AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3641, 30 November 1920, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

BATTLESHIP AUSTRALIA. 1 MELBOURNE, Nov. 29. Sir Joseph Cook denies a widely prevalent idea that the battleship Australia is obsolete." He states that she will be of service for another ten years. AN UNPOPULAR SECRETARY. MELBOURNE,- Nov. 29. The Federated Seamen's Union of Australasia has issued a writ aganist Thomas Walsh, secretary of the Sydney branch, claiming an injunction restraining him from 'acting as secretary of the organisation. STATE EMPLOYEES ON STRIKE. HOBABT, Nov. 29. Over a thousand employees of the State hydro-electric construction works in the Greta Lake district have struck. They are demanding increased wages. UNEMPLOYMENT.

SYDNEY, Nov. 29. Union officials view with alarm the prospects for Christmas, because of the large number of unemployed. An official of the factory employees' union states that he. has not seen so much unemployment for over thirty years. Employers state that it is due to the falling-off in the export trade, too rmich production for local consumption, and a general tightening up process in the money market. A PROPOSED BOYCOTT. .MELBOURNE, Nov. 29. At the conference of unions concerning the handling.of foodstuffs a suggestion was made that the export of meat, wheat and butter should be boycotted until prices for local consumption were reduced It as eventually decided to appoint a committee to report concerning the line -of action to be adopted. ; $ TAXATION PROPOSALS. Received 12.15 p.m. SYDNEY, This day.

Mr Lang is introducing new taxation proposals in the Assembly to-day. It is understood the proposals will provide foj an extra penny in tae pound on incomes over £250, with a graduated higher rate over £IOOO, and a substantial increase on incomes derived from property and company dividends. LOSSES BY DROUGHT. Received 12.20 p.m. SYDNEY, This Day. The Government Statistician reports that the State's loss as 8,500,000 sheep through drought during the yeaT ended June 30, decrease of one million in the previous twelve months. Cattle decreased nearly half a million, and pigs, which had totalled a record Wmber of 396,000, haM dropped to less than a quarter of a million. A BISHOP'S DENUNCIATION. Received 12.20 p.m. SYDNEY, This Day. At Bathhurst Bishop 'Kong severely criticised the clergymen who had absented themselves from the final session of the Anglican Synod, saying .that if they were giving the Kingdom of God second place to other interests it was obvious they were not the men to do the work of the former. PRINTERS ON STRIKE. Received 12.20 p.m. SYDNEY, This Dtey.

Broken Hill reports that owing to the refusal of the management of "The Miner", a newspaper,, to allow the Printers' Union to censor copy, the union struck, and the paper has ceased publication. VICTORIAN BUDGET. Received 12.20 p.m. MELBOURNE, This Day. The Victorian budget anticipates that the revenue to June will be £17,445,000, and the expenditure £17,4053)00, giving a surplus of £40,000. FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVANTS. Received 12.30 p.m. MELBOURNE, This Day. A Commonwealth Public Service meeting emphatically protested against Mr. Hughes's proposed basic wage of £4 4s, and also objected to Justice Starke's award iTernanding the production of marriage certificates. RAILWAY GAUGES. Received 12.30 p.m. MELBOURNE, This Day. Mr. Clapp, Railway Commissioner, scouts all the ingenious inventions designed for the break of gauge difficulty, contending that unification is the only polutJon. which view is "shared by Australian experts.