AUSTRALIAN MEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1928, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN MEWS.

(Australian Press Association.) SYDNEY GRAFT INQUIRY SYDNEY, Aug. IT Tlie Coal Commission inquiry was disorganised to-day hv the non-appear-nnce of Afr .Johnston-to continue his evidence. A medical certificate was tendered that Afr Johnston was suffering from heart trouble, and was confined to bed. Counsel for the_ next witness, Air Pringle (manager of Byrnes Ltd) objected to his client answering questions till Air Johnston’s evidence was complete. The Court adjourned until to-morrow. IXTLMIDATION ALLEGED. SYDEY, Aug. 15. At the hearing of the charges of in timjdation against Jacob Johnson (General Secretary of the Seamen’s Union), Rigby, a fireman oil the Katoora, gave evidence that because lie was one of those who took the ship to sea from Adelaide during the cooks’ strike without a cook aboard, lie- had been assaulted in Adelaide and knocked about with sticks in Cairns; and in Sydney a man came aboard looking for him., with a guirln iiis pocket. He blamed Johnson lor tlie gunman's presence. The hearing was adjourned.

WHITE AUSTRALIA. JDARAYIN, Aug. 13. Air Nelson, member of the Federal Parliament for Northern 'Territories, makes startling allegations concerning the importation of Chinese into Australia, asserting that high officials are implicated and that the Customs Department lias obtained sworn declarations concerning the charges and has forwarded them to headquarters. CAR’S FATAL PLUNGE. AIELBOURNE, Aug. 15. A closed motor car, when traversing Alexandria Avenue this afternoon, apparently missed a turn, and plunged down a. bank at a speed of twenty miles an hour into the Yarra river. Bubbles were seen coining to the surface of the water, which was fifteen feet deep, but some time elapsed before rescue efforts were undertaken l>v divers.

The body of one man was recovered and it is believed that there was another man and a woman in the car. Tiie body recovered from the motor car is believed to be that of a man named Davev,-a commercial traveller, re.sioent of East Alnlvern. A doctor has declared his death was due to- heart failure, this explaining the car’s erratic final movements. Parcels at tlie back of the car were probably mistaken for other passengers. A diver was unable to trace anyone else near the sunken vehicle.