AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 June 1929, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

CRISIS IN COAL INDUSTRY. (Australian Press Association). SYDNEY, June 10. A crisis lias arisen in the coal industry. Engine-drivers and firemen employed in northern mines outside associated collieries to-dav decided to cease work on Wednesday and are meeting their State Council oil Wednesday, when they will resolution calling upon drivers and firemen in southern and western collieries to cease work. An attempt will also he made to induce similar action in Victoria. DOCTOR’S HOUSEBOAT. SINKS AT SYDNEY. SYDNEY, June 10. A houseboat, the property of Doctor Graham, sank in Double Bay early this morning. The 'boat has fourteen hundred pounds worth of luxurious furniture abroad. It is believed that a gale weakened the timbers and that the boat sprang a leak. N.Z. LINER’S ROUGH SPIN. SYDNEY, June 10. The liner Mnungaiiui ran into the storm, which was at its fiercest at about 2 p.ni. yesterday. Her peaceful voyage from Now Zealand was marred at the eleventh hour, the vessel being tossed violently all night. There were racehorses aboard, which were knocked about," cut and trampled upon. MAR AM A IN THE STORM. SYDNEY, Juno 10. The Marama, from Auckland, is running late, owing to the heavy weather. She will not be arriving till to-morrow afternoon. AN EXPLOSION. • IN ELECTRIC CABLE TUNNEL. (Received this day at 9.25 a.m.) MELBOURNE, June 11. . Thirty windows of Melbourne Hospital were smashed and a woman attendant badly cut by flying glass, when, an explosion occurred in an underground electric cable tunnel. The manhole cap was blown 150 feet in the air. The roar of the explosion was heard all over the city. Flames burst from the tunnel and the steel cover descended on electric light wires, bringing them to the ground. Spontaneous combustion is believed to be responsible.