AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 December 1925, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable As jociation.]

MAHENO TO BE* TIED UP

SYDNEY. Dec. 29

After her next trip to Wellington, the Malicno will he tied up, and will lie replaced by an oil-fuel steamer. The Union Company lias decided on this step owing to the job control tactics of the firemen and trimmers, having caused continued costly sailing delays. The Company's action will throw the ship’s firemen and trimmers out of work, but other members of the crew will he re-employed. MOV MURDERED. SYDNEY, December 29. The dead body of a half caste hoy, Robert Rums, aged eight years, was found Moating in the River Rrewarrina. badly battered about the head. The hov was last seen in tl e company of an aboriginal, who has since taken to the bush. A big posse ol mounted police and civilians are searching for him. BRITISH SEAMEN. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.' SYDNEY, Dec. 30. The consensus of opinion at the Trades Hall is that the British Seamen’s Union, formed during the recent strike, will he disbanded owing to insufficient support. The leaders of most maritime unions were always sceptical regarding the success of the venture (Hunting out the needs of the British seamen were already adequately met hv Mr Havelock Wilson’s organisa-

Tliore is much opposition among the raids and file that Walsh should be nlowed to organise the British seamen, ft understood, some branches have givn Walsh to understand that he must •boose between the General Presidency if the Australian Seamen and the Bri,ish Seamen.

At a seaman’s meeting yesterday Walsh did not ask for leave of absence ns was expected. It is reported the British Seamen are enthusiastic about the new union, hut: many expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in which Walsh conducted the recent strike. WHEAT FOR. NEW ZEALAND SYDNEY, Doe. 30. The Malicno is dim to sail for Wellington on Thursday and takes the first shipment of the new season’s wheat to New Zealand. PRICE OF - BUTTER. MELBOURNE. Dec. 30. Following the announcement of the Paterson scheme for the stabilisation of hotter prices to operate from Ist. January, the merchants decided that the wholesale price of butter lie increased immediately by 25s per hun-dred-weight. The retail price will probably Ih> raised 3d per pound. ULTMAROA TO BE MANNED. (Received this dav at 9.45 a.m.) SYDNEY. Dec. 39. The Commonwealth Steamship Owners have called upon the guarantors of the agreement concluded with the Seamen’s Union on the sixth of August to make good their guarantee, and as a result there is believed that several steamers. including the Ulimaroa, which has been idle in Australian ports for many weeks, will lie manned shortly. The development follows on a conference between the owners and the Trades’ Mall Comic il. One of the guarantors is Lowhead. UPTURNED VESSEL; SIGHTED. (Received this day ax 8.50 a.m.) SYDNEY. December 30. The master of the .schooner Holmwood from Wanganui to Newcastle, reported he sighted on the !2th an upturned wooden vessel, floating about one hundred miles north-west of tho north end of the North Island of New Zealand. It is believed to he Hie missing ketch Kialctta.

WALSH GOING TO ENGLAND. MELBOURNE, December 30. The Secretary of the new Seamen’s Union has announced that Walsh is going to England at the end of .January to take office as President of the new Union of British Seamen and will remain twelve mouths.

U.S.A. NAVAL DESERTERS. MELBOURNE, December 30. Two American sailors, the last of tho deserters from, the American Fleet, have departed eii route for the United States naval station at Pago Pago.

EVENING DRESS. SYDNEY, December 17

The members of one of the municipal councils on the northern side of Sydney Harbour, they, in common with most of the inhabitants, proudly regard their somewhat exclusive and aristocratic area, as the Queen suburb of Sydney, have set a new fashion, at least in New South Wnles. by appearing at the council meetings in evening dress. Wise men, it is said, will never he the first to set a new fashion, for an affectation, of singularity is only the desire to set, instead of following, the mode. The members of the council, however, even at the risk of their wisdom being challenged, have scorned the cheap taunts of those who do not agree with them, and have adhered courageously to the new custom of conducting the council's business in what are ponularlv known as “glad rags.”

Since the recent municipal elections one or two new men have got into the council. Opposed to a custom which, they maintain died out with the old aristroeraey. they have resolved to come to the council meetings in their ordinary -clothes. There will now he the somewhat incongruous spectacle of some of the Councillors sitting at the council chamber in evening dress, unless the latter fall from grace and decide to affect the gentility of their brother Councillors, or Aldermen as they are known hero. The Council, il is said, decided to wear evening dress as a mark of respect to the “ father” of that august body. Presumably ho was a slavish adherent to that lashion.