AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association

TASM A NIAN P R OT.EST

(Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) HOBART, Nov. 24

The Premier has telegraphed to Mr Bruce drawing attention to the disastrous position likely to arise in lasinania unless the watersidors ineitime dispute is settled. He referred to the possibility ot the closing o! the zinc works, serious loss to the Iruit trade and grave interference with the tourist traffic. LABOUR COUNCIL'S A 1 MS. MKLBOUKNK, Nov. 21. The executive ot the Australian and New Zealand Council ot Trade Unions resolved that evidence should he submitted to a Royal Commission on the Constitution in support of adult suffrage. carrying one vote, one value; adoption of the initiative and recall ; the present limitation of the lift* o! parliament is not to lie exceeded under any protext; no conscription for any military service; that the High Court of Australia should he the final authority for Australia in all cases; that State Parliaments as at present constituted should he abolished, and that the Federal Parliament should be empowered to deal with all industrial matters irrespective of State boundaries and overseas trade and commerce; uniform company law and aviation and transport.

CABLE BUSINESS. CANBERRA, Nov. 21

Mr Bruce stated a committee would lie appointed to consider the position of the Cable Companies in view of the diversion of 41 per cent of their traffic to the beam system. The Committee will investigate what subsidy, il any, would he necessary to compensate the Cable Companies for traffic lost to beam. He added that the Government recognised the necessity for the efficient operation ot cable lines, to provide reliable secret communication against the emergency of war.

UNEMPLOVE D PHOTEST. SYDNEY, Nov. 24. A large body of unemployed inarched to the Trades Hall and took possession of one of the Assembly halls uheic they held a meeting. MOUNTED POLICE FOR TRAFFIC. SYDNEY, Nov. 24. The Chief Secretary decided that mounted police he utilised to assist in regulating traffic in and around Sydney. A BANKRUPT COUNCIL. SYDNEY, Nov. 24. Casino Municipal Council is at present occupying a unique position in the history of local government in New South Wales. The Council treasury is empty and no cash is available to pa.v wages and no income is expected before Miireh next. All maintenance men have been dismissed and the administrative officers have agreed to continue their duties and receive their salaries when funds are available.

STRIKE PARTIES TO CONFER (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Nov. 24

The Management Committee of the Waterside Workers’ Federation met and considered the strike situation. No-official statement was issued, but it is learned that union officials decided not to take any definite action to extend the trouble, pending the result of a conference between ship owners representatives and the Federation’s delegates. Later it was stated that deliberations would he continued today when it was expected some step would be taken with a view to a settlement of the dispute. It is understood the watersiders deckled that if nothing were done to arrange a conference between the parties in the dispute, the threat to resort to direct action in declaring different vessels “black’’ would he coined out. The Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions meets today to discuss the position. A»v decision readied by. this body "ill have an important hearing on the future conduct of the strike, a.s the whole of the State Labour Councils, with the exception of West Australia will he represented. The Overseas Representatives’ Assn, has issued a statement which says that shipping interests have made every' possible effort to find an honourable way of avoiding a widespread dislocation, which the Watersiders’ Federation is hourly bringing nearer. The task is more difficult than finding a secure foothold in a quick-sand. Iho statement, proceeds that the 1 nion declares it is deliberately crippling Australian and oversea shipping, in order to obtain a hearing by the Arbitration Court, to force shipowners into an agreement by conference. Actually the facts are that the Federation had every assistance and spontaniety irom the Court, and a friendly hearing from the Association. In hath cases its refusal to abide by a past award oi give reasonable guarantees for the future made the proceedings, a jest. 1° one case the Judge recognised the absurdity of making a new a,-aid. when the old one is being contemptuously disregarded and the Oversea Shipping Representatives’ Association were forced to recognise that no agreement ol any nature would he binding tor ono second.

IRONWORKS CLOSING DOWN SYDNEY, Nov. 21 Owing to overseas competition and the high cost of production, Lvsaght’s Galvanised Iron Works at Newcastle are closing next month. It is one of Newcastle’s principal secondary industries, and following drastic curtailment of operations in the steel works will add considerably to the industrial depression in the Northern District.

SYDNEY SHIPPING TONNAGE. SYDNEY, Nov. 24. The annual report of the Harbour Trust Commissioners shows that during the year 8,300 vessels, with a registered tonnage of 10,0—0, 1 03 entered Port Jackson, representing the highest tonnage in its history. NIGHT RACING STOPPING. SYDNEY, Nov. 24. Government have decided to prohibit night racing, including trotting after Ist. January next. N.S.W. POLITICS. SYDNEY, Nov. 24.

The Opposition continues to give the Government an extremely lively time in Parliament. There were further stormy scenes in the Assembly during the discussion on the Rill to remove Kay, an ex-member of tlie House, from the Meat Board. The Labourites endeavoured to block the bill at every stage. The bill was eventually gagged through. __ _ It will he remembered that Kay’s resignation of his seat to accept the appointment, saved the Lang Goveinment from defeat and caused a political uproar at the time. Lang stormily protested that the Bill was an attempt to repudiate the contract made by His Majesty’s Ministers. Flannery (King’s Counsel) appeared at the bar of the Legislative Council and lengthily pleaded the civic authorities’ case against the proposed abolition of the City Council.