AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1925, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[’EY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOC!ATtbii.] SYDNEY WOOL SALES. SYDNEY, January 14. At the wool sales merino sorts, excepting super, are still at 5 to 7A per cent he low December levels. Crossbreds nr' irregular with a weaker tendency. Yorkshire. Japanese and German buyers arc active. A VIOLENT STORM. SEVERAL FATALITIES. (Received this day at. 8 n.mD Sydney! January 13. A violent storm caused extensive havoc in the town of Balramdd. It is reported that eighty per cent of the buildings are damaged, many being unroofed. including the hospital, lire station. and convent. The belfry of the Catholic Church was blown down, and telegraphic services disorganised. A child. Afonica Smith, was killed by a piece of (lying roofing. A prominent grazier. Edward Borman, was crushed to death by a falling tree. Lister, an engineer at the water works was injured when the engine bouse collapsed. The stall' and patients in the hospital bad some narrow escapes from the tumbling debris. OBITUARY. SYDNEY, January 14. Obituary.—Senator Rower, a prominent Labourite. INVITATION TO AYEISABULLER. SYDNEY. January 14. The Australian Amateur Swimming Union has decided to invite-- Weismuller to visit Australia in the 1925-26 season. EMPIRE AFFAIRS. CONSULTATION ON FOREIGN POLICY. .MELBOURNE, January 14. .\ summary ol the correspondence that passed last year between the British Government and Air Bruce (Federal Premier) regarding the present system oi consultation between Britain and the Dominions on matters of foreign policy and general Imperial interest, has been made available. Air Bruce stated lie was of the opinion that greater efforts should he made to bring beiore the Governments of the Dominions the future course of events in foreign affairs so that the views of the latter might be ascertained in time to be ol guidance in the policy to be lollowcd. Mr Bruce favoured the creation of an Imperial Secretariat, but he was not in favour of the representation ol 'opposition parties at Imperial conJereiu'cs. THE CROP LEY ENQUIRY. STATEMENT BY "LORD AIA.YOR. (Received this day at 12.30 pm.) SYDNEY. Jan- '!• - Lord Mayor Stokes, replying to a communication lrom the thiol Secictnrv, Air Oakes, that steos are to be taken by the Labour Aldermen. regarding' the position of Alderman Burke in view of the evidence given at the civic enquiry, says: “I be present Government saw tit just prior to the last municipal elections to appoint a Commission to make inquiries into certain phases of Sydney's civic lile. That Commission has reported, and surely, with the advice at its disposal, the Government has sufficient courage to give the persons implicated the opportunity of receiving justice m open courts, or failing that to admit I hat the facts adduced do not call for any action. Until some action has Been taken by the Government along these lines il would appear that any luriher comment by me would, under the circumstances. be gratuitous ami prejniiieial to the true course of iustiee. 1; or tLi‘- reason, also. I a l ' l not .-.uhno l l l u, T . the mailer to the Conned.’’ WOOL i .RICES DECLINE.

AIEI.BOI'RNE. Jan. 14. At the wool sales prices for mermes ns compared with December sales showed a depreciation of five per cent, und supers 7? per cent.