AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1921, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN FINANCE. By Telegraph.—-Press Assn—Copyright. Adelaide, July 27. In the Assembly, the Premier said that if the Government was forced by the Wages Board to pay marginal increases in connection with the living wage hundreds of men would have tu be put off. If that was not done and no increased taxation was imposed, the deficit at the end of the present financial year would amount to between £BOO,OOO and £1,000,000. Mr. Birrell gave notice of a motion in favor of a scheme of motherhood endowment. MINERS’ LOSS BY STOPPAGE. Sydney, July 28. Mr. J. M. Paxton, president of the Chamber of Commerce, in an address on the industrial position, stated that had the miners on the Newcastle and Maitland coalfields worked without stoppage and endeavored to get the maximum output the difference between their actual and possible earnings in the past 15 months would have purchased one of the best colliers in the district. BAKERS CLOSING DOWN. Perth, July 28. The Price-Fixing Commission, having refused to raise the price of bread all round, the master-bakers have given their employees a week’s notice of their intention to close down, stating that they cannot feed the public at a loss. THE NAVIGATION ACT. , Sydney, July 28. The Chief Justice In the High Court, before reserving judgment in the appeal by the Newcastle Steamship Company and others, who are challenging the validity of the Navigation Act, said the court was unanimously of opinion that the Act could not apply to inter-State navigation.

VICTORIAN MINISTRY DEFEATED. Melbourne. July 28. Tn the Assembly, the Ministry was defeated by 33 votes to 28, the Country and Labor Parties voting together. The Ministry offered a voluntary wheat pqol in lieu of the Country Party’s request for a compulsory pool. LABOR DIFFERENCES. Sydney, July 28 Mr. Blakely, president of the Australian Workers Union, replying to the speeches nt Hobart, said the preamble of the resolutions adopted at the All Australian Labor Congress did not go beyond the present Labor pledge and objective. Mr Ogden, commenting on the reply, states that the preamble provides both for revolution and confiscation. The Labor Party never stood for either, and he hoped never would. The Council of Action should not have powers which should be possessed only by a sovereign Parliament. It would be farewell to freedom if they became dictators in Australia. SOLDIER SETTLEMENT INQUIRY. Sydney, July 28. Mr. Justice Street, in concluding h’s final report on soldier settlements, finds he cannot accept Mr. Ashford as a candid and truthful witness. He has not succeeded in rebutting the suggestions of immoral conduct. Additional *acts lead fairly to the conclusion that he and Bryant, a subordinate officer, were associated in a course of immoral conduct. It is not improvable in these circumstances that Bryant acquired an improper ascendancy over him and used him improperly.