AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1927, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Australia <& N.Z. Cable Association.]

IN THE ASSEMBLY. SYDNEY, February ft. The Assembly read for the first time the Child Endowment Bill. N.S.AV. LIQUOR BILL. SYDNEY. Feb. U. The division in the Legislative Council resulting in the rejection of the Liquor Bill was a lum-partv one, scleral members of the Government party crossing the floor and voting against j the Bill. LIQUOR BILL REJECTED. SYDNEY, Feb. 0. The Legislative Council rejected ill" Liquor Bill providing the sale of liquor with meals till nine at night by 25 to 22. BIG COAL TROUBLE. SYDNEY, February •<?. In the New South Wales Assembly. Mr Booth, a member for Newcastle, moved the adjournment of the House to discuss the situation on the Northern coalfields. Me Booth said that unless something were done, a serious crisis would he precipitated. He explained that recently tho day wage men had been granted an increase of from Is Jd to Is fid per day. Coincidently. iht' coal owners had increased the price by Is (id per ton. The miners, ho said, wanted local hoards on the coal fields to deal with the disputes arising from lime in time, and also an inquiry to tie made hv the Federal Government as to whether this latest increase in the price of coal was justified. This increase meant a present of £850,000 sterling to the coal owners last year. .Mr Scott Fell, saying he was a coal owner, said that every increase granted to the miners was followed by further demands. He asserted they wore too well paid. Their foreign trade had almost entirely been lost. '“lf tho miners want a fight, they can have it,” lit' said. ‘‘There will he only one result for them—flint is absolute defeat. The supplies of coal in Australia are at the maximum.” Air Davies said that the principal grievance of the miners arose out of tiie working of bad. or abnormal, places in the mines, where the miner could not earn a decent living wage. He said that there would he a maximum living wage recoverable at law. After further discussion the motion was defeated by (5 to IKi. SYDNEY. Feb. 9.

The miners Delegate Board has ordered a general strike in consequence of the rejection of the men’s demands for improved rates of pay and conditions. This decision bus to he ratified by the aggregate meetings. Until these are held there wifi ho no work in any mines at Newcastle or tho Maitland fields. At the Delegate Board meeting it was decided not to fix a date for the calling of the aggregate meetings until they got in touch with the Central Council in Sydney in order that that body could fix a date for holding the aggregate meetings. Although tho Northern .Executives have the power of autonomy in this matter their position would he considerably strengthened if they first received the support of the Central Council. Should the Central Council oppose the holding aggregate meetings the Board will adhere to ihs original decision. A sinister aspect of the attitude of tho Northern Executive towards the Central Council is the possibility that with the support of tho latter body the danger arises that all the miners in the Commonwealth will he carried out in support of the northern miners. The whole dispute will he reviewed by tho Central Council to-day, when the Northern Executive delegate will attend.

Mr Baddeley has communicated with . Mr Bruco seeking Federal intervention. He iirges upon Mr Bruco the necessity for convening a conference in order to obtain a. mutual agreement, for local hoards to ho created. At present even a complete stoppage of coal supplies will cause small immediate inconvenience in Sydney ns sufficient .stocks are in hand to enable industries to carry on for several weeks. There are now fifteen thousand idle in the northern field. A FORMAL BEQUEST. SYDNEY, February 9. in pursuance of the resolution passed bv the Dairy Conference (cabled on tilth of December) the President of the ■Primary Producers’ (inion lodged with the Minister of Trade and Customs, a formal request asking a Tariff Board to be authorised to enquire into the protection at present alford/d Australian butter, cheese and bacon, in addition to the increases (cabled on Kith Dec.). A request was also made tor an increase- to (id a pound oil bams and bacon and 3d on green pork from the Dominion. .MARTIN TRAGEDY. PERTH. February 9. Details of the Martin tragedy show that the murderer, after strangling the victims, slept in The room all night with the bodies. The woman was covered with bruises, was gagged and had a pillow on her face. The bodies have been identified as Mrs Lillian Martin, and her child, Daniel. The police believe that the man who booked the room is not the woman s husband. WHEAT MARKET. MELBOURNE, February 9. First average quality wheat for 19 l>> 27 season was fixed at 61J pounds per bushel. STATE AFFAIRS. MELBOURNE, February 9. The State Cabinet decided that the Parliament should he dissolved on oth March and the general election be held on Oth April. PLANE crashes. BRISBANE, Feb. 9. AVhilo returning from Toowoomba to Brisbane, an aeroplane containing n pilot and a passenger crashed. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger, Alex McPherson, was killed. Tt is believed the pilot was obliged to make a forced landing, and in doing so crashed into a tree with terrific force.

LTTTLE COAL AT NEWCASTLE. SYDNEY, February 9. All the mines on the northern coalfields are idle to-day in accordance with last night’s decision. There is only sufficient coal at Newcastle to snpnly the shins loading to-day. Thereafter the position will become serious. . The Leader of the Federal Opposition Mr Charlton and Mr Watkins (member of the Federal House of Representatives) have telegraphed Mr Bruce asking him to appoint local board s immediately as a means of obviating the threatened hold-up of the mines. TO THE SCRAP HEAP! MELBOURNE, Feb. 9. The Australian cruisers “Melbourne” and “Sydney” are to be scrapped after the visit of the Duke of York. The two ships will be taken to England for this purpose.