AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1930, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

BUSH FIRES DAMAGE.

(Australian Press Association)

SYDNEY, February 7

Scrub fires at Willoughby damaged Challis Brothers tannery to the extent of £BOOO sterling and seriously threatened two other similar plants and several houses.

PROPOSAL REJECTED. CANBERRA, Feb. 7

.•'"The Federal Cabinet rejected the proposal to place its police forces in Capital territory, New Guinea, North and Central Australia, under joint control. Advocates of the change urged ftlhat recruiting and training would be simplified and the exchange of officers from one territory to another facilitated.

ALLEGED SEDITION. BRISBANE, Feb. 7

Frederick Woolnough Paterson, a f'armjer and one (time ex-Rhodes scholar, well ’known in. Queensland educational circles, was charged with having made a seditious speech at the Domain on 12th January in which it is alleged lie declared: “It workeis shed a little blood in their own interests as they did 'for capitalists in the war, they would be emancipated. They should' take ,tlie law into their own hands.” He was remanded till 13th February.

LOAN MONEY FINISHED. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) ■ : ’ SYDNEY, Feb. 7. The vState Treasury announced today that if the Government are unable to obtain loan money immediately, the last thousand men on railway construction and development works in the city and country would have to be dismissed at the end of next week. OBJECTION TO DUTY. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 8. Sydney representatives of the Mas. ter Timber Merchants Association waited upon the Federal Assistant Minister of Industries, Mr Forde, with a request that duty on soft woods should not be increased as required bv country sawmillers. It was pointed out that decreased importations of soft woods would lead to a greater" demand for Australian hard woods. The Minister replied that he would consider the representations. He could not say when the Tariff Board could deal with an inquiry upon the subject owing to the congestion of tariff matters before it. /

AUSTIIALIAN THEATRICALS

A)URIEL STARR FILES

SYDNEY, Februa ry' 1

The members of the theatrical piofession in Australia, 'like the professional musicians, have been severely bit by the talkies. The majority are now unable to pay their way.

An outstanding instance of the bad times was revealed to-day when AIL" Muriel Start: voluntarily sequestrated her estate/ 'Her liabilities total three thousand sterling. She is a noted actress,' and formerly she received a very high salary.