AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3620, 5 November 1920, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

PILFERING OF CARGO. Received 9.50 a.m. MELBOURNE, This Day In the Senate, Senator Earle moved the adjournment for the discussion of cargo pilfering. He quoted statements that the toll exacted by the waterfront workers of Australia exceeded half a million sterling, and including" petty pilfering the total was probably over a. million. In support of his statement that an organised system was in operation, he stated that a boot manufacturer, in order to prevent thefts, sent all left-foot boots in one ship and all right-foot boots in another; but two cases from each consignment had disappeared. He urged the need or action on the part of the Commonwealth and State Governments and the unions involved.

Senator Pearec declared that if the statements were true they constituted .a stigma upon the waterfront workers. No self-respecting organisation would sit quiescent under such eharg'isT He had been told that detectives placed on. , vessels took their lives in their hands. If they went into a ship's hold they I were in. danger from falling cases. He ' promised to consult (Tie State Govern I ments, with n view to taking remedial | mea«nns. INDUSTRIAL AMALGAMATION. Received 11.50 a.m. SYDNEY, This day. The Federal executive of the Australian Labour Party is convening all Australian Unions to a Congress with the object of amalgamating all industrial elements for the purpose of instituting a Socialist Co-operative Commonwealth.

REDUCTION OF PRICES. Received 10.10 a.m. SYDNEY, This Day. The Wholesale soft goods houses are reducing prices by 15 to 20 per cent, in. Manchester goods, cotton and woollen goods. It is explained that owing to the falling off in the demand, holders are anxious to reduce stocks.