AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1926, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.} CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS. SYDNEY, May 22. The manner iu which recent City Council contracts, involving about a million sterling for plant and machinery for the electricity department were decided in committee and in council, has caused considerable dissatisfaction and uneasiness in city circles. Legal advice has been received from leading King’s Counsels to the effect that certain decisions of the Council various reasons were ultra vires. As a consequence it has been decided to invoke the aid of the law courts, with the object of securing a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding the placing of contracts. ACCEPTING 18 HOURS. SYDNEY, May 22. The latest feature of the forty-four hour strike is the decision of the employees of Morts Dock and Pioneer Springs Works to abjindon the strike and return to work. In both cases the. men agreed to work forty-eight hou rs. The Meat Trades Employers Association states members of the Amalgamated and Australasian Engineer Unions have abandoned the cl an. ,{CCc some months ago for a Uhnimum wage of £0 sterling, Weekly and forty-iour hours ai-Feeß, have resumed work on the managements conditions. AUSTRALIA’S REEK TRADE. SYDNEY; May 22. M.r Moulder (Chairman of Bergyl Australia Meat Coy) has returned I rum a visit to Queensland. He takes a gloomy view of Australia’s beef export trade. Tic says that between the drought, high wages and general restrictions under the wage awards and interference by Unions with the men’s work, it is impossible to conduct the industry profitably. Where some years ago over twenty meat works were operating in Queensland, there are now only three, and it is not secret that the works have been losing heavily for years. The fact had to he realised that Australian frozen meat cannot compete in the world’s markets with chilled Argentine meat. His own company had lost thereby and knew from experience. OBITUARY. PERTH, May 22. Obitnury.—Ex-Police Sergeant Devine, aetat 79. He figured prominently in the Kelly gang Jerilderie raid in 1879. The gang imprisoned Devine and another constable in a lockup. Then donning their uniforms the members of the gang posed ns relieving constables from Sydney. They inspected the town and next day they took possession of the principal hotel and held up all entrances. Their next feat was the robbery of a bank, thence they took £2,000 and then escaped on a constable’s horse. While in possession of the police quarters the gang compelled Divine’s wife to cook food for them. It was her pleading that saved the life of her hsubnnd when Ihev threatened to shoot him. Devine for many years acted as racecourse detective in Perth.