AUSTRALIAN HAPPENINGS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20821, 3 June 1939, Page 22 (Supplement)

AUSTRALIAN HAPPENINGS

INDIAN OCEAN SURVEY EMPIRE AIR MAILS « To provide an alternative all-British route for the English air mail, a survey flight across the Indian Ocean is to be made in June by the flying boat Guba from a suitable point in Western Australia, via Cocos Island, the Chagos Islands, and the Seychelles to Mombasa in Kenya, 4674 nautical miles. The Guba was used by Or. Richard Arch bold, of the American Museum of Natural History, in a scientific expedition in Dutch New Guinea and, when approached by the Commonwealth Government, offered his machine free of charge for the flight. The only condition attached was that he be given time to carry out biological research at each of the islands visited. Dr. Archbold is a research associate of the Museum, and he spends part of his inherited oil millions on scientific work. From Kenya he and his crew will fly across Africa to Dakar and on across the Atlantic to New York, the flight Including a stage of 3600 miles from Dakar to Puerto Rica which has never been flown. His crew includes Captain L. A. Yancey, who flew the Atlantic with R. Q. Williams on July 8. 1929. Mr Russell Rogers, an American test pilot. Mr Ray Booth, radio operator, and Messrs G. Brown and Steve Barinka. engineers. The' Guba Is a standard American Navy patrol ship with a range of 4000 nautical miles, and could carry enough petrol to fly from Onslow to Mombasa non-stop. She will carry Australian mail with a special stamp issue. The Commonwealth Government will be represented by Captain Patric Gregory Taylor, who is responsible for the whole of the organisation and the survey. He is recognised as the leading air navigator in Australia and one of the most famous in the world. Por long he has advocated the Indian Ocean scheme, and last year discussed it with the British Air Ministry. When the September crisis held up several mail planes, he succeeded In inducing the Commonwealth Government to negotiate with Dr. Archbold. He will conduct preliminary soundings of harbours and lagoons and ground surveys. Mr Jack Percival, Sydney journalist, who has been on trans-Tasman flights, will be the official correspondent in control of publicity, news, photographs, motion pictures and broadcastr ing. NEW SOUTH WALES FINANCES A CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT The public accounts of New South Wales for nine months of the financial year showed a considerable improvement compared with the position at the end of eight months, indicating that March had been a successful month for the Treasury. On February 28, excess expenditure was £5,340,265. On March 31, excess expenditure had been reduced to £3.850,655. The Improvement in the month was £1,489,610. A comparison of revenue and expenditure for nine months of 1937-38 and 1938-39 shows a decrease in revenue this year of £326,504 and an increase in expenditure of £1,522,003. Tn commenting on these figures, the Treasurer (Mr Mairl said that, at the end of February. 1938, the excess of expenditure over revenue was £3.069.882. and at. March 31, the excess was £2,002.148. disclosing an improvement for the month of March. 1938, of £1.067.734, whereas this year the improvement for March w ? as £1.489,610.

“It must be borne in mind.’ Mr Mair said, “that the railway finances are responsible for retrogression during the nine months of this year, as compared with the equivalent period of last year, to the extent of £1,159.817. because of adverse seasonal condition, industrial disturbances and the increased operating expenses.*’ Mr Mair said that an encouraging feature was the increase in wages tax receipts, showing that employment figures were continuing at a high level. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FINANCES RUN OP SURPLUSES BROKEN South Australia before this year had a run of f our consecutive Budget surpluses—the best record of any State Government for many years. Rut 1 his year the low price of wheal and an unfavourable turn in the seasons have combined to reduce the State revenue, ano a deficit is expected to be shown when accounts are totted up on June 30. it was thought at one stage that it might amount to £500.000, and the State applied for —and was granted—this amount as an additional allocation from the Loan Council to meet the deficiency. But motor registration revenue has been buoyant, and the deficit may finish up nearer the original estimate of £227,000 forecast in the Budget speech. ZANE GREY’S PLANS HUNTING WHITE SHARKS Zane Grey, noted American big game angler and author, has brought notoriety to Port Lincoln, a picturesque little township in South Australia. He has been hunting the “white death” or white-pointer shark in the waters off Port Lincoln, and he was so impressed with the possibilities of this place for big game fishing that he intends to sail his own yacht back to Australia from America next year or early in 1941, Ho says he will bring a big party of American anglers with him. He and his party, which comprised Mr Lyle Baffnard. his business manager. and Mr Gus Bagnard, photographer, landed two white-pointers weighing 300 and 700 pounds, but Zane Grey was lamenting “the 17ft. one that broke bis Hd« after winding thp line round and round itself.” The beautiful scenery round Port Lincoln offered a wonderful scope for Mr C»us Bagnard’s colour photography, and he is hiking hundreds of feet of film back with him to America.

When Zane Grey flew from Adelaide to Sydney he made his first aeroplane trip. He is now “sold” on air traveL

NEWS BY THE LATEST MAIL

PROSPERITY INDEX CONDITION IN QUEENSLAND Queensland’s propsperity index, as ! measured by its State Bureau of Indus- I try, declined for the three months ended February to 102.6 from 102.8 at the end of January. This is not a significant fall, and the high level of business activity is being maintained chiefly because of the record total value of exports, of which the greatly increased volume, particularly of butter, is more than offsetting continued low prices overseas. By the end of June it is expected that the State's output of butter will easily have exceeded the record output in 1934-35 and the cheese production will have exceeded that of the peak of 1928-29. Although Queensland is not a manufacturing State, factory employment for the last three months was 4.9 per cent higher than for the corresponding period of 1938, and 13 per cent higher than for 1936-37. These figures are of interest by comparison with conditions in other Australian States and countries overseas, in which the high peak reached in 1937 was not maintained in 1938. Queensland beef producers are particularly happy this year. The State customarily supplies seven-eighths of Australia’s total beef exports, and for the first eight months of this season the value of such exports is up 17 per cent, and the quantity up 2 per cent, on the figures for the corresponding period last year. WOMEN’S ROWING TEAM FOR ENGLAND The Australian Women’s Rowing Council has accepted the invitation of the Women's Amateur Rowing Association in Great Britain for a four-oared Australian crew an emergency, and a coxwain to visit England. At the annual conference in 'Hobart it was decided to request that the visit be paid in 1941. It has not yet been decided whether a composite crew from each of the five affiliated States or the winning crew' in the 1941 championship of Australia will make the visit. FAT LAMB INDUSTRY ADVANCE IN AUSTRALIA The fat lamb industry in Tasmania has made great advances in recent years. This progress has led to a proposal to establish a new factory at Launceston for the processing of fat lambs for export. The directors of J. G. Hutton Pty., Ltd., have given authority for the extension of their factory at St. Leonards to enable 600 fat lambs to be treated daily and to provide for a storage capacity of 10.000 lambs. The most up-to-date methods will be used, and the latest devices for the processing of lambs installed. The company's consulting engineer (Mr *H. Platt), who recently returned from America, where he studied the latest methods, will advise on the construction of the plant and equipment, and the works will be completed in ample time for the next fat lamb season.

GOLD YIELD INCREASE IN WEST AUSTRALIA The West Australia gold yield in March was 98,345 ounces, valued at £906.935, exceeding the weight for the previous month by 12,424 ounces, and that for March of last year by 9609 ounces. The yield for the first quarter of 1939 was 275(322 ounces, an improvement of 2825 ounces on that for the corresponding portion of the previous year. REFUGEES AND JOBS WORK BELOW AWARD RATES Several thousand refugees have arrived from Europe and most of them have found employment. They call themselves “New Australians,’’ and are quiet, unobtrusive and almost militantiy non-political. Complaints have been made in the Industrial Arbitration Court, whose declarations on the conditions to be observed in employment have the force of law, that some refugees l*ve accepted work for remuneration below the award rates. These are being investigated. The Refugee Council in a circular issued aboard ships advises the new arrivals to observe strictly these awards and to join unions when they get work. The council recognises the serious consequences of failure to do so for all other refugees and for oldestablished foreign communities. The South Australian Commissioner of Police has urged stricter supervision to minimise the danger of sabotage and other enemy activities in time of war, pointing out that the only inquiry made about the migrants was the possibility of them becoming a change on the State before their naturalisation. An Aliens Registration Bill is before, the Federal Parliament. RAILWAY LOSSEB SPECIAL INVESTIGATION Losses on the Victorian State Railways have caused Cabinet so much concern that it has ordered a special investigation by the State Economic Advisory Committee, a body which watches public finance.

The loss in 1936-37 was £4 26.076 and the Railways Commissioners were relieved of the interest and other charges on £30.000,000 of “dead” capital. The loss in 1937-38 was £241,953, and for the first nine months of the current financial year revenue is £694,403 behind expenditure.