AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1924, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION A UriTK ALLAN ECOXOMICS. SYDNEY, Oct. 28. Mr i’rntten, speaking at the annual dinner of the Chamber of Manufacturers, said Australia’s economic position was not satisfactory. The exchange is taking toll of our exports, giving a premium upon imports. The first step to he taken he was of opinion, regarding the rectification ot the present position, was to place some limitation on Covernment borrowings abroad and make an honest attempt to pay interest on the loans abroad out of our exports, instead of out of borrowings. .Sir George Fuller said the decentralisation of our industries into country towns was needed, blit a more important decentralisation was from the head of the Empire, of her people ami her manufacturing industries into the Commonwealth, lie said there was no use in dealing with the question ol migration, with the trickle of people that was coining out to-day in connection with the primary industries.

THE CATTLE INDUSTRY. BRISBANE, Oct. 28,

Speaking on the beef industry it Rockhampton. Mr Bruce st\,id tho luture of tho cattle industry was good. During the last three years the industry bail been faced with intense competition from Argentine, and the resultant struggle Intd reacted against high price's for Australian beef, but Die Argentine too, bail been losing money. They were reaching the limit and the end must soon come. It was certain Argentine prices would have to rise in the near future and that rise vould have a greater ollect on the Australian beef industry ns far as the export trade was concerned. Britain was now alive to the necessity of keeping the cattle industry going. II the prop-uni to establish a licensing hoard in Britain which would give licenses to import beef from countries other than tho Dominions only when supplies from the Dominions were absorbed, was adopted it would make an extraordinary difference to the Australian meat trade.

\ SHIHHINC! TROUBLE. PERTH, Oct. 28,

Claiming Australian rates ol wages, the crew of the British steamer Yiilimnia refused to take the vessel to sea. The Yolimnia is under charter In the Autralian Commonwealth line. The crew stated the action was taken as the result of representations made by the local governing authorities of Seamen’s Union tit Fremantle.

AY AT ER SID EH. S’ TROUBI .E. SYDNEY. Oct. 28

Searle ol the Overseas’ Shipping Representatives Association, in an interview. said the Shipping Labour Bureau was esta’hlished after the -waterside strike of 1017, when the "Waterside Workers’ Federation refused to load munition ships and transports, and tied up work on the waterfront. A Bureau was then organised as a means of carrying wnt' supplies to tint front, It had been maintained since as a means of ensuring a reliable source of labour for loading and unloading vessels in the Australian trade. Searle saitl the Mills-Ellis speeches cabled yesterday were a mis-statement of facts. He saitl the Commonwealth Arbitration Court awarded 2s lOd per hour not 3s per hour for watersiders in i-asttal employ. The Court estimated that casual workers would not average more than thirty hours a week, and fixed the rate to cover the basjc wage ot £1 f,s. The bureau workers receive £1 I U for a forty-four hour week, work or no work.

CKIMK IN MELBOURNE. .MELBOURNE. Oct. 28.

In the last four years approximately 7)1,1123 crimes were reported to the Criminal Investigation Department, .Melbourne, ol" which 11,7.21) were undetected. The most serious was the murder of Irene Tiiekerman at Caulfield and an allegation of corruption of the system, of delivery charged to gaol officials for prisoners, and of a .secret letter from a high school of criminal technology to friends outside are contained in a letter for a prisoner in the new Melbourne gaol at Coluirg. Lieut. Colonel Thorn, who was recently found guilty el misappropriation of lands ol i lie special constabulary whereof he was commander, in a letter to the Crown Hrosecutor. says he had been instructed in all modern methods of burglary, safe blowing, coining, forgery and note facing. I know two methods of opening regulation hamlrttlls, silently, with a stout bootlace, in two minutes. Detectives have been deputed to investigate an extensive scheme ot smuggling into Hen t ridge.

TIIK MURPHY CASE. (Received this day at S a.m.) SYDNEY, October 20. The hearing of the charges against Cullen and McCarthy for alleged seeking to obtain money from Murphy, a member of the legislative Assembly (caliled Kith) has opened. .Murphy gave evidence that lie attend, ed a meeting of the sub-coin mi tleo of the Executive of the Australian .Labour Party in connect inn with the protest which had been lodged regarding his allegedly contravention of certain rules. Subsequently lie attended a meeting at which lie was asked to show cause why lie should not ho expelled from the party. The meeting was adjourned. Afterwards he received a telephone message which led him to interview the police. They gave certain advice in accordance with which he arranged to meet Cnleln ’ and McCarthy. A member of the Central Executive was also present at the meeting at which it was alleged an undertaking was reached that the balloting he. so arranged that Murphy’s expulsion from the party he rescinded contingent upon his payment of CAO. Murphy then arranged to meet Cullen and McCarthy in the presence of the police as already cabled.