AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1924, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. OAPM AHBOOIATION PRISONERS PAYMENT. SYDNEY, Dl-ioiiil.fi- 22. Discussing tin- case with which habitual criminals earn money, some upon release having drawn a.s much as £loO sterling, the Attorney General said under the Act it was provided that an habitual criminal should he required to work at some trade, and the products of his labour be sold, prisoners to receive not less than one half of the net proceeds of sale. It had been long recognised bv the Department, he said, that this scale of payment was too high, and power had been taken recently to alter the position. The amount Would -Vn tuture ho deteimined by regulations which would shortlv he promulgated. ' STEAMERS HEED UP. SYDNEY, Dec. 22.

Owing to n dispute between Brisbane branch of the Seamen’s and owners, the steamers Canberra, Cooma, and Bombala are laid up. The position is serious on account of so many poo] b having hooked io travel by steamers for the Christmas holidays. Of all the inter-Statc steamers which carry passengers to Queensland, only one is now in commission. YACHTING. MELBOURNE. Dec. 2-. With Lord Jellicoe acting as staysail hand, the Governor-General managed to secure only third place in the yacht race on Saturday.