The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 1

LATE EDITION Saturday, December 21, 1974 FORECASTS (for today): Metropolitan: Mild. Cloudy periods. NSW: Mild. Coastal winds. Max temps: City and Liverpool, 23.

(DetaUs, page 41.) SUN: Today, rises 5.40. sets 8.06. MOON: Rises 12.18 pm. TIDES (Fort Denison): High, 2.23 am (1.2m), 2.06 pm (1.3m). Low.

8.02 am (0.6m), 8.39 pm (0.4m). No. 42,750 Telephone: 2 0944 First published 1831 72 PAGES 9c COLU oooor. nnnn( 1 GOUGH Whltlam, at his official reception in London on Thursday, brought down the Guildhall when he quipped to the Lord Mayor: "You were something of a rowing Blue: I'm told I was some such myself. It is an extra, ordinarily apt sport for men in public life because you can face one way, while going the other." He still does it, on the Ship of State.

I mm0' rr-, HmmSEZZm Fires link in threat to rich grassland From JAMES CUNNINGHAM in Cobar Two massive grass and scrub fires licked towards each other and finally linked in an unbroken wall of flame less than 80 kilometres southwest of Cobar yesterday. The fires, code-named Corinya and Moolah, had earlier been burning in two giant separate scmi-circlcs. But, joined on a front estimated at 250 kilometres, they posed the most dangerous threat so far to thousands of hectares of heavily grassed sheep country. Last night 500 men, including bush fire brigades. Army, police and volunteers, were fighting desperately to halt the spreading flames.

The men, many of them almost dropping with weariness, had mostly retreated from direct conflict with the blaze. Instead, using bulldozers, graders, tractors, shovels and axes, they were ripping firebreaks out of the bush and burning the grass back. Yet stirred by swirling winds, the great fires the worst in the area for more than 40 years continued to move steadily to the north-east. In fire control headquarters in Cobar, the shire engineer, Mr Warren Oliver, said: "I wish we could have prevented the fires joining up. "But when you get a wnirly in these conditions, flames will go a quarter of a mile in one jump." Last night a critical point in Cobar's five-day fight against the fires was east of the Ivanhoe Road, about 60 kilometres from the town.

A grey blanket Here, in chokino hlinilinn tmnL-. tti Cie- Bushfires burn on a wide front about 100 kilometres south-west of Cobar yesterday. THIS is uui; uf ihicc new HOLIDAY 10c stamps showing dangers to environment. They are not due for issue until January 29, but Column 8 feels we could do with this one right now. 7 urn Ain nMWr $13151 Govt aid plan Singapore Holiday -Contest: today's Question P4 Guide to holiday to save GM-H jobs services P3 CHRISTMAS STORIES: The first eight of the best stories IN the over-heated 24 hours to 8 am yesterday, Sydney and South Coast residents used a near-record quantity of water 514 million gallons, or 26.5 tonnes a second.

According to Water Board records, the highest consumption, 526 million gallons, occurred on December 23, 1972, when the temperature reached 39.9 degrees Celsius. It pays to use water frugally, but don't fret: all our dams arc full. suommea oy readers in our Christmas Story competition are in todays Saturday Magazine. CHRISTMAS BUYING: Cau MELBOURNE, Friday. The Federal Government is considering offering General Motors-Holden's up to $13m in assistance to avoid the company's proposed retrenchment of between 4,000 and 5,000 workers next year.

But if GM-H refuses to drop its retrenchment lan the Government and unions are considering a tough line against it. This could include a review of car sales tax and a ban on GM-H imported parts. tion has been the shopper's waicnworo tnis year. Wallace uroucn reports in tne Saturday Magazine. TUESDAY'S mystery- ANZ sees signs of hope The ANZ Banking Group believes it is pos Happy boating: A guide for the weekend and holiday enthusiast on maintenance, safety, launching ramps and picnic spots in the Sydney area.

(Part 1) general award 1974 was agreed to by unions earlier this year. He said, however, that if any orders were made by the commission the company would consent to the changes being applied to sacked workers. The Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation sought to have the award varied to improve redundancy pay. Under the award GM-H can sack workers if the company is affected by conditions not within its control, including changes in the economy. The case was adjourned after the Vehicle Builders Employees' Union federal secretary.

Mr R. E. Wilson, asked for the matter to be held over. sible to "glean encourage ment on several scores from next year's prospects for the Australian economy. fighters were making their maximum effort.

"Our plan is to contain it on this line," said Mr Oliver, like a general reluctant to begin a withdrawal. Ironically, these sweating soldiers and civilians were cutting firebreaks through country that only a few months ago was flooded. But in this section of the far west today, it is the sight and smell of smoke that blocks out everything else. Flying in, you see it first more than 150 kilometres before Cobar. It lies like a grey blanket over the land, stretching to each horizon and rising up to 1500 metres.

Once over the thick haze, you cannot see the fires, or indeed anything else, but it is easy to tell that below the countryside is burning. The aircraft cabin suddenly gets uncomfortably hot, and the smell of smoke gets uncomfortably strong. It is only to the south-west of the towering columns of smoke that you can see the fierce red line that cats trees and grass and fences, and the blackened desolation it leaves behind. Early yesterday I watched the fire leap the Mount Doris Road, about 100 km south of Cobar, and engulf part of the Moomba pipeline near Bulla Park. Details in Section 2, Page 42.

0 Harlequin, Morris West's new thriller about blackmail and terrorism by computer. object attracted 619 letters. Some readers thought it was an IBM typewriter key-ball, others a bee-swarm, fly-specked light bulb, fish food trap, seed pod (various species), Christmas tree viewed from above, worn shaving brush, or a blind man's cricket ball (complete with rattles). ABOUT half our correspondents were correct. The photo was of a "poor man's" pomander used as a decoration, to scent wardrobes and repel insects.

Mrs Iris Mason, of Elizabeth Bay, makes them from oranges, lemons or apples studded with cloves and preserved with powdered orris root. Pomanders were quite common in seventeenth century Europe when snuff-type herb boxes were carried to ward off plague infection. Our contest winner was Margaret Cohney, of Bondi. Rockefeller sworn in These developments emerged today from a meeting between' Acting Prime Minister, Dr Cairns, the Minister for Manufacturing Industry, Mr Enderby and the ACTU president, Mr Hawke, and union leaders. In other developments today: Two of GM-H's top executives warned that another 1.000 workers could lose their jobs if any attempt was made to stop production of the Gemini a small car designed in Japan.

The company opposed in the Arbitration Commission union moves -to improve redundancy payments to GM-H workers. Dr Cairns said after the meeting that he would talk with GM-H next Tuesday. He said: "Even a company as large as GM-H requires a certain amount of co-operation from the Government. "We will be going into the talks with the full backing of the trade-union movement in an attempt to stop the retrenchments." Asked what the Government could do to put pressure on GM-H, Dr Cairns said: "We would look into the areas of taxes, imports and so on." He could not give further details on possible pressures before he had spoken with the company on Tuesday. The Government, he said, wanted to establish a long-term relationship with GM-H.

"At present the company has simply served us with an ultimatum. 1 hope they will have more to say on Tuesday." Dr Cairns said it vas "most unfortunate" that GM-H's director of manufacture, Mr L. E. Beck, had said that any interference with the importing of parts for the company's Cairns gives hint of tough steps new Gemini car would mean the sack for another 1,000 GM-H workers. "I react adversely to threats of any kind," Dr Cairns said.

Mr Hawke said after the meeting that he believed the Government could change GM-H's approach. "I expect the Government through Dr Cairns certainly to play this one hard to try to get a reversal on retrenchments." Mr Hawke believed GM-H could be induced to change its position. He said the unions were still considering their attitude to the production of the Gemini car. The managing director of GM-H. Mr Damon Martin, said criticism of the company's plans to produce the Gemini was ill-founded and unreasonable.

Mr Martin said the Australian motor industry had been widely criticised for not producing small cars. It was incredible that GM-H should now be criticised for taking a step which would allow the company to continue participating in the small-car part of- the market. The company 'expects to produce about 15,000 Gcminis a year, about 10 per cent of its 1974 domestic volume. The company said in the Arbitration Commission it would oppose any moves to improve redundancy clauses in workers' awards. Its industrial relations manager.

Mr E. A. Ellison, said the GM-H Also on BOXING The Hobart Race. A Sydney spectator's guide to WASHINGTON. Friday.

Mr Nelson Rockefeller was sworn in as the 41st Vice-Presi-: dent of the United States at a Senate ceremony last night. Full report, Page 6. I At fire control headquarters, the shire president, Mr Rrnpi. i-nA. tf.

tne start of Australia's greatest ocean yacht race. Exam Results CANBERRA. Friday. Imports of assembled cars fell by 16i per cent in November, according to figures issued by the Bureau of Statistics today. Total imports from all countries fell from 17,704 in.

October to 14,789, but imports from Japan fell by only 8i per cent, from 15,283 to 13.976. The decline comes before the Federal Government's measures to cut car imports, announced in November, could have taken effect. It could reflect a weakening demand for cars as a result of the economic downturn in Australia, although in November last year imports also declined, suggesting that the real explanation might be seasonal factors. The Government announced today that the duty on imported completely knocked-down (CKD) assembled packs will go up by per cent on January 1 and by 9 per cent over the next four years. The increase follows the Federal Government's decision, announced in the November mini-Budget, to take steps to cut car imports.

MONDAY: Newcastle University, Sydney Uni versify. Science (Junior un.nnuLU, 3UfU, IU estimate our stock losses. But they could be very heavy. "What we want is about three inches of rain." And last night, out on. the Ivanhoe Road, a volunteer, David Brown, 17, of Cobar.

rubbed his smoke-swollen eyes and said: "What I want is about three days' sleep, but 1 don't look like getting it." Grass ablaze border to border; Map, Page 3. Dark skies over NZ CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Bushfires in Australia arc being blamed for dark skies hanging over farming centres south of Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island. A spokesman for the Meteorological Department in Christchurch said north-westerly winds were carrying dust particles and smoke over New Zealand at a height of 12.000 ft. and senior) and Pharmacy (Junior).

TUESDAY: Nurses IN Wetttworth Park, near Registration Board, Windy and warm weekend Gusty winds and sunny skies will continue in Sydney over the weekend, according to the Weather Bureau. Today the temperature is expected to range from 14 to 23 degrees in the City and 1 1 to 23 at Liverpool. Tomorrow should be warm with sunny periods, north-cast winds and slight seas. psychiatric, mental retardation and geriatric nurs-. ing, Sydney University EnKineerine, Architecture, that controversial "boot" obelisk, stand two amenity blocks bearing differing signs worthy of the attention of the eagle-eyed burghers of Glebe.

One reads the other, a discriminatory "Ladies." Diploma in Town and Country riannine, and Diploma in Building science. LATE NEWS On other pages Workers tell union We don't OhePMabroadJ want a pay rise and between $7,000 LONDON, Friday. The Prime Minister. Mr Whitlam, continued his talks wiih the British Prime Minister, Mr Wilson, today and attended a private lunch with the Queen. Later he will give a press conference and then call on the Leader of the Conservative Party, Mr Heath.

Yesterday, he attended a lunch given by the Lord Mayor of London and had talks with Mr Wilson. Talks with the Queen, Page 2. Cashclmara: H. G. Kippax on The Restless Years.

Pages 13. 15 Weekend Magazine: "My most memorable Christmas" prize-winning stories in the Herald's holiday contest. Torture in Makarios's jails. Cassidy's Mob. Pages 11, 12 Section 2 Tennis: Mnrgaret Court earns $1,200 by winning in semi-finals of NSW championship, may reject $100,000 contract to play team tennis in the United States.

Page 37 Finance: Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd is being far more cautious about its uranium oxide and rare earths than Mr Connor. Page 42 lion working in the two divisions at Epping. The association's representative for the radiophysics division, Mr Charles Attwood, said last night he was impartial about the campaign. He thought those in favour were mostly younger people with fewer financial commitments than those opposed to the campaign. Mrs du Cros said in an interview that the Miss McFarlane stop prices going up unions will have to stop chasing flow-ons and wage demands.

"Of course we would like more money, but we feel we have to lick inflation first." Both said they were inspired by the Think of Others campaign against inflation at Batemans Bay. They said that their 15 supporters were earning $10,000 a year. In their letter to the editor. Miss McFarlane and Mrs du Cros said: "In recent years numerous salary increases have resulted solely from flow-ons from the metal trades industry. "We do not feel that additional salaries on this basis arc justified at this time.

i "None of the above is to be interpreted as dis- Mrs du Cros satisfaction with our association or a lack of appreciation of the very great efforts- required in achieving the present standard of working conditions for Provisional IRA calls cease-fire Worried by inflation, 17 scientists' assistants in Sydney have sent a pica to their union not to ask for more pay now. In a letter to the Editor of the Herald received yesterday, two of them, Miss Vilma Mc-Farlanc -and Mrs Diana du Cros, said: "We hope to encourage other groups, unions and associations to take a similar stand against the present inflationary trend. "We are of the opinion that voluntary wage restraint must eventually stabilise prices." The members of the group are employed in the CSIRO's divisions of cloud physics and radio-physics at Epping. They have sent a letter to the NSW branch of CSIRO Technical Association requesting it not to proceed with its claim for a flow-on from the Metal Trades Award; They are among 50 members of the associa- Itushlircs: Western glazing runs arc ablaze almost from the Victorian border to Queensland. Page 3 By-elections: Slate Government plans early polls to replace retiring leaders.

Pngc 3 Barrier Kccf: Inquiry into oil drilling fails to agree on possible dangers lo the reef. Page 5 Federal rage: Ministers attack "destructive" Victorian challenge lo welfare schemes. Pane 5 Gold: The Shah of Iran warns the West not to tinker with the value of gold. Page 7 Escaping the bluest The economic gloom has forced shoppers to spend carefully this Christmas. Editorials.

Molnar. Letters. Page 8 The Inside Column: Colouring the jobless issue. Bloody thoughts on the Hume Highway Phillip Adams. Guide to the stiff upper lip.

Page 9 Bonk Rcviewst Thomas Kencally in An Author Speaks; John Douglas Pringlc on Spike Milligan and Barry Humphries; -Joan Flanagan on Jerusalem bmb blast JERUSALEM, Friday. A homb exploded today Commonwealth Arbit said the II -day truce was designed to give the British Government an opportunity to consider proposals for a pcrman- ent cease-fire. ration Commission recently granted the jn tne main snppping itrrct of the new city ol Jerusalem. Ben Yehuda Street, injuring 12 people, two of them seriously. (AAP-Rculer) association's members Band for Sir Robert, 80 The suspension of DUBLIN, Friday.

The Provisional Irish Republican Army announced a Christmas cease-fire today in its terrorist warfare against British rule in Northern Ireland. The cease-fire will last from midnight on Sunday until midnight, January 2, and will apply to all IRA operations in Northern Ireland and Britain. The announcement operations had been $470 a year when it applied for a 9.2 per cent rise as a metal trades flow-on. The association was still seeking the rest of this. ordered on the clear understanding that a Page Books 13, IS Comics 44 Crossword 44 Finance 42, 43 Gardening 4 ottery (2, 468, 6879) 47 Magazine II, 12 Mail If Radio 41 Shipping 16 Sport 37-40, 44 Television 14 Weather 41 MELBOURNE, Fri-day.

Sir Robert Men-zics turned 80 today and the Malvern Citv Band entertained him and Dame Pattic at their suburban Malvern home. As well as plaving Happy Birthday, the positive response would be forthcoming from the 14-piccc band played Christmas carols while neighbours hummed along. Sir Robert received hundreds of telegrams, including one from the Queen, the British Prime Minister, Mr Wilson, and a former British Prime Minister, Lord Avon. The Mcnzics' daughter, Mrs Heather Henderson, arrived from the Philippines today, "I think the result of British Government. the referendum about wages and prices was a shame," she said.

Shoppers flee London bomb, rage 6. rlnttd and pubtlihed by John tlrtix A torn Umittd, of Join tit. troidway. foital addrtii. BOt.

G0, SydntV, aOOf. flltttrtd for poitlng is a niwt-f Catry C. Rttam warns bimiy- mm k.i no maximum pn snir.