AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1928, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

TAXATION RATES,

(Australian Press Association) (United Service).

SYDNEY. Nov. 14

The Attorney-General, Boyce, announced the taxation rates which will lie imposed if tho Taxation Management Bill is passed. The! Company tax, is graduated, commencing with two shillings in the pound, with a. maximum of three shillings on all foreign companies and State companies with taxable income over £6OOO. A super-tax of threepence in the pound will he imposed on all companies producing £3OO, (MX). Taxation from personal effort commences at seven pence increasing to 4s 31 d, where income is ever £20,000. This is expected to yield £770,000.

CREW STRICKEN WITH SICKNESS.

MELBOURNE. Nov. 14

Tho Finnish ship, Olivo Bank, arrived on route to Auckland from St. Pierre with a cargo of phosphates. The whole crew of twenty-seven is suffering more or less from beriberi, rendering the management of the ship difficult. One man died just after tho ship anchored inside Port Philip Heads, the Captain having decided in the desperate situation to make for Melbourne to obtain fresh provisions, A LABOR COMPLAINT. (Received this day at 9.25. a.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 15. S. Turley, General Secretary of the AVatersiders’ AVorkers’ Federation declares that out of a' total membership of 20.000 in all States, shipowners had victimised at least 7,000 strikers, all of whom had taken out licenses and were willing to obey the arbitration laws, yet the shipowners were continuing the policy of “callous punishment.” He wondered whether tho Australian people would stand for this kind of thing.

OIL CONCESSIONS SOUGHT. SYDNEY, November 14

Overtures liae been made to tho New South AVales Government by a group of British investors anxious to secure exclusive rights to a territory showing signs of oil wealth. The Goernment, while desirous of encouraging British capital, has decided to seek more information. GRASSHOPPER. PLAGUE. SYDNEY, November 15. A plague of grasshoppers in tho Wagga district is causing .great alarm. Fanners some time ago took steps to eradicate the breeding places with poison, but the Heeling of security arising from this action lias been upset as crops are believed to be endangered. N.Z. ENSIGN. SYDNEY, November 15. The New Zealand ensign, recently brought from the Dominion in the aeroplane Southern Cross for presentation to the Y.M.C.A. hoys in Australia, as an expression of goodwill from the boys of New Zealand was formally handed to the Sydney Y.M.C.A. WOOL SALES.' MELBOURNE, November 15. At the wool sales there was good competition and the price levels were unaltered. PAPER AITLLS I<IRE. SYDNEY, Nov. 14. The Coroner has opened an inquiry into a fire in Cumberland paper mills, on October 7th, causing a quarter of a million pounds damage. Robert Bain, mills engineer, gave evidence that the fire brigade was very slow in responding to the alarm and also failed to bring the fire engine right to the scene. Had this been done lie was of the opinion that a considerable section of the machinery could have been saved. Cross-examined, Bain said he was threatened with arrest by a constable when lie gave information about a previous mill fire in 1918. Tho inquiry was adjourned.