AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1924, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUBTEALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. SMALL STEAMER. WRECKED. lßeoeived this day at 8 n.m.) SYDNEY, March 26 Tho Illawarra Company’s small steamer, Benandra, stranded on tho Moruya bar, is a- total wreck. Tho crew is safe. A male passenger, name unknown, is missing and is supposed to be drowned. A RACER SOLD. SYDNEY, March 26 Tho racer, Clare, one of the public fancies for the Doncaster Cup, has been sold to Mr A. Thompson for five thousand guineas for stud purposes, delivery to he after the Eandwick autumn meeting. FEDERAL POLITICS. MELBOURNE, March 20. Meetings of all the political parties were held to-day preparatory to the opening of the Federal Parliament" tomorrow. There is special interest being taken in view of Mr Bruce’s.promised .statements on the Imperial Conference and the Singapore Rase ; also the attitude of the Country Party in view of the recent reorganisation of the Victorian Ministry as tho result of that State’s Country Party’s action. Interesting developments are considered possible.

NEW CRUISERS FOR AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE, March 26

it is understood Mr Bruce, in tomorrow’s statement, will announce that Australia will immediately commence the construction of two new cruisers on the lines suggested by Admiral Field. One will be built in Australia and tho other in England. EMPIRE SQUADRON. MELBOURNE, March 25. Large crowds including a very heavy sprinkling of ladies of impressionable age gathered to farewell the British Squadron, which sailed for Hobart this morning. The Admiral’s farewell message thanked the people for their generous hospitality, and added: “We leave the magnificent city of Melbourne with profound regret.” The business people, however, are disappointed at their fleet week takings. It is stated that though they made a special display of goods the takings were lielow normal. One offered this explanation: “You see, the sailors had not much money, and the rest of the world was so busy looking at the sailors that they did not spend, even if they bad the money.”

CONSPIRACY CASE. MELBOURNE. March 25. In the Murray conspiracy cnsc. cvi(lence was given of the finding of u era ] >]>l iip; hook, u lino made of roller fcrwels, and other preparations for Murray’s escape in one of the yards. Warden Gleesou gave further details. Odors of money were made to warders, including himself, by Leslie Taylor. Taylor gave pound notes sometimes to secure daily papers. Once he wrote on an ashphalt wall: "Give you pound note for to-day’s papers. - ’ Gleesou said he ignored this, He did not report these instances. Asked why he did not report, and if he did not think it wrong for warders to receive offers of money from prisoners, he said he did not know much about it. He had no reason to veport. though when Costello offered him £lO to change shifts, he then tliougt it was suspicious.