AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1927, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.]

TWO EXTREMES.

BRISBANE, February 2

Drought conditions still prevail in Barealdine District. The recent rain only slightly improved the situation and much more is necessary before the drought is broken. Residents returning from holidays in the coastal districts found they had gone from one extreme to the other. On the Coast their holiday were spoilt by excessive rain, while they returned to find bare paddocks, empty tanks, and tbe sheep being artificially fed.

PARLIAAI ENT DISSOLVED. PERTH, Fob. 2

Parliament has dissolved but the date of the election is not yet fixed.

WOOL SALE'SSYDNEY. I'cb. 3

At the wool sales, the market reproduced all the features of the previous sales of the week. The improved conditions were strongly maintained. Competition for fine merino comebacks, crossbreds and skirtings was keen. Comebacks and fine crossbreds railed decidedly in sellers’ favour. Greasy merino sold to 3Dpi.

DUTY ON BUTTER. .SYDNEY. Feb. 3. A deputation asking for ennsidern lion by the Tariff Board of proposal! for a duty on imported butter am cheese waited on Air Pratten (Ministei of Customs) to-day. The resin alien cabled on Kith. December, v.as nlaeec before the Alinistor. Air Bate, a member of tin' I.ogislalike Assembly, said

cheese manufacturers had just formed a co-operative c-oa-pany for the manufacture of process cheese, but during the past few months importations bad increase'll almost three hundred pci cent. Dairymen objected to tin- London parity for their products, because the London parity was governed by the production of countries with a low standard of living. Air Grant (Chairman of the Primary Producers’ Union) said the mailer of increased protection was one of life and death to t!u> dairying indiislrv. They were not making anything lik • a basic wage for years. If Australian supplies were short llieu butter could c-cuie from New Zealand, but wbal they nloci-tcil 1" was meeting the London narit.v through New Zealand, preventing the dairy farmer getting Is Ljd per Iff. I'm- butter and a tariff <d sixpence would allow him a return of Is 7A<I which was officially arrived at as the cost of prndAicTion some time ago. However, ihc-c Intel sjuce ascertained that tin- cost of production was now not under Is lid. Air Pratten. in reply, said what was really wanted was protection IV in New Zealand. However, a preferential treaty between A list ra ha and New ■Zealand bad been in existence for six years. He would rather see fiTencllv negotiations to obtain wlial. they sought than a hostile tariff. Air Pratten promised to bring the matter before the Tariff Inquiry Board, but pointed out that before any alteration in the treaty with New Zealand could, ho brought about, six months notice would have to he given and Parliamentary sanction received.

AVOOL S.-ViES. MELBOURNE. Fob. 3 The wool sales, January series, closed to-day under very satisfactory eon. ditions. Values were firm at late rates. A SERIOUS EIRE. MELBOURNE. Fell. 3. A fire at Marshall's shoe factory caused several thousand sterling damage. Between seven and eight hundred employees are idled.

NEW ZEALAND PAMS. SYDNEY. Eel.. 1. Several well-known New South Wales sheep men have paid within the past week record prices for Now Zealand Roinnev marsh sheep. Mi' AY. Glasson, of Afolong. gave five hundred guineas for a four-tooth ram from the stud of Mr Matthews .of Waiorongomni and paid 155 guineas for two other rams. Mr G. N. AfaroH. of Afolong. has purchased a number of owes from Air A . S. Car' - , of Goulburn. TTe not'd six hundred guineas for a two-tooth ram fro nitho stud of Air Ernest Short, of Abilina, Fcilding. This animal is described as one of the best in New Zealand.