AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1923, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAIILE ASSOCIATION. HOSPITALS CROWDED. (Received this day at 9.25 a.m.) AIEDBOURXE. .lime 25. The hospitals arc still crowded with influenza patients. The public services and private businesses arc considerably handicapped, due to absentee, sufferers. Twelve deaths from' inllueliza have been reported during the past few weeks, including two nurses. STRIKE STATISTICS. AIEI.BOUBNE. June Official statistics show that, during the last quarter there were 73 strikes m AuM'iilia involving workors. I kt’ kiss of wages was £278.01 A. New South Wales had 5(5 stoppages, and the wages involved amounted to £230,000. PRISONER. ESCAPES. MELBOURNE, June 25. Early last week a youth named Bakei escaped from the Castlenmiiie Reformatory taking the Governor’s horse. IP' secured a suit of clothes and burned the prison garb. Since then be is reported to have entered «. bouse and stolen money and jewellery to the value of £27. He also secured a pearifle. "ne police are tracking him towards the rough Hurray country. PREFERENCE REEFS ED. AIELBOURNK. June 21. The Arbitration Court lias refused to concede preference of employment to the members of the Waterside Workers Eederatien as against the steamsuip owners. . Tin- claim was based on the grounds of the alleged discrimination against the members of me federation. Ihe rinplovers replied that the preference ojven by them was to returned so.iliors and to loyalists who stood by .1 e c ''.iters in the 1917 strike. BENEFICIAL RAINS. (Received this day at 10.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 25. Good general rain fell during Ce week-end over most of the western district and Riverimi. DC PI.EX WIRELESS. .MELBOURNE. June 25. the first time m Austiaka conversations by means of true duplex a ireless telephony, was eomlueted by two Melbourne amateur siatimis. THE COCAINE HABIT. .MEEBOURNE, Juno 20. A policin' report, in connection with the cocaine habit, states that it- was introduced in Melbourne about 21 years ago in the slum areas. ’llie police bine no knowledge of any victims outside the slums.