AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Bv Telegraph—-Per Press Association.)

INVITATION DECLINED. (Received tin’s day at 8 a.m.) ADELAIDE. July 25,

The South Australian Cricket Association has declined an invitation from New Zealand to send a team to the Dominion next season.

PIECEWORK FTGHT. SYDNEY, July 25. The New South AValcs anti-piece-work strike is extending. The engineers of the Automatic Total,isators Limited and of Tulloeh’s Phoenix Ironworks are the latest to cease work, as a protest against the introduction of the daily hiring system.

THIRTY AIR MACHINES. .MELBOURNE, July 25

The Defence Department has completed plans for the purchase from England of thirty modern machines for the Australian air force. They will include flying boats, ‘amphibians, and land machines.

N.S.W. LABOUR- FACTIONS. SYDNEY, J i li’y 2(5. The Unity Conference of the Labour Party lias not resulted in harmony between the factions in New South AVales being established. The result has been rather to cause definite defections from Mr Lang’s Labour Party. -Most members of Air Alutch’s party now recognise they either have to retire from polities or contest the elections as independents. Air Laughlm, former deputy-leader of the party, says it is a case of swinging the industrial bludgeon to smash all persons of moderate views. Hie adoption of Red rules provides a hack door entrance to the party for Communists.

TRAINS INTERFERED WITH. BRISBANE. July 2(5. As a cane train was entering South Johnston a large number of strikers, who had taken up a position in the rear of the building, stoned the train crew, consisting of an engine driver, fireman and two farmers. Although many missiles hit the engine none, of the crew were struck. A little farther on two Dirge stones had been placed on the line. Female sympathisers with the strikers are taking an active part against train crews. Farmers allege the members of the police force were in the vicinity while the stone throwing was in progress, hut lio action has been taken to apprehend the men responsible. The mii’t director says that stone throwing incidents are of almost daily occurrence. The mill management has been informed that in accordance with the Trades and Labour Councils’ decision no meat will he available for them in the future. The bread supply will also he cut off. Arrangements have been made for the mill to hake for its own requirements.

BASIC WAGE. -MELBOURNE, July 20,

Reductions, ranging from (Id to 2s weekly in all States except South Australia and West Australia to take effect from Ist August in the rates of pay under all awards of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court. In Melbourne the wage will he Fls per day or £4 7s weekly, Sydney. 14s 5d or £4 9s (id ; Brisbane. 12s 7d, or £3 18s (>d. No alteration occurs in Adelaide, while in Perth there will he an increase of fid per week.

A USTR AT AA X WEATHER. SYDNEY, July 2(5. Australia generally has been experiencing an exceptional' run of cold weather for the past couple of weeks. The thermometer consistently recorded low registers, with recurrent snowfalls on the mountains and some inland districts. For some time the rainfall has been abnormally light. To date July has heen the driest for twenty-one years. The general average for July is 497 points whereas only 21 points have fallen this month. The weather in Tasman Sen is reported black and stormy, causing delay in the arrival, of vessels from Auckland.