AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1930, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

MUNGANA CLAIM

BY QUEENSLAND GOVILRNMENT

(Australian Press Association.)

BRISBANE, Oct. 3

The Queensland Attorney-General, Hon. Mr McGroartv, lias issued writs against Frederick Reid, William McCormack, Edward Theodore and Peter Goddard, claiming damages for "causing damage to an estate oi tile King,’’ or in the alternative, damages in connection with the purchase of certain mines at Mungana, or on two ot'uer alternatives. THE MUNGANA INQUIRY. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) BRISBANE, October 4. Mr E. G. Theodore, addressing a large audience declared he had been denied the right to clear his name of the charges made in Justice Campbell’s report. The Queensland Government sought to stifle his speech by issuing iv writ against him. His political opponents would stop at nothing. If lie was a spent force, the public would have beard of no Mungana inquiry, but when bis political opponents feared a man they sought to destroy him. The method was to appoint a right man as Royal Commissioner and obtain a report which would declare their enemy to be dishonest and a blaguard, AUSTRALIA’S TRADE, GALVANISED IRON PROTECTED. CANBERRA, October 3. The Federal Government, yielding to pressure from the local manufacturers of galvanised iron, have agreed completely to prohibit the importation of galvanised iron into' the Commonwealth, except by the consent of theMinister. The present bounty of £3 3s per ton on locally manufactured galvanised iron will, however, be now withdrawn.

WORKS REOPEN. CANBERRA, October 4. Following the Government decision to prohibit importation of galvanised iron, the works of Lysaght Ltd. will reopen on Monday. . • „ • *• * ’ , • .|. STOCKS RISING. V ON AUSTRALIAN EXCHANGES. SYDNEY, Oct, 3. Bond and share prices rose sharply on the Stock Exchange to-day as the result of the better tone induced' by the Federal Government’s intention to reduce expenditure. The investors operated with more confidence, and bank shares reacted strongly. The Commercial Bank of Sydney, for instance jumped from £l7 3s to £lB 15s. Reports from Melbourne contain similar features. COMMISSIONER RESIGNS. ■ (Received this day at 8 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Oct. 4. Herbert Brookes, Commissioner for Australia in the United States lias resigrred and is returning to Australia, No new appointment 'is being made and the Federal Government expects to save £SOOO. loan oversubscribed. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) MELBOURNE, October 4. In marked contract with the last issue, the loan of half a million sterling issued by the Metropolitan Board Works, was largely undersubscribed. Subscriptions closed . with only 226,300 received. STEEL COMPANY CLOSES- / _ (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, October 4. The blast furnace at the Australian iron and steel company’s works at Woollongong is closing and five hundred will be thrown idle. The 'Company’s colliery is also to cease work. SIR. OTTO I NIEMEYER. IGNORES ATTACKS. CANBERRA, October 4. Sir Otto Niemeyer, commenting on the attacks made on hinn by Messrs Lang and Beasley and others said:— “I clo. not propose to reply to. that sort of nonsense.”