AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1925, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

["BY TELEGRAPH PER PRESS AHKOCI ATIwl.) OBITUARY. SYDNEY, Jan. 27. Obituary—Doctor Sydney Jamieson, a noted medical man. Frank Charlton, the singer, formerly of Wellington. ARBITRATION A FAILURE. (Received this day ac 10.25 a.rn.) MELBOURNE, Jan. 27. Speaking at a luncheon, Air Bruce said that the outstanding fact which emerged from the maritime strike was that the machinery for the peaceful settlement of industrial disputes as it stood at present, was imperfect and ineffective.. It fell far short of achieving the purpose for which it was created. The Government would not hesitate to take the action nocccssarj by which a solution of this most pressing problem would be secured. However drastic the changes which were involved, or however great the political risks, greater recognition should bo given by the law to the unions and more ample provision made for their conduct and management. The greatest defect of the arbitration system is that both sides are not always prepared to abide by the decision of the Court, and the Court is constitutionally powerless to enforce its decisions. It is easy to make an employer observe certain conditions and pay a stipulated wage but it is impossible, under present circumstances, to make an employee work under those conditions or accept that wage. So arbitration, unless voluntarily accepted, applies only to one side. Such a state of things is manifestly unjust and must inevitable lead to the abandonment ol the principal of arbitration unless a remedy can be found.

AUSTRALIA’S TIMBER TRADE. MELBOURNE. Jam 22. In evidence belorc the larifl Board, which is investigating requests that the duty on timber imported into Austradia should be increased, Mr Moore, secretary of tlie Australian Timber Tariff Protection Executive, said that in 1013 the quantity of timber produced in Australia was 683.089,000 super feel, but in 1922 the quantity was only 58..411.000 super feet. The decreased production was due to keen oversea competition in consequence of which a number of mills bad gone out of operation. Because of keen ' ompetif ioll ll mu .oversea Austi n linn hardwood timbers bad been reduced ill price from 2.1 s to I9s per 100 super feet. Oversea, competitors bad many advantages: In most foreign timber-pro-ducing countries logs were transported by floating them down rivers, and water was available as power for the mills. Practically all the timber in Australia had to lie transported by rail or boat. Comparing the difference in labour conditions. Mr Moore said that the actual wage in tho lumber industry in Canada was 25s a week of 58 hours; in the United States £2 0s Oil for •>■ ' hours; and in Sweden 7s 7d a day. while in Australia the minimum was £-1 3s for 48 hours.

R. L. STEVENSON’S SAAI.OAN HOME, SYDNEY, January 20. “The memory of Robert Louis Stevenson is still cherished dearly by the islanders,” said Captain Edward Reffell, of the Royal Air Force, who arrived in Sydney recently Horn a tri[> round the Pacific Islands. . “General Richardson, the Administrator of Samoa, has helped splendidly to perpetuate the memory of the great author,” said Captain Ref Tel. “Until he took over control, Stevenson’s old home resembled a wilderness. Tlie proper measures, however, have been taken, and now the grounds arc like a beautiful park. A steep path leads to the monument erected on tlie top of a peak to the memory of Stevenson, I had an interesting conversation with All 11. *- • Moors, who was a, "friend of the author, ’ and who lived with him at Samoa.” Captain Reffell praises General Richardson, who, he says, is . "ei.y popular, and gives the impression ol being a great leader. While, in Fiji Captain, Reffell was entertained bv Ratupope, the native leader at Ban.

PROPERTY VALUES IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY, January 15. Money may be a very bad master some times, especially if one tacts it. out to the l-aces; but it can be a good servant. It lias certainly been a good servant to those who years back, when Sydney was much younger, ha I the foresight to invest m property in the city. In the city areas, comprising just on five square miles, land and buildings represent in vo up about C 150,000,000, while the wealth in buildings and in good solid earth in metropolitan Sydney as a whole, is assessed, according to the Government Statistician at about. £332,000,000 Of the wondrously rich city area, perhaps the most valuable is the block fronting Pitt, Georgei Market and King streets. On the first two streets, it lias a frontage of 670 ft, with an nv—a ire depth of 340 ft. The land is worth about £3OOO a foot. To buy the whole block if it could be bought at a) , would probably cost more than two millions. Of all the suburbs Rnn.lwiek heads the list for real estate value, with over £13,000,000 to «ts credit. Randwick, of course, is the home of the Australian Jockey - ; but its nearness to tlie citlj, * ? spread of territory, and the somewl.-.t exclusive tone of its best quarter, have 110 t a little to do with its smioenco in suburban values.