AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

PETITION REFUSED. SYDNEY, Nov. 17

The N.S. Wales Assembly, by 46 votes to 42, to-day refused a petition presented by the Sydney Council praying that counsel on their behalf |,e heard at Hie Bar of the Home, in support of the reasons against the suspension of the Council.

MYSTERIOUS TRAGKDY

BRISBANE, Nov. 18,

A mysterious fatal shooting occurred at Paddington, a suburb of Brisbane. The body of Phyllis Miller was found in the street, while a few yards away, a man, Reginald Vaughan, was found with a severe bullet wound in the hack of the head. There are no details.

FURTHER PARTICULARS

BRISBANE, Nov. 13

Miss Miller and Vaughan went for a drive in a motor ear on Wednesday night and as they did not return the police were informed. In the morning a search was instituted and the empty inr was located at the side of the road and the gill’s body found in a gully nearby shot in the bead. She bad apparently been dead some time. Vaughan was found in n semi-conscious state about eighty yards away In a serious condition. He was unable to make a statement.

.MARINE LABOUR: DEMAND. SYDNEY, Nov. 18.

The New South Wales marine transport group decided to recommend to maritime workers throughout Australia a boycott of the Commonwealth line steamers, if they are sold. The group also suggests that all vessels of the line purchasing ships should be declared “black” throughout Australia.

STOPPAGE OF WORKS. SYDNEY, Nov. 18

Owing to the recent importation ot structural and merchant steel I com England at prices which doty local competition, grave fears at present are entertained regarding the future ol the Broken Hill Proprietary Company’s works at Newcastle. For many months a steady falling off in orders has been experienced and already the services oT several hundred men have been dispensed with. It lias now been decided to close down part of the works. It is estimated that when this is put into effect next Saturday, considerably over a thousand men will have been put off.

STEAMER SOLD. SYDNEY, Nov. IS

The* steamer Westralia, well-known on the New Zealand coast, lias been sold, to be used as a bulk lor the storage of copra at Rabaul.

N.S.AY. EDUCATION. SYDNEY, Nov. 18,

The annual report of the Department of Education shows expenditure lor the year was £4,559,000, the highest for any year in the history ol the Department. There were 9,559 teachers under the Department. The strength was more satisfactory than it had been for a considerable time. The effective enrolment was 819,885.

A-MENTAL TEST. SYDNEY. Nov. 18,

During the period from 1924-26 a mental test was carried out on 1.912 school boys and of the total 22 per cent were regarded as having an intelligent quotient of a hundred a more; 86} per cent of 00 to a 100, or a total of 58} per cent were of normal intelligence. Twenty-four point seven per cent had a quotient of 80 to 90. Regarded as retarded six per cent, 75 to 80; five and a-linlf per cent, 70 to 75; and five per cent were under 70. Tt was considered therefore about ten per cent wore definitely or probably feeble-minded and about fifteen per cent fit lor education at suitable schools.

FIJI AFFAIRS. SYDNEY. Nov. 18.

Sir Eyro Hutson, Governor of Piji. arrived by the steamer Sierra on a holiday tour. He inlv«".|r.<) reciprocity «r trade between Australian and Now Zealand and British possessions in the Pacific, which lie said was a factor which would make tor progress of the Pacific. He added that Fiji had quite recovered from the labour troubles resulting in the stoppage ot shipments of coolies from India, and a, period of prosperity was ahead.

SYDNEY CITY COUNCI I

SYDNEY, Nov. 18

Referring to the proposal of the f City Council to take a referendum of tlie people on its abolition. Mr Bavin stated the suggestion was quite impossible as the Bill before Piiiliament proposed the abolition ol the Council and a. new order would be ushered in with the passage of the Bill. Air Bavin added that lie bad obtained a mandate from the people to abolish the Council and the wishes of the people would lie given effect to. e FEDERAL FINANCE. ] CANBERRA, Nov. 18. The Federal Treasurers in a financial statement for the first .quarter of the financial year discloses a -surplus of £155,163 sterling, compared with £2,075,000 at fh" same stage last year. The reason for the decrease is that large snins were used lor sinking fund purposes this year "'bid' last year were applied to the sinking fund at a later period. The statement shows customs 'c- • venue for the quarter amounted to £11,265.862 sterling, which is three hundred thousand in excess of the estimate. federal wireless AGREEMENT. CANBERRA, Nov. 18. In the House of Representatives Mr Bruce introduced a Bill to amend the agreement between tlie Commonwealth Government and Amalgamated Wireless of Australia. Limited. U provides for a free patent right to licensed broadcasting stations, radio dealers and listeners in from Amalgamated Wireless with the payment to Amalgamated Wireless by the Commonwealth Government of threepence per month on behalf of each licensed listeners, and* a revision by Amalgamated Wireless of the stations which it at present owns. The new I agreement is to remain operative joi > five years, and the Commonwealth and the Company must agree on the form of license to be signed by users ,>f patents. The Company agreed to grant a license free of royalty to every newspaper and every broaden-. - in- station in Australia for the purpose of receiving official news aim bulletins from Britain. It also agrees to prosecute, as expeditiously as P os sible, actions which already have been instituted for infringement of patent rights. It is agreed that the actions nre .for rights important to broadcasting. unless these actions are hn- ' idled within twelve months in favour ! of the Company. The agreement ; provides that the Company will commence corresponding actions in New ’ Zealand. A provision dealing "Ah 1 retention of stations by Amalgamated Wireless includes a clause that all equipment shall be modernised and stations reorganised. Payments to - the Postmaster-General’s Department in respect of messages handled - by the Post Office are eliminated while the Commonwealth promises to

provide the Company with the necessary land line connections and internal communications at the usual rates. The Company is not allowed to transmit or receive inland messages, unless required by the Commonwealth. Jii cases of interruption to line circuits the Company will be entitled to establish and operate commercial wireless services between Australia and ships at sea, with aireralt and between toriitorios and other countries. RACEHORSE PURCHASE. MELBOURNE, Nov. 18. The racecourse High Court has been purchased by E. Duncan for 150 guineas and shipped by the Manuka.