AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1923, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

ItISTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION. DROI Gill' BROKEN. SYDNEY, Dec. 25. The Government .Meteorologist reports that rain over the north-western districts has jut l linlly broken the drought. Over an inch v, as recorded in parts which previously had not seen rain tor six months. Unsettled conditions throughout the State have been responsible fur an unusually cool temperature for midsummer. but there Is a tendency to wards sultriness with prospects ol rain over tliu holidays. Cm OF SYDNEY. SYDNEY. December 25. Christmas Eve. Mas spent lamely and Mies practically devoid of incident. Tin-, late shopping night absorbed loos',derr.: le numbers of workers ami sko) pe >. iliiis minimising congestion in the city tho roup,h laics. For Christinas Day, wet and miserable (omlitions prevailed. The steady drizzling rain and humid atmosphere did no! harmonise with the joyous, if i oiillieling. church chimes and band

OBITUARY. ADELAIDE. Dee. 21. The dealb is announced of Sir John Gordon, formet Iv a Minister of the Cron n. and later Judge of the Supreme Court. Deceased, who Mi I .' born in Scotland in 1 Hot) m.-is one ol lli" Iratner.s of the Commonwealth Constitution in 189,-8. He had a distinguished parliamentary career, and in l'.m.T was appointed a judge. dockers' wages. LONDON. Dee. 23. The Transport and General Workers’ Union lias given unlive of its in tention to terminate the agreement governing the dockers' wages, widen are now ten siblings a day in the larger ports and nine shillings at others. The men are demanding an increase of two shillings daily. FIRE IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY. Dec. 25. Towards midnight a big fire occurred in a four-storeyed building near th' Central Railway station, orctipied by tin 1 Singer SeM'ing Machine Company, a printcry anil others linns. The eonllagration subsided almost as suddenly as it started, the lire lighters succeeding in confining the Hume? to tlie one building. The damage i- estimated at £RH--000. BINDER BEST. 'Received this dm at 5.30 a.m.) PERTH, Dec. 27. Dairymen, fruit and vegetable growers in the Rinderpest quarantine area, are up in arms owing to tin* strict, enforcement <>f the regulations. Tbe publie are also somewhat sore as a result of shuttened supplies of milk, fruit and vegetables. Some dairymen, in spite of a 'definite official pronouncement that the disease is timterpesf. are not satisfied and claim the disease is caused by a germ causing a wasting in cattle, but is not the dread disease. I hey alo complain at the wholesale destruction of cattle without pieviously trying less stringent methods. Cruelly in sin ugliuu ing ti'.c cattle is alleged. Tt is. Stated ill on.' case Hint three hundred rounds of ammunition were fired to kill forty rims. Some slaughtering parties me visiting and destroying all the cattle within a mile radius of the scene of the outbreak. IV| mission to make hunter -between .infecto; 1 cattle and clean areas were given, as well as these confiscating fruit, vegetables in preset ibe.l areas. A.ngry e ]' l ’-ids c I settle"- ate denim,siiatiag against the invaders who leave behind them smouldering carcases in place ol nourishing dailies. Demands for compensation are lit.elv to he strongly pressed.

OIL FAKE CASE. BERTH. December 20. Thom] .son. cabled oil the 20th. November Mas arrested on a elinige of conspiring with Rolhkebl to delraud the public in connection with the Rake Eva oil ease. lIEA YY. RAIN. -Rtuci'-ed this dav at 13 a.m ’ SYDNEY. De, . 27. [leave rain fell to-night and th.' drought appears to he fairly breaking. SHIPPING. ‘ SYDNEY, 'Dee. 27. Arrived. '-AVlngaCni j Joan Craig from Hokianga.