AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) FATAL FIRE. SYDNEY, Sept. 13. A fire at Rowean destroyed Rowean Hotel. Two men, George King and Stephen Francis, staying the night at tho hotel were awakened by the fire. Francis ran from the hotel, hut finding King still inside, returned, and in a futile endeavour to rescue Francis was badly burned and died in the hospital. King’s remains were later found in the ruins of the binding.

ADELAIDE TRAGEDY. ADELAIDE, Sept. 12. A man passing a house in Birkenhead early this morning noticed two children in night attire, with faces streaming with bi'ood, on the verandah. The police were called, and entered tho house and found Mrs Rose Kerrison, dead with her throat cut, and her two children, Hilda, aged eight, and James, six, with wounds in their hands and neck. A blood-stained razor was nearby. Both children were taken to tho hospital and will recover.

TRAINS RUNNING. BRISBANE, Sept. 12. Trains have recommenced running. There was a full attendnace all day Sunday, at the commissioner’s orders of the strikers to sign a declaration to abide by the commissioner's orders. Although the railway strike has ended, men at South Johnstone express themselves indignant at the railwaymen’s return to work. They say that the South Johnstone strike is no nearer settlement than' a week ago. and they will explore other avenues for support. A meeting of the Trades and Labour Council decided to take steps to form an Industrial Labour Party, and a Congress of all the Unions is being convened for this object.

LEVEL CROSSING' FATALITY. .Received tin’s dav at 9..'30 a.m.) ■SYDNEY, !Sept. 13. Two •women were killed outright and a man seriously injured, when a motor truck and train collided on a level crossing near Junie. The motor truck had side curtains, which permitted only a small field of vision. A FIRE. SYDNEY, Sept. 13. A fire at Goondiwindi destroyed a largo block of buildings in the principal street of the town. The damage is estimated at ten thousand sterling. COST OF STRIKE. BRISBANE, Sept. 13.

It is estimated that the stoppage of the railways for eight days cost the railwaymen over £IOO,OOO sterling and the Department over £25,000. The cost to other industries and employers must be considerable. Steps are being taken by transport unions to prevent unionists in isolated centres involving other unions in industrial troubles, by declaring goods black. A provisional council consisting of representatives of the Australian workers union, watersiders, seamen, coal and shale miners, icpresentatives of the Brisbane trades and labour council and others will be formed. News of the settlement of the strike caused a sensation in Innisfnil where the strikers tore down the first notice of the news posted outside a newspaper office. There were many violent outbursts of indignation. NEWSPAPER. MEN RESUME. PERTH, Sept. 13. Employees at the Westrnlian newspaper office (cabled yesterday) resumed work unconditionally after sixteen hours. AUTHORS’ WEEK. SYDNEY, Sept. 13.

The newspapers are devoting considerable space to the authors’ week movement for the promotion of Australian literature. The Minister of Education (Mr Davies) opened an exhibition covering original man scripts of Australian authors, samples of publications and many other exhibits of historic and literary interest. Mr Davies urged it was the duty of Australians to encourage their own authors and publishers. He claimed that the work done by them was equal to any in tho world. Showing the growth of the book trade here he said that during iW past twelve months 335,000 hooks were published in the Commonwealth, approximately one for every twenty people.