AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 October 1928, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

SYDNEY, Oct. 16

Addressing the annual Conference of the New South Wales Country Press Association to-day, Mr Buttenshaw (Minister of Public Works) said that the colossal Sydney Harbour Bridge lias already cojit £3,500,000, and it would cost as much again to complete.

WOOL SAJJSS. SYDNEY, Oct. 18

At the wool sales 11,223 bales were sold. There was a keen demand for better descriptions of fleece and skirtings at full late rates. Greasy merino sold at 2<3d.

COLLAPSE, OF STRIKE

MELBOURNE, Oct. 18

With the collapse of the strike the Federation of Wharf Labourers will get their jobs back, as no volunteers were employed on inter-State boats. The owners expressed the intention of retaining a large percentage ef volunteers as permanent stevedores.

During the afternoon 600 wharfmen registered under the Transport Act.

CONFIDENCE TRICKSTER

SYDNEY, Oct. 18

Stanley Wilkinson arrived from New Zealand by the Maheno yesterday. He met a man who offered to change New Zealand notes for him. He gave the stranger eighteen notes and the latter entered a certain insurance building and failed to reappear. The police are investigating. A Debtor’s Release.

N.S.W. POLITICS. (Received this day at noon.) SYDNEY, October 18. In the Legislative Assembly in committee on the Savings Bank Housing Bill, an amendment that the commissioner carry, out' the whole of the legal work connected with housing in his own department, was carried against the government by 38 to 34.

SEVERE HAILSTORM

SYDNEY, October 18

A hailstorm in Taree district ‘swept a stretch' of thirty miles in Manning Valley, devastating gardens and orchards and smashing more than a thousand windows. Magpies and other wild birds were*- . killed by the hail, which riddled the strong hood of a taxicab being punted across the,river.

AIR, CADET INJURED

MELBOURNE, October 17

Cadet Woodliouse, practicing a forced landing near Point Cook Training School, 'brought’) an aeroplane down safely in a paddock, but it struck a small stump and was badly damaged. Woodhouse was taken to the hospitn' with a broken wrist.

STATE MINES LOSS

BRISBANE, October 17

Losses continued on State mines during the past year and two have been closed. The Auditor-General states if all these enterprises were dropped and the plant sold, the nett loss to the Treasury will be over a million sterling.

A COURT DECISION

PERTH, October 18

Brown Dureau Limited has secured a judgment against Robert Spaven, a former Perth manager, from whom they claimed £14,343 for allegedly speculating in flour, jute, bran and pollard, thereby involving the firm in considerable loss. Immediate judgment was given for £5,296, plus £/ .44 < from which the defendant was entitled to deduct any profits made on Ills unauthorised trailsaction s.