AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1928, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Australian Press Association.) AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING CRISIS. (Received this day at 0.30 a.m). -MELBOURNE. April 23. The maritime group of Unions have announced that if the sale of the Company's ships is effected, (he Unions will declare " black " all Kylsaiit’s ships visiting Australia. The principal line controlled by Kylsant is the White Star Line, and the effect of the Union's decision will he that immediately the sale of the Commonwealth Line is announced in the House of Representatives to-morrow, the members of the waterside Unions will he expected to refuse to work on all these ships. A remarkable feature of the position is that the Commonwealth Line itself will not be declared "black” although pun based hv Kylsant, while Australian crews are employed on Australian rates and conditions.

A FLOOD DISASTER. BRISBANE, Aprii 24. Reports from Rockhampton regarding floods indicate a terrible tragedy at Gelobera in Dawson Valley cotton area, where a whole farming lamily. consisting ol Laurence Muldoon. A. Williams and wife and lour children, with house and contents and every living thing were washed auay. Only the blocks on which the house stood are remaining. The water rose lort.i feet over the property, the raging torrent sweeping everything away. Four men employed in a .sawmill outside Rockhampton took relttge in trees and finally descended to a timb.-i lorry where they wort menaced by snakes and scorpions and ants, wbb-h were clinging to the del>r- about tbi'in ITALIAN MIGRATION. ( AN BE I’ll A. Aprii 21. air Bruce told members ol his party that he hopes shortly to announce a ihange in the Government polity with regard to Italian migration as a result of a talk wirh tins Italian Consul.

HUBDART PARKER HOLD-UP. (Received this day at 11. Id a.m. i SYDNEY. April 21. It is estimated that 17t> sealarers are idle. eonse!|Ueut on the hold-up ol the Huddart Parker’s entire licet ot seven vessels—Ulimaroa. Zealaiidin. Cnrlo. Yarra. Werrihee, Barwon. and Gonb bourn. with an aggregate tonnage of 27. .’N7.

The cooks are holding a meeting to dav to discuss the posit ion. Ihe seamen's union is resent I ill. and declare a handful of looks have caused a wave of unemployment in their ranks without consulting them. Mr \Y. Appleton (Chairman of ITiintlart Barker’s) defending the action ol his company, stated repeated calls were made for cooks to replace the strikers without success. He added: ‘‘Me are now awaiting action by the Arbitration Court on Friday and unless the Court fixes drastic penalties, including heavy fines, the men will continue to disobey the award.* The present position is 111 tolo ra file. .Since March 2nd out offices at Auckland. Wellington, and other New Zealand agencies have done no work. Should the court decide to suspend the cooks’ award then shipowners will decide wlmt to do.”

ANZAC DAY. SYDNEY. April 21. Arrangements have hoen completed fiu- Anznc Day commemoration tomorrow .which is a statutory holiday. A feature will he a monster parade n r twenty thousand former members ol the A.1.K., with an air pageant by fifteen aeroplanes. A wreath will he placed on the cenotaph at dawn.

engineers strike. SYDNEY. April 24

A strike of engineers at Lysaght Brothers wire netting works at Abbott sford has occurred. The strikers complain the company Inis offered men staff positions wtihout extra pay. rendering it necessary for the men to resign from the Union which course was designed to break their union. Twen-ty-three are involved in the trouble which is likely to extend.

THEFT OF CAR. SYDNEY. Anri I 24

A thrilling chase hy a police patrol carlv to-day alter a motorist who stole a ear ended in the fugitive being shot in the face, lie is now in a critical condition. The police bred six shots while travelling at sixty miles an hour. Finally the fugitive abandoned the ear and was climbing a fence when lie wits brought down I)v n revolver bullet.

high court decision. SYDNEY. April 24

The High Court of Australia has given an important decision affecting music copyrights under which owners of halls will no longer need to take active steps to prevent the performance of a piece of music which aftei the hiring of the hall, they may learn is copyright.

RAZOR SLASHING. SYDNEY. April 24

Razor slashing is being continued at Darlinghnrst. At midnight Arthur 1 iddle was found with extensive wounds in the chest, abdomen nnd back. One cut was from the chest to the abdomen and measured "me inches. Ethel Liddlo. believed to he his wife, was later treated for wounds in the nose as the result of a brawl wherein the pair were involved. Ihe man was aged 45.