AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1922, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

IRRIGATIQN SCHEME. By Telegraph.—Press Asm.—Copyright. Sydney, June 12. The Cabinet is proceeding immediately to consider the financial position of the Murrumbidgee irrigation areas, involving its relation to the cost of further extension and the resulting amount of additional settlement. To date the expenditure on the whole scheme amounts to £7,000,000, and the estimated cost of completing the scheme to the limit proposed by the irrigation commissions is £0,000.060, for an additional 4300 settlers. This does not include the usual advances to settlers, which amount to a further £4,256,000. MR. SASTRI’S VISIT. Melbourne, June 11. Mr. Sastri, the Indian statesman who is visiting Australia, states he is very well satisfied with the progress made for the betterment of the conditions of Indians in Australia, and hopes to hear any day that the West Australian Government has taken steps to grant all that has been asked for. He added that in addition to asking the Commonwealth Government to give Indians full franchise rights, he would urge that they should receive the benefits of old age pensions. PREFERENCE TO SOLDIERS. Brisbane, June 12. The movement initiated by the Trades and Labor Council to secure the deletion of preference to soldiers from all awards has received the support of a large number of unions, which have agreed to authorise the council to approach the Arbitration Court on their behalf on the matter. NEW GUINEA QUIET. Sydney, June 12. Mr. Walter Marks. Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs, returned from New Guinea greatly impressed with its possibilities. He said he found everything working smoothly, and there was no truth whatever in the statements appearing from time to time in the press that the Administration was in a hopelessly chaotic condition. He was satisfied these attacks origin|ted from enemy subjects and are part of a clever and insidious propaganda to belittle Australia's administration of territory. STATION HANDS’ WAGES. Brisbane, June 11. The Arbitration Court refused to grant, an application by the United Graziers’ Association for th§ suspension of the station hands’ award, but Chief Justice M'Cawley hinted that he would have to reduce wages to the lowest rates possible, basing them ‘on the harvesters award. OLD BRICKWORKS CLOSED. Sydney, June 12. The Bathurst brickworks, which have been working for the past 50 years, have closed, owing to the high cost of labor.