AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Feilding Star, 30 May 1907, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Or KUEOTBIO TUBQBAPU — COrTBIQHT.j iPHB PKKBB AdHOOltli »N.J BANK OF NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, May 29. At the half-yearly meeting of the Bank of New South Wales the net profits after making all provisions, amounted to £141,682. This, with the undivided balance of last halfyear, ,gave £160,000 for distribution. A dividend was declared at the rate of 10 per cent. £25,000 being carried to reserve, £15,000 to the Buckland fund, and £29,314 forward. The chairman reported satisfactory business during the half-year. He explained that the Buckland fund was established by the late Mr Thomas Buckland, former president of the Bank, who gave £1500 to meet exceptional cases for relief outside the scope of the Officers Provident Fund. The directors considered the present an opportune time to make a grant to the fund which will enable it to further supplement the retiring allowances of aged and infirm officers. The report was adopted and a special meeting held subsequently agreed to increase the bank's capital from two million to two and a half million by the issue of 25,000 new £20 shares. STATES RIGHTS. Brisbane, May 29. At the Premiers' Conference the question of States rights was discussed. Mr Kidston said there was a tendency on the part of the Colonial Office to readily accede to an arrangement under which it would have only the Government of Australia to deal with, and under which all other Governments should communicate with them through the Governor-General. He distinctly objected to make any recommendations in the matter of honors through the Governor-General. Mr Carruthers said that although they had not a full report of the Imperial Conference they knew that a proposal had been submitted there, the result of the States to the Colonial Office. Instead of having the Colpjhial Office dealing with colonial or State affairs there was a probability they would have the various stalls placed under an Imperial Secretariat. This new arrangement would be a creation by a conference from which the State Premiers were excluded. A committee was appointed to draw up a memorandum setting forth the views the Premiers' Conference holds in regard to the channel of comm - nication with the British Government. The memorandum will be forwarded to Lord Elgin through the Governor of Queensland.