AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 January 1922, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A BANKING DEAL. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Melbourne, Jan. 10. Shareholders of the National Bank of Australia unanimously approved the proposal to purchase the entire Bank of Queensland for £520,000. PLAGUE MORTALITY. Brisbane, Jan. 10. Jt is officially stated that since the outbreak two victims died from pnemonic, one septicaemia and 25 from bubonic plague. INDIANS IN FIJI. 4 Sydney, Jan. 10. The spokesman of the Indian delegation visiting Fiji said the object of the inquiries was to find the cause of the unrest which lay behind the recentstrikes. Although the system of indentured labor has ended, there are many laborers in Fiji against their wills, having been enticed there by false promises. It was a common thing for young people to find themselves lost at large gatherings in India, and recruiting agents undertook to take them home. The unfortunate wanderers later found themselves in Fiji v—•’•e they were practically slaves. They were lately informed that they were to be paid only pre-war wages. This treatment is regarded as a upon the people of India and all they asked was that if these men could not be paid decent wages they should be sent home again.

THE TIRTSOHKE MURDER. Melbourne, Jan. 10. The Government has increased the reward to £lOOO for the apprehension of the Tirtschke murderer, and has also recommended the Governor to give a full pardon to an accomplice who gives det.iia o f the murder.