AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1927, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

SWIMMING TOUR

MELBOURNE, Jan. 22. The Amateur Swimming Union of Australia decided to accept the Japanese invitation to send a team of five swimmers to tour Japan in August

next. It was also decided to let lapse tlie invitation of the New Zealand Swimming Association to Alisses Couldwell and Robertson to tour New Zealand owing to the inability of Aliss Couhlwell to make tho trip this year.

OFFICIA I.S CENS UR ED. MELBOURNE) Jan. 22. The Railway Department found Atiivain and Hargreaves, motonnan and guard of the train in the Caulfield smash, cabled 26th. May, 1926, guilty of breaches of duty and ordered Them to lie reduced in grading. The unions to which the men belong threaten a regulation strike if the men are penalised.

PU Ni I'IV E EXPEDITION. AIELLO ERNE, J an. 22. Official reports state that a special expedition of five Europeans and twenty native police were sent to tho area to arrest the murderers at Salamoa, New Guinea. They found the paths studded with spikes and the village deserted. AA’lien the party at length got in touch with the natives the latter threw spears and fired arrows. The natives were driven from their stronghold, but later attacked a party of carriers of the punitive expedition. They then intervened and called on the. natives to surrender their subchief. This was refused and an engagement followed during which two natives were shot. The natives retreated to another village where lurtnor lighting occured, in vfliich four natives and a sub-chiel' acre shot, ’mere was one government casualty. A party is now posted in the disaffected area to maintain order. FOR ARBITRATION. SYDNEY, Jan. 22. The annual congress of Australian

Workers’ Union defeated a motion to have a policy ol organisation changed from arbitration to direct action, in order to redress workers’ grievances. It was decided by nil overwhelming majority to leave any disputes to be settled by the Arbitration Court. N.B.W. RUGBY. SYDNEY, Jan. 22. i At the annual meeting of New South 1 Wales Rugby Union, tho balance sheet showed a profit last season of X’3239 sterling, including £2749 resulting from the All Blacks’ tour.

BUSH FIRES OUT. ADELAIDE, Jan." 22. The hush fires cabled on Friday have been extinguished. They caused damage exceeding ten thousand sterling. 1 RICHARDSON FOR ENGLAND. ADELAIDE, Jan. 22. It- is stated that A. J. Richardson has decided to accept an offer to play for one of the Lancashire League Clubs.

AY ES’I’R ALI AN A PPt) I NT.M EXT. i PERTH, Jan. 22. Air Align in, Alinister of Lands, who has been appointed Agent-General in Loudon, announced that the Premier would take over his portfolio. NEW HEBRIDES ENQUIRY. ; MELBOURNE. Jan. 22. Government have appointed Brigad-ier-General Griffiths as Administrator of Nauru to represent Australia on a Royal Commission being sent by British Government to investigate the position of British settlers in New Hebrides under the Condominium. j THREE CHILDREN DROWNED. MELBOURNE. January 23. j Three children. AVilford Alumford, i (aged seven), William Mounts (aged ; lent, and Dorothy .Reams (aged six), : "Ln were playing on the hanks of the j River Yarra. at Studley Park, were missed, and their bodies were after--1 " arils found in the river. The father iol the Aleni ns children spent several | hours diving, and when almost exhale,ted he discovered the body of his i daughter.