AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] A COM FT INSPECTION. MELBOURNE. February 18. For the purpose ol observing the Comet Polls AYiiineot, visible in Australia in .June. July and August, a big telescope at .Melbourne observatory, which has not been used for forty years i- being put into commission again. The instrument is 11G let long and tlio. movable section weighs nine tons. It is the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

CASK OF CANNIBALISM. BRISBANE. Feh. 18. The police have receivi d advice o

a ca.-i 1 of cannibalism at Brocks Creek. Northern Australia, where a native toy vJ. is murdered hy other natives and parts of the body were eaten. Two arrests were made.

OH, EROAI COAL. SYDNEY. February l'F The Sensible Heat Distillation Coy., has been registered with a capital of a quarter ol a. million. It is learned the mmpaiiv is arranging for the immediate development of Alaryvalo-.Mor-well eoallield. The preliminary activities cover the installation ol excavations to remove the top bed soil, and the company will then mine the surface coal. It will sell off a portion of tin 1 rnv, brown coal, briquetting the rest. Meanwhile it is arranging to secure machinery similar to that used by Germany to distil brown coal. The machinery is expected to he available for assembly in the Commonwealth early in 1028. The company anticipates the system will ultimately he able to supply all Australia’s oil requirements. both for refined spirit and heavy oiis.

X.X.W. COAL R ESFAIPTTOX. SYDNEY. Feh. 18. A satisfarlory settlement of the collieries disuute was reached to-day, and the pits re-open on Monday. SETTLEMENT RFAC’DEI>. SYDNEY, Feh. 10. A settlement, of tin- miners dispute nils reached, alter the representatives of the Miners Central Council gave the owners an assurance they would do all in their power to secure tho cessation of stoppages, which lately have been interfering with Lite continuous working of the mines. GOA'ERNM ENT’S ACTION ENDORSED. BRISBANE. February 10. The Central Executive of the Australian Labour Party endorsed the action of the Government in lighting the lofty hours building trade strike, on the ground that arbitration was accepted as a policy of the Labour Party.