AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1924, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[by TELEGKAPII —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION." AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE. MELBOURNE. May 30. The I’ostuiaster-Oeueral announced that it Sydney-Adelaide aerial mail service commences on Mondy next. In the House of Representatives.. Mr Marks moved the adjournment of the House to discuss the docking and fuelling of naval ships and aircraft in Australia. He saiil tliaL under the present urringemcnts. Australia could do absolutely nothing to stop a Japanese licet from capturing Australia if it came here as an enemy. He stres:c(! the view that the British fleet was tl e only protection. After a lengthy be hate, wherein all aspects ot Aust • i.iaii defence was traversed, the ninti >:i va = formally negatived.

OiJ) BANK NOTES STOLEN. (Received this day at 8 a.in.) MELBOURNE, May 31. It is believed that an extensive fraud has been perpetrated on the Note Issue Department involving a loss to the Department, of many thousands sterling. The Treasury officials are reticent, hut it is understood that a quantity of old hank notes which should have been cancelled and destroyed were abstracted, dummy bundles being substituted and the genuine notes circulated.

LABOR DIFFERENCES'. (Received this day at 9.23 a.m.) SYDNEY. May 31. The State Executive of the Australian Labour Party by 23 to 1 reaffirmed its previous decision to refuse cooperation with the Federal Ballot Box Committee. The Executive further omitted to deal with the requisition for a special conference, despite the challenge issued by the Labour Council.

MARINE COURT FINDING. BRISBANE. May 31. In connection with the stranding of the Ornette. the Marino Board found the accident was caused by a sheer, which tlie vessel took to port, when the helm was put to starboard, and the action taken afterwards to try to straighten the ship was correct. Tt considers the action of putting the helm over fifteen degrees, which was lav in excess of what the pilot ordered, intended. or required, was the cause of the grounding. It was satished the master and pilot were exercising possible care.

iVIIKAT AND WOOL PRODUCTION

WOOL BEST PROPOSITION

.M KI.ISOriiNK, -'-my RI

M.r Higgins at a B.A.V .R.A. meeting ill stressing the value ol the wool industry in Australia, described it as the sheet anchor oi Australia. The production and realisation of clips had keot the nation solvent and provided funds for the development of other, industries and financing the war loans, lie expressed doubt il the ed-

ucates of the policy of settling people iv subdividing big pastoral estates.

were sincere in their advocacy and asked did they believe the conditions in Australia as a whole were made better |, v dispersing the llncks of world-wide fame in order to further wheat, in his opinion, was a subordinate indiistt)., namely wheat growing. He "as > "•■- iidein that milch sheep land v. Inch was diverted to wheat growing, could he more profitably employed in produetioji of fine wools. While there was no suggestion ol .shortage in the world > wheat there was a definite deficiency ul wool production, < oneurreiitly with an increase in its .onsiimpiion. Therefore it was reasonable to expect satisfactory markets for clips almost immediately. lie had alreadv advocated l|-,e Federal and State (bivornmeiits making available in large holdings on the easiest term-, ten-- ul thousands "i square miles ot unoreiipjed teintories in Northern Australia. Sheep raising by this means might increase the merino Hocks bv inilti-iii- I null a country now serving only as a breeding ground for pest', line tact should never lie overlooked. Australia possessed a monopoly of the tin ■ wools of the world.