments. RUSSIAN WORKERS STARVING. SYDNEY, May 7. Tho Trades and Labour Council Las’ received advices from Russia that 20,000,000 of the working classes in Russia are starving. HANK HELPING RUSSIANS. SYDNEY, May S. The manager of tho .Commonwealth Bank has announced that the Governors have .promised to give £1 for £1 su °- sidy on all monies collected in - Hie State for the Russian Relief Fupd, up fo £IO,OOO,