AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

rtiuodaiian & N.Z. Cable Association.j A FI BE. SYDNEY, Ala-reh 13. A lire in the premises of IJurgin Electric t oy., in. Kent Sr. City, caused damage estimated at .£20,(300 sterling, COAL DISPUTE. SYDNEY, AI arch 13. An aggregate meeting of deputies rejected the terms of Hie settlement of the coal dispute, cabled on Sunday. Another conference will be held today. VICTORIAN POLTTUS. Al ELBOURXE, March 13. The House of Representatives read a third time the Stale’s Grants Bill by 29 to 20. An amendment by Mr Gregory, cabled on 11th. was defeated by 28 t.. 21. CANBERRA STRIKE. MELBOURNE, .March 13. Referring to the industrial trouble at Canberra, Air Bruce said he. did not anticipate any difficulty in settling the trouble. Apparently, lie said. the. validity of the Labour ordinance was a (Tec ted and a new ordinance would be promulgated within a tew (lay- wliali would remove all doubts and difficulties. S4YJU.U INC I!E( OR!). SYDNEY. March 11. The Ladies’ Swimming Association intends to apply to the Amateur International Swimming Federation to have .Miss Davies’s time of 3mins. 34 4-3 secs in Saturday’s three hundred yards swim recorded as a world’s record.

The present record of Julius. oS ~-o •sees., stands to the if rod it of Miss Ed: rle. the American.. \Y 11! El. EsS COM Ml SSK >X. .MELBOURNE. Alarcli 13. Giving evidence before the Y» irek-s C onimissiou, Commander Cre-swell. of the Australian Navy, said a weakness existed in the wireless cnnst-al s-.-rve-e provided at. Melbourne for the icceipt of telegrams Inna ships and. lor ensuring the safety of life at smi. He said the Melbourne commercial wireless station had been removed la the site of the broadcasting station. 'lbis tended to produce interference by one station with another. In the case of the ketch. Melon Afnme. (cabled on Fob. 3rd.) the destroyer Yana snout two hours trying to send urgent messages t'i Alolbmirite radio station. The delay was mainly due to interference which the witness believed was caused |,v the proximity of two stations. He

also alleged that coastal stations were unsuitable for defence purposes.

I>i answer to Ihc- Chairman, Crewwell said (he Naval Board had no authority to insist upon the provision of services, which it considered nqressarv for the defence of Australia. Witness was of the opinion tint the naval authorities should be consulted on any proposed changes in stations, as the questi n was a serious one and British ships operating in tlie- Pacific during a time of war, might be gravely prejudiced.