AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1922, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

THE SHEARERS’ STRIKE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.-—Copyright. Melbourne, June 2. A meeting of the Australian Workers’ Union unanimously decided not to commence shearing until the terms of the Queensland award are granted. POSTAL RATES. J Melbourne, June 3. Mr. Oxenham, referring to a statement that letters over a certain weight were carried more cheaply in New Zealand than in Australia, explained that the area of the latter was approximately 30 times that of New Zealand. In j any case it was immaterial, as 95 per I cent, of the letters in Australia weighed not more than half an ounce and only 5 per cent, of inland letter# were affected. DUBIOUS OIL. Brisbane, June 3. The Government Analyst has reported to the Minister of Mines that sample liquid from the Beaudesert bore had the i same composition a-s a mixture of kero- ‘ sene and a little lubricating oil. The Minister said if a practical joke had been played it was not on the part of the owner. PLAGUE STATISTICS. Sydney, June 2. No cases of plague have been reported since May 17. So far there have been 33 cases and eight deaths. FUNERALS OF AIRMEN. Melbourne, June 2. The funeial cf Sir Ross Smith will be held at Adelaide on June 14, and that of Lieutenant Bennet in Melbourne on June 16. RECIPROCAL TRADE PROPOSALS. Melbourne, June 3. At the request of Canada, the Commonwealth Government has forwarded the proposals for reciprocal trade between Canada and Australia. LABOR TROUBLES. Sydney, June 3. Two hundred and fifty slaughtermen and laborers at the Riverstone Meat Company’s works struck against a 3s reduction in their wages. A strike among the Homebush slaughtermen was averted on promise by the carcase butchers that a conference would consider the dispute. The chairman of the coal tribunal has decided to summon a compulsory conference next week to discuss the coal dispute. UNION PENALISED. Melbourne, June 3. The Industrial Registrar has intimated to the secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union that in consequence of the union’s refusal to observe the award of Mr. Justice Powers in the shearers’ ease the Arbitration Court would not hear the Union in any other direction till the terms of the award are obeyed. GERMANS SEEK TRADE. Sydney, June 3. According to the Daily Telegraph, representatives of German manufacturers are busy seeking to place orders, but are generally having a somewhat freezing reception. Many business houses are disinclined to re-start handling German goods, though they admit that if they come on the market they may -be forced to stock them. German bagmen, seeking trade with one firm, said the prices spoke for them- | selves, others were buying them and the firm would find itself compelled to do the same. • The opinion has been expressed in j some quarters that goods, if they, do | come, will not be so cheap as anticipated; others think that German manufacturers will be -prepared to work for a year or two without profit for the purpose of getting back into the market.