AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 July 1923, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

At'fcjTltAL lAN AND N.Z. CAIII.E ASSOCIATION. THE SUMATRA. SYDNEY, July 4. A report submitted to Sir A. Cooks ** by tbe New South Wales Navigation Department states the Sumatra on May 17. after completion of repairs that l:e..an:i* necessary as the result of the vessel going ashore oil St. Matthiifs Island. New Guinea, was reported upon. The hull was declared to be seaworthy but the life-saving appliances were very defective. These were later brought up to requirements. The ves-el at no time carried a certificate from the State Navigation Department, nor was it surveyed by tbe department at. the request of t!.o Commonwealth authorities. The action taken by the. State was solely oue to the Superintendent of Xu vigil?*” tion. v,ho wished the practice of supervision to continue without exception, and who issued an instruction to the officers, accordingly. The General Secretary of the Merchant Service Guild states that the figures of the money expended in overhauling and repairing the Sumatra since 1917 are ridiculous and preposterous. ANOTHER WRECK FEARED. ADELAIDE, July 4. Fears are entertained that, another shipping disaster has occurred. Wreckage, consisting of kerosene tins, new hatches and foreign papers, have been discovered near Cape Northumberland. A search is being made along the coast. !

11.M.5. geranium. BRISBANE, July 4. 11.M.5. Geranium cabled on the 20th June: “Safe. Proceeded to Thursday Island under own steam, convoyed by the Fani'ome.” TRADE RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA. MELBOURNE, July 4. Anticipations that tho reciprocal trade agreement negotiations between Australia and Canada would lie successfully completed at an early date appear likely to be disappointed, owing to obstructive tactics of the opposition and in points of detail which have cropiied up over the agreement itself. It is improbable the agreement onn Im* submitted to Parliament before, the Premier, Mr Bruce leaves for England.

TASMANIA REVENUE. HOBART, July J Tasmania’s revenue for tho year ended June 3(1 was £2,172,0(10, as compared with £2,181,000 in the previous year. THE PACIFIC CABLE. BRISBANE, July 4. Good progress is being made with the laying of the Southport section of the Pacific Cable. The shore end is being laid, and it is expected to bo in working order by tho end of this r week. v QUEENSLAND FINANCE. BRISBANE, July 3. The State revenue for the last financial year increased by £"248,000, and expenditure by £28.1,000, the year ending with a deficit of £183,000. PRODUCE FOR NEW ZEALAND. HOBART, July 4. Tho steamer Koitangata, the first steamer ever to leave Northern Tasmania with produce for New Zealand, has sailed to-day from Devonport, for Auckland, with a large consignment of potatoes, chaff and oats.

ROADING LOAN. GISBORNE, July 4. A proposal to raise £130,000 for permanent road works in Cook County was defeated to-dav by 73 votes, tho opposition to it being based mainly on a belief that the proposals were intercepting the operation of tho main highways scheme.