AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1923, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN ANJ) N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. IRISH ENVOYS. AIEI.BOURNE, ALay 30. The Federal High Court to-day continued the hearing of the Irish Republican Envoys’ application for an order against the holding of an enquiry by a special board. Counsel for the applicants took a new point, arguing that the proceedings of the Board of Inquiry in New South Wales amounted, in effect, to contempt of Com t, as the Envoys wero already awaiting trial on an indictment for seditious conduct when the Board of Inquiry commenced its sittings.

NON-UNIONISTS LOAD COAT,. SYDNEY, May 30. Matters in connection with the coal troubles are now quiet. The masters are depending on a waiting policy, and they are claiming that the Union leaders’ aim is job control, which tiie employers are determined to resist to the uttermost. The men show little present inclination to accept the owners’ terms. Meanwhile the stacked coal at tiie idle Maitland pits is being loaded with tiie assistance of non-union, labour, under police protection. Tile strikers are mostly contenting themselves with easing their feelings against tiie interlopers. Their demonstrations. which include the playing of the “Dead March”, are generally of a peaceable character, tiie police quickly suppressing any tendency towards rougher methods. COCAINE DEALERS. (Received this dav at 9.15 a.m.) MELBOURNE. May 31.

[u connection with a case where a man was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for being found in unlawful possession of cocaine, the police stated the cocaine habit has increased to an enormous extent, particularly amongst tiie slum areas. Investigations disclosed tiie existence of a combine, including several chemists, which was en-

gaged in the distribution ef tiie drug, and independently of this combine, the man who recently arrived from England, where lie served u term for cocaine smuggling, is carrying on ail extensive trade in the drug. Women arc alleged to bo the chiel customers of tiie illicit trader. HOSPITALS CONFERENCE. SYDNEY. May 31. The Hospitals Conference recommends the Oovernnieiit not to iuterlere with the existing system of financing hospitals as the voluntarv system has nut broken down. SOLDIERS AND AIR BRUCE. SYDNEY. A fay 31. A meeting of the various returned soldiers' organisations endorsed tiie attiude of the Federal Executive in tiie dispute with Air Bruce.

TER At EXPIRES. SYDNEY. Alav 31. The Board of Trade's term of appoint, mont. expires to-day. after sitting for five years. The future policy of the Government is uncertain, hut it is not expected that the Board's term will lie extended. AIR BRUCE AGREES. .MELBOURNE, Alny 31 Air Bruce informed the Australian Empire development union that he will lie prepared to prosen! to the Imperial Economic Coni u'eiiee, the Union's petition recommending the British Government to grant adequate preference to Australian products. DOCTOR'S EVIDENCE. (Received tiiis day at 1.0 p.m.) BRISBANE, May 31. During (he hearing of the v orcorau case, evidence was given by Cooper and other medicos that the general rule was that doctors did not count the instruments and swabs used after an opera! ion was performed That duty was. left to the nurse,-. Coopei said she never cheeked her instruments after operations. She added that if tiie forceps, which were six inches long, were found in Corcoran’s body they had ljocn there when she. operated. She would not have seen them as she operated in a different part of tiie abdomen.