AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1924, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION, BACON FACTORY DESTROYED. BRISBANE. January 31. The Darling Do" tis Co-operative bacon factoiy at Willowbmn was destroyed by fire, the damage being thirtylive thousand pounds. The insurances loaded £3-1,825. IRISH PROHIBITION. MELBOURNE January 31. Ihe Commnowoaltli Government has hren notified that the Irish Free State ha- prohibited the importation of Australian liny and straw in consequence <> : the Rinderpest oiilbrouk.

COCAINE SMUGGLERS. SYDNEY. January 31. The Police and the Customs (.dicers are making an effort to capture cocaine smugglers, who are landing huge qtian- | inn’s of the drug in the Commoni ve.-.-lili. The trade has eon.siderablv jnJ eica-oil -ine,. the tightening up of the A mcriean laws, the dealers having iliosen the Australian market a.-; one of 1 lie new avenues for their illicit tiaili, v.liwli now ha- apparently grown beyond all bounds. Thole is hardly uni doubt that a combination ol dealers with hundreds of thousands sterling nl their back, have boon doing business in the drug, sending :i Iron the (Tillt incut to pon s in \ai 101 - parts of t le world, and it ha- been .suggested, that this trade is di rciicd ai bringing about, as much a- [ u--ilde, in countries outside Germany, conditions ileitimculal to the physical state of the 1 eoplc. The Customs officials stated Hint Sydney, which is receiving, most of the drug that is entering Australia, is full of cocaine, and the sellers arc unable in obtain a market for it at the old prices. Inquiries have resulted in 1 In- Police obtaining information that the .smuggling is carried on by women and men ■smit from overseas. BRISBANE SHOOTING. EX-SOLDI KIPS JEALOUSY. STORY OF Ills WIFE. BRISBANE. January 31. Regarding the shooting of A. E. Whitl'ord, ex-.M . 1.. A .. by Janie.- I.avdun l.he story told by Hie In tin's wife, shows l.aydon was a ivlnmcd soldier. Mrs l.aydon stated that her liusham! has suffered from the ell'eet.s of gas. He and Whitl'ord were very I’liemlly. Mbit ford frequent l.v visited llu-ir home to play cards, l.aydon also had assisted Whitl’ord in hi- election campaign. I lien a breach came, l.aydon accused hi- wile of certain relations between lie!self and Whitinrd. which .site denied. A quarrel followed, with threats against Whitl'ord. On the night of the tragedy, he ask-

ed hot 1 to accompany him to a. picture show. W hen l.aydon .saw 'Whitl’ord and his wife entering the vesLilutle. he (hugged li is own wife thither, and accused Whitl’ord of breaking up iiis homo. Wl'it ford smacked l.aydon across Hi). Rice, and then walked out. l.aydon still dragging his resisting wife, followed- He tired live shots with an automatic pis-to! at AYhiH’ord in the presence of tlm latter’s wife. APs Laydon attributed the crime to tlm madness of unfounded jealousy. AT CANBERRA. Hlyi'C-ived this day at lb-15 a m.) SYDNEY. January 31. rile nisi silting of Hu- Federal Cnbine: ai Oanherra was held in an old koines'end now u.-ed .r. a (n.\element, lii’siel Tin- historic event attended li,v .Ministers and Ilnur wives, elt'c cJand an at m,' of photographer - md Dorn the sun oundiec. di.iners. After speeches of felicitation un ik. .. ■ a on, C.linnet dealt itli a mind -r of matters relating to the Fedcttil ten-itory, and the erection of buildings within the capital area. Il was denied that all lederai lands he offered nl public auction on a ninety years' lease basis. The Ijr.-t aiicliini, nine of five hmidred allotments is to lake place in (letoliof. Tito (•hums of the rhuivhes. were considered ami the necessary sites Ihci-clruc allotted. JAPAN’S ADMIRAL. .MELBOURNE. Pebrunr.v I. Admiral Saito tc;. lying to a Ri ewcll message from the Governor-General, sn’d: -‘T tender my lieiirlie-t thanks fit the warm receptions everywhere, which impressed us till .greatly. We tiro very grateful.” BRIDGE collapses. HOBART, Fehruaiy 1. Victoria Bridge, connecting Fast and We.--. Dcvonporl, collapsed. precipitntieg two waggons loaded with straw into ill - river. After the han.es- was cut, Hy horses and drivers .swam to safety. The ravages of a destructive ] c-d. wete responsible for the accident to the

LIST STILL ALIVE. LIST STILL AT LARGE. MELBOURNE. Fob. I. The police believe that List is still alive. A mailman encountered a tramp like Die individual at rooLserav on Sunday morning. The man had several days’ growth of heard and the the whole description is similar to List’s. OIL STRUCK TX QUEENSLAND. BRISBANE. Feh. I. The Lander Oil Company reports striking oil at a depth of 2.200 feet at Oralla. 30 miles from Bonn. Oil and gas are coming to the surface in such quantities ns to make further boring dangerous until Oie bole is properly cased. The .Minister of Mines regards tin- I’md as important as it is the most promising evidence ol the discovery ol oil in possible jiay.nlile quantities yet reported in Australia. COKE WORKERS’ DISPUTE. SYDNEY. Feb.L Tin- i-nmpiils'-ry conference with the coke workers proved abortive, the employers rejecting the request of the men to permit the claim for a reduction in the working week to lorty-six hours to In- referred to an independent arbii ratin'. LOSS ON STATE CONCERN. HOBART. Fell. 1. During the two years ended .Line last the Government lost £< i-W3 (,!1 Oh- State steamers, which the Ratrie.; Company have now inquired.