AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1931, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

AUSTRALIA'S DEBT, PILED UP BY INTEREST. (Australian Press Association.) SYDNEY, April 10. Mainly owing to the interest payments that had to bo made, the Commonwealth's deficit leapt by six and a-half millions during the month of .March to the staggering total of almost twenty millions sterling tor nine months of the current financial year. The sale tax receipts for that period amounted to 62,461.000, compared with the estimate of ,66,000,000 for a full year.. OBSOLETE WARSHIPS. SYDNEY, April 10. Another of Australia’s now obsolete destroyers, the “Muon," was sunk by gunfire outside Sydney Heads to-day She provided an excellent practice for the cruiser “Australia" and “Canberra." CLAIM FOR DEFAULT PAYMENTS. (Received 10.20 a.m.) SYDNEY. April 11. The “Herald” says a writ to recover approximately six hundred thousand pounds from the Government of New South Wales will bo issued out of the High Court to-day. on the application of the Federal Solicitor-Gen-eral. The amount represents the committments to oversea bondholders, which were met by the Commonwealth on behalf of the State. (,)I'KF.NSLAND P()UTTOS. BRISBANE.. April 11. An Upper House of twenty or thirty members elected on. a non-party basis, and reduction of the number of members in the Assembly were two points discussed with Premier Moore by a large influential body of citizens. The deputation suggested that both issues he put to the people by a joint referendum. The Premier stated that a referendum cost a lut of money and the State could not afford it He thought the matter of the restoration of the Legislative Council should lie decided by the Government.