AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] VICTORIAN POLITICS. MELBOURNE. March 8. Premier Allan in a policy speech for the forthcoming elections, said if the Commonwealth Government proceeded with the proposal to abolish per capita payments, the finances of ih- State would he in a chaotic comliti-m. This year the capitation payments to Victoria amounted to £•_!.111.000 sterling. There would he great difficulty m

making up this amount in direct I|t.v atioii to meet the deficit. It wee proposed to proceed with the belting tax w hich would yield 1.1 per cent'on the turnover of each bookmaker. ’I hi revenue Irom the new system would result in an increase of £417.01)11. Consideration was also being given to the provision of sinking funds to liquidate soldier settlement loans, which now amounted to twenty-four million. The immign it ion scheme would ho proceeded with and a dairy college estimated to cost thirty thousand would he established.

N.S.W. POLITICS. SYDNEY, March S. In th e Assembly, the Government accepted the Council's amendments in the Gaming Betting Bill, gagging all attempts to debate the proposals. N.S.W. LIQUOR LAW. SYDNEY. March 7. The Legislative Council considered a message from flic Assembly regarding the amendments to the Liquor Bill. Tt was decided hy 83 votes I > Id that the Council should not insist upon its amendments. WOMEN'S DEPUTATION. SYDNEY. March 0. A deputation representing La hour women’s organisations waited on the Governor and urged him to give favourable consideration to the Government’s request, that Labour women nominees should he appointed to the Legislative Council. The Governor replied that no additional grounds were put forward whv appointments should he made hut be would keep in mind the representations made for further reference A SENTENCE NEW YORK. .March f). Miller was sentenced to eighteen months’ penitentiary and lined 5.000 dollars. An appeal is expected. N.S.W. MINES IDLED. SYDNEY. March 8. Followed noon a Court decision that every place in the coal mines must he thoroughly examined before work is started, ten mines in the Maitland district, employing six thousand men have been rendered idle. The Mines Officials’ Association decided that, to fully comply with the Act. more deputies are required, and. sticking to the letter of the law. they were unable to complete their examination before the

men were ready to enter. Const qurntlv the pits were then idled.

STARTLING EVIDENCE. PERTH. March 8. Revd. E. R. Cribble, head of Forrest River Mission, giving evidence before a Royal •Commission, inquiring into the alleged killing of aborigines by the. police in the country north and west; of Forrest River District, said sixteen men and thirteen women, who were reported missing in September last, "ere frequent visitors to the Mission, hut they had not been seen since last ,I line Witness said that in August, accompanied by Inspector Mitchell and several natives lie left to investigate reports which had hoi nine so persistent. They found a camp where the police had evidently been ior some time. There wore unmisi akvablo signs

of natives having been present, but no trace of their leaving. Ho was confident there had been a tragedy, hut Mitchell seemed to think otherwise. Cribble alleged where the men had been done to death there was a. small tree to which the prisoners had evidently been fastened. Dark stains were still visible though rfinrts had been made to clean them up. They billowed the 1 racks of three native women and three shod horses lev about -ix miles up Forrest River, until they discovered the remains ol a large lire at the foot of a tree. Among the ashes they found a quantity of teeth and fragments of charred hones. The tracks of the women led right to the spot, and although they billowed the horses’ tracks further there "ere no sign of women's Lacks. WOOL SALES. MELBOERXE. March 9. At the wool sales under general corn* petition, high prices prevailed for finet qualities. 44;|d being realised.