AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1919, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE LIVING WAGE. By Telegrapli.i-Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, Dee. C. The Government has decided that the Board of Trade award increasing the living wage by 17s a week shall apply to the whole State public service, on salaries up to £525 per annum. WELCOME RAIN. Sydney, Dec. 6. _ Good falls of rain have been experienced in the far west. DOMESTIC SERVICE CONDITIONS. Sydney, Dec- 6. A meeting of women formed an organisation demanding better conditions for domestic servants. They claim a fifty-six hours week and a minimum wage of 20s a week, good accommodation, and the abolition of the term "doimestic servant" in favor of "household assistant."

CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT. Perth, Dec. <f. The Legislative Council rejected the Constituted Amendment Bill, which passed the Lower House and provided household suffrages as the franchise for the Council and the extension of the life of the present Parliament. VICTORIAN HEALTH BILL. Melbourne, Dec. t. A new clause was l added to the rlealth Bill empowering the employment of doctors as government or municipal officers, their duties to embrace attendance on persons entitled to it under any friendly society which entered into an agreement with the Minister of Health or a municipality. GAS WORKERS' STBJKB.

Melbourne, Dec. 6. Gas workers at Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong have struck, demanding increased wages. I TRANS-AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY. Melbourne, Dec. 7. As a result of negotiations the transAustralian railway resumes traffic immediately, pending a conference to settle "the details of the settlement. The employees were reinstated.-I—Aus.-N.Z. 1 —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TEE FORTY HOUR WEEK. Brisbane, Dec. 7. In furtherance of the movement to secure a forty-hour week, employees in the building and allied trades yesterday held a stop work meeting. They decided to continue the practice until iurther notice, thus cutting out Saturday work.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ALIEN DOCTORS. Sydney, Dec, 7.

The New South Wales branch of the British Medical Association has resolved to ask the Federal Government to deport all doctors interned during the war as alien enemies; also to remove their names, and the names of all those registered in virtue of German or Austrian qualifications, not resident or practising in New South Wales from the medical register.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ITALIAN STEAMER SERVICE. Sydney, Dec. 8. The first steamer of the new Italian bi-monthly line known as Lloyds' Sahas arrived. The service in- " eludes Antwerp, Italian ports and AusI tffilia.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

INCREASE OF MEMBERS' PAY. Perth, Dec. 8. The Legislative Council passed the Bill increasing members' salaries. NEW SOUTH WALES WHEAT ' .CROP. Sydney, Doc. 8. In the Assembly Mr. Oman said that it was estimated the harvest would yield eleven million bushels in excess of requirements. THE "GO-SLOW 71 POLICY. Brisbane, Dec. S. The watersiders at Townsville decided to adopt a "go-slow" policy until granted an increase of a penny an hour for special cargoes.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. LIBELLER OF SOLDIERS. Melbourne, Dec. 8. Mr. J. K. McDougal, ex-member of the Labor Party in the House of Representatives, who admitted having written offensive verses about soldiers, was seized by a party of returned men at his home near Ararat, who stripped, tarred and feathered him, and released him in the crowded streets of Ararat. —Aub.N.Z. Cable Assn. A BEER FAMINE,

Sydney, Deo. 8. Unless an early settlement is effected in the brewery strike, of which there are no present indications, a beer famine is threatened. There was not too much available on Saturday, anil bottled leer was reserved for counter service in order to make stocks linger out. THE DROUGHT. Sydney, Dec. 8. Steady rain continues in the dry areas, though much more is wanted. There have been heavy falls in some other diatricte. The country round Glen Innes is flooded, and much damage has been done to'crops and many sheep drowned. GAS STRIKE IN MELBOURNE. Melbourne, Dec. 8. The gasmen's strike is seriously interfering with domestic life and badly handicapping many commercial enterprises, rendering the employees idle. The engine-drivers and firemen of the Gas Company have joined the strike.—Aus.-