AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

■WOOL SALES

MELBOURNE, Nov. 9. At the wool sales, the week’s operations disclosed tr very strong, buoyant market for all descriptions, other than very inferior sorts, (f which but little was seen. SYDNEY, Nov. 10. At the wool sales, there was a strong market with values equal and the best rates for the week. For all descriptions, there was keen general competition, and an especially strong demand for softer fleece wools and finer descriptions, suitable for the Continent. Greasy merino fleece sold to 32 pence. ASSEMBLY GALLERIES CLOSED. SYDNEY, Nov. 9. Following the disturbance, the public galleries in Parliament were closed to-day, when the House resumed its sittings. PRICE OF BUTTER REDUCED. SYDNEY, Nov. 9. The wholesale price of butter is reduced by a penny per pound, to 183 s 8d per ewt. N.S.W. INSURANCE. (Received this dav at 8.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 10. The first annual report of the Government Insurance Office discloses an accumulated surplus, inclusive of the funds controlled by the Treasury Board since 1911, to lie £480,000. Administrative costs for the year 1920 amounted to 9.32 per cent only, which is claimed to lie a refutation of the charge that insurance business' cannot be carried on by the State with efficient economy. The report urges the government to consider, firstly’ that the present system as a medium for compensation should he discontinued in New South Wales; secondly, that State Workers’ Compensation Fund he established to he contributed to by employers on a basis of the annual assessment and a flat rate chargeable on wages. Tt is claimed that under such a system the cost of compensation would he reduced to a minimum and the result would be a considerable financial relief to Ibe community.

N.S.W. PUBLIC TRUST. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) SYDNEY. Nov. 10. The report of the Public Trustee for the year ended thirtieth .Tunc .last was presented at Parliament and showed 34,209 estates had been handled since the ineception of office in 1914, the value being £11.282.000.

COST OF MIGRANTS. CANBERRA, Nov. 10

According to a return tabled in the Senate the cost of the development and migration commission since its introduction in August 1920 to August 1927 had been £109,652. The staff comprises eighty-ono men in Australia and a hundred in London. TTie total cost for migrants was £73,842.

HON. AM FRY. BRISBANE, Nov. 10. Hon L. C. Amery responding ter a toast at Maryborough expressed wonderment at the rapid progress Australia. had made in the course ol barely a century. It was a wonderful piece of colonisation, lie warned his audience to avoid the great evils which resulted from a mixture of races and of people of different plans of civilisation. They would certainly have difficulties to face, which to many other nations had appeared unsurmouiitahle. They had gone a

long way towards vindicating the White Australia policy. They had built up the sugar industry by white labour, which was a great achievement. as that industry hitherto had been regarded as capable of development only by black labour. AT SOLOMON ISLANDS. SYDNEY, Nov. 10. Members of the crew of the steamer Duranbah, which has just returned from tho Solomon Islands, state owing chiefly to the low price of copra-, traders are suffering a great handicap and many are forced to relinquish the business to ttie Chinese, who are gradually gaining control of the trade. The traders at present purchased copra from the natives at £ll per ton. It is then sold to either of tho two big' Pacific trading companies, whose prices range from Cl 4 to £l4 10s a ton. Working expenses absorb a greater part of the gross profit. Many traders were forced to retire. The Chinese traders, however, are still able to continue and owing to their relatively low standard of living they are gradually absorbing .-he smaller European concerns. The system of trading with the natives also constituted a grievance with tho traders. Previously the islanders were content to receive stores for their copra, but they now demand money.

QUEENSLAND RAILWAY LOSSES BRISBANE. Nov. 10.

According to the report of the railway commissioner for the year endec June 30th the deficit on operations amounted to £1,064,865, the drought being the principal factor contribution L this unsatisfactory position. Increasing motor transport was also a factor.