AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1925, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

•AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. CEMENT WORKERS’ STRIKE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 8. Following oil the dismissal of an employee at the Portland Quarry, the whole of the quarrviiieii ceased work, and tho cement mills were compelled to cease grinding, rendering idle eight hundred men. NEW ZEALAND BOWLERS. BRISBANE, July 8. The New Zealand bowlers defeated the Queensland Bowling Assn’s team by forty-one to thirty-seven. PADDON CHALLENGES GOODSKLL. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 8. James l’addon lias challenged Goodsell for £sllO aside on either the Clarence or the Richmond courses. The challenge is the outcome of a long standing dispute between the two men.

AUSTRALIAN WOOL PROFITS. (Received this day at 10.25 a.m.) MELBOURNE, July 9. In the House of Representatives Air Bruce tabled a statement showing the amount of Australia’s share under the wool agreement between the Imperial and Commonwealth Governments of tho profits derived from the sale of wool for other than military purposes. Mr Bruce said that after payment to the wool growers of a flat rate of fifteen and a half pence per pound on greasy wool and all charges, profits from the sale of wool, interest, exchange and other sources, there was £81,951,479 of which £29,060,001 was distributed between 1921 and 1924. The financial statement prepared by B.A.AY. R.A. showed total funds of £7,705,718, the surplus amounting to £5,001,470. There was also £1,841,940 held in trust and the distribution of both the latter amounts was a matter subject, to litigation. THE CONTROL SCHEME. MELBOURNE. July 8. A meeting of the woolgmwers in the Stawell district considered Sir John Higgins’ wool stabilisation scheme and a vote resulted for the plan. Twelve growers, representing twelve thousand sheep voted against the plan and fourteen growers, representing forty-one thousand sheep, voted for it. Several growers did not vote.

THE AUSTRALIAN CRUISER. QUESTION IN FEDERAL HOUSE. (Received this day at 10.25 a.m.) MELBOURNE. July 9. In the House of Representatives, S' Bruce replying to a question regarding the warship Brisbane in Chinese waters. said that in communications with the British Government, the principle of exchange as it affected tho Brisbane was clearly defined, lie reiterated the exchange cruiser was under the command of the Admiral in charge of the station to which the cruiser was attached. The Admiral bad authority to use the exchange cruiser in the same way as he would use vessels belonging to his own squadron. That authority extended to the necessity for safeguarding the lives and property of British subjects. If any further action were contemplated the Admirals bad to obtain authority from the British or Australian Government, as the ease may be. The Ministry bad not taken steps to recall the Brisbane. GUILTY OF .MURDER. BRISBANE, July 9.

Oliver Johnson Duck was found guilty of the murder of his daughter Olive, cabled on June 21st and was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour.