AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(.Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

STORAI IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY, April 17. A cyclonic gale, reaching a force ol sixty miles per hour, accompanied by torrential rain, has lashed tlie coastal "'eas of the State ol New South Males lor the past twenty-four hours, causing wide-spread damage. I here arc mountainous seas raging along the coast, which have caused all ■shipping to run lor shelter, while a Humber ol overseas vessels are compelled to st.i.nl oir Sydney Heads. I he Al ikur ! was the only vessel to (,|| ter I’ ■, • .1 -kson yesterday. A number ol sti .i ■. - have been standing out "aiting to eater since Friday night.

All sports meetings at Sydney had to lie postponed.

It, was the worst Faster weather for twelve years, hut the weather is now breaking. During the height of tlie gale, the harbour terry services were disorganised and tlie service to Alanly had to be discontinued.

Reports from the country tii.-tri(ts indicate heavy damage to property. So far there has been one fatality, Henry Davis being killed, and three others injured, when a clilf. under which they laid camped, at Adnmstoun. became loosened by the heavy rain and collapsed on their encampment.

ROYAL VISIT. HOBART. April 17. Jhe Duke and Duchess of York arrived here aboard the Renown in line weather. and were enthusiastically greeted by large crowd*. During tlie alteninon a public- reception was belli in Franklin Square, where ten thousand people bled past the visitors. At night the Duke and Duchess attended a Government reception aL the City Hall. OBITUARY. MELBOURNE. April 19. Obituary.—Alexander .McKinley, formerly proprietor of the Melbourne “ Punch." aged 79. N.S.W. LABOUR POLITICS. SYDNEY. April 17. At the Labour Conference, the industrialists, who have gained control of the (onlereiii e, granted Premier Gang dictatorial powers, and instructed him to reconstruct the Cabinet by sacrificing four of the Ministers. I lolls. Alia t!i, Fitzgerald.' Flannery and the lion. .Minister. Mr Coates. Air Lang was also instructed that he must fe.ee the electors before ne meets Parliament and he will probably ask. the Governor to grant a dissolution ill August, or September. The conference expelled .Messrs Goodwill. Gillies and l.oughliu troin the Labour Alovement. This latter development may intlueuee the Governor to send tor Mr Bavin (Leader of tile Opposition) before granting a ilissolultiou. but in any ease, a early election is certain. The iiuluslriaists’ idea is that a ritsn election will favour Air Lang. VICTORIAN ELECTIONS. .MELIBH'RNE. April 17. The counting of the Victorian State election figures has been complete.! La hour heads the list with twenty-eight seats. 'I he Nationalists have nineteen, the Country Party ten. the Country Progressives four, the Australian 'Liberals one, and the Independents three. RIVER INA’S POSITION. SYDNEY, April 19. The storm and heavy rain continue with little abatement. There is little fresh news front the Riverine, which is still humping heavily. The fact of her holding so well together is taken to indicate that she is resting on a good sandy bottom, and is not touched by rocks. Ihe passengers are reported to he safe and comfortable. There is lack of definite details. owing to telegraphic communication with Gabo being interrupted by tlie storm. SYDNEY. April 19. Two powerful tugs have left, racing down the coast to assist the Riverina. There is no news front the stranded vessel since the wireless early in the day. Then she Mas hard and last humping heavily, going broadside on a sandy beach, exposed to flu* southerly swell of the gale and the* heavy sea. Vessels are still standing by but are unable to tranship the passengers, who are safe and well, and having a comfortable time. To many anxous enquiries the owners give the assurance that ihey anticipated no difficulty in rescuing the passengers as soon as the weather mends. The salving of the Riverina herself is regarded as a difficult problem in face of the continued rough weather. A TERRIFIC GALE. DISOR G A XIK ES T E LEG RAP H LINES. /Received this day at S a.m.l SYDNEY. April 19. A terrific gale, accompanied by torrential rain is again raging, and has disorganised the telegraph services, and at a late hour there was no further news of-the Riverina. hut it is known so far there is not any immediate danger. RED BULKS ADOPTED. SYDNEY, April 19. The Labour Conference, by an overwhelming majority, adopted the Red rules. PROFESSOR DEAD. SYDNEY, April 19. Obituary—A. B. Deacon, the noted Cambridge University Anthropologist, who for the past eighteen months lias been, engaged in research M'ork in the Central Islands of New Hebrides. Death was due to blnekwater fever. During his travels he established friendly relations with wild cannibals of the outlying districts.

HEAVY RAINFALL. SYDNEY. April Iff. From Thursday morning till yesterday nearly nine inches of rain wore recorded at Sydney. The skies are still overcast but the forecast is for fine weather. The bursting of a sewer at Arnclilfo caused low lying land to he flooded. All the rivers rose rapidly and there were many narrow escapes. A little girl al Tuggcraie Lakes was drowned. Only desperate work by minors at Cossnook prevented the Aberdate Extended Colliery being Hooded. Many business premises suffered severely. A TRAGEDY. SYDNEY. April 19. A man giving the name of Gem go Andrew Buckley walked into the Newcastle Police Station and told the sergeant on duty that he had just killed his wife and wanted to give himself up. A search of the man’s home revealed the body of a woman lying in lx>d with her throat and head badly battered. In attempting to save her mother, a 16 year old daughter was badly gashed on the arm.- Buckley was charged with Murder. HEAVY RAIN. SYDNEY, Aprir r;b Torrential rain is again falling over most of the State, the only dry areas being the far west.