AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1921, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

PRICE OF BREAD LOWERED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, Nov. 30. The master bakers have decided to reduce the price of bread from 7d to o*/od a 21b loaf in consequence of flour supplies being obtainable on an open market. UNION OF THE CHURCHES. Sydney, Nov. 30. Archbishop Wright has approached the Federal heads of the non-episcopal churches with a view to holding an Australian conference to consider the Lambeth appeal for unity. The preliminary conference will be held on December 9. THE GEORGESON CASE. Sydney, Nov. 30. Tn the Assembly the Attorney-Gen-eral announced that the Georgeson inquiry would be reopened on Friday. RYAN LIBEL ACTION. Sydney, Nov. 30. The High Court ordered that the Public Curator of Queensland, as executor of Mr. T. J. Ryan’s estate, be made party to the action and appeal against the verdict in the libel case, Ryan v. Hobart Mercury. LOWER FREIGHT ON COPRA. Sydney, Nov. 30. Copra freights to New York have been reduced from 120 s to 95s per ton and to San Francisco from 70s to 60s. STEEL WORKS CLOSING. Sydney, Nov. 30. It is announced that the Broken Hill Company’s steel works at Newcastle may close. Two sections have recently ceased and 450 men have been paid off. If the whole works are closed there will be 30,000 employees affected, including subsidiary industries. ANTI-ITUMPING BILL. Melbourne, Nov. 30. Mr. Hughes has announced that he proposes to introduce an Anti-Dumping Bill before Christmas. RELIEF FOR RUSSIA. Melbourne, Nov. 30. Replying to a question regarding Russia, Mr. Hughes stated that the Commonwealth was contributing wheat or meat to the value of £50,000. CLAIM AGAINST GOVERNMENT. Sydney, Nov. 30. Sir Arthur Kidman. Joseph and Arthur Mayoh have issued a writ in the High Court claiming £BB,OOO -from the Commonwealth for labor and material in connection with shipbuilding. WIRELESS WITH BRITAIN. Sydney, Nov. 30. The Radio Communication Company, London, has submitted an offer to Mr. Hughes to establish direct wireless, communication with the United Kingdom on more advantageous terms respecting the revenue offered. A profit of £BO,OOO yearly is anticipated.

COMMONWEALTH STEAMERS. Melbourne, Nov. 30. In the House of Representatives Mr. Hughes announced the receipt of a cable stating that Lord/ Inchcape was desirous of purchasing ' the Commonwealth steamers, or alternatively was willing to sell the Conference Line’s vessels to the Commonwealth. Various speakers were unfavorable to either proposition and the matter lapsed. NEW SOUTH WALES DRINK BILL. Sydney, Nov. 30. The New South Wales Statistician reports that the drink bill for the year ended June 30 is over £11.000.000. or £5 5s 7d per head, which is 5s above the previous year. FELLMONGERS AND WOOL PROFITS. Sydney, Nov. 30. The hearing has been commenced in the High Court of a. case in which the Australian fellmongers, as represented by certain firms, are asking for participation in the profits in connection with overseas sales of wool during the. seasons lIMIS-lOZO, such sales having been made through the Central Wool Committee. The defendants are the Commonwealth Government and the Central Wool Committee. The plaintiffs claim that they are entitled to half the profits above the fixed price at which skin wool was sold to the British Government. The defendants contend that they are entitled to the fixed price only. The amount involved is between £3.000,000 and £4,000,000. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. i DUTY ON CITRUS FRUITS. Sydney, Nov. 30. The conference of fruitgrowers to consider the question of disposing of the coming crop discussed New Zealand’s action imposing a duty of Id per lb on citrus fruits. Speakers declared that it was a serious blow to the New South Wales growers, and it was decided to ask the Minister of Agriculture to make representations with a view to securing its removal. THE BASIC WAGE. Sydney . Nov. 29. Doubts as to whether the Government will proceed with the Basic Wage Bill, introduced into the Assembly with a view to restoring the 3/- reduction recently promulgated by the Board of Trade, were solved by a caucus meeting deciding to push on with the Bill as soon as possible. The .meeting decided to go even further and raise the rural workers’ basic wage to the same level as city workers, namely £4 5-s. The Government’s delay in proceeding with the Bill is attributed to the probable treatment it will receive in the Legislative Council. In anti-Labor circles the raising of the rural wage is regarded as a direct challenge to the council! to slaughter the Bill, thereby providing the laborites with a handle in the event of their desiring to appeal to the country. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.