PREMIERS' CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1719, 9 April 1906, Page 3

PREMIERS' CONFERENCE.

VIEWS OF FEDERAL PREMIER

IMMIGRATION POLICY AND a; NEW LINE OF STEAMERS.

By, telegraph’, Presa Ass’n, Copyright Sydney, April 7.

The Premiers decided that the Commonwealth and States should have the use of each other’s offices to avoid duplication of services, and that the Commonwealth should agree to the taxation of the salaries of Commonwealth servants by the States. _ The South Australian Premier sub' mitted a scheme to deal with the Murray waters at a cost of £3,498,000. It provides for locking the Murray, Murrumbridgee and Darling rivers, and that no works for taking water from the Murray be commenced until the scheme has been started. ...

Received 8 p.m., April 7. Sydney, Aprn ' At tlie Premiers’ Conference Mr Deakin gave his views on a number of important questions which are down for later discussion. He urged the necessity of attracting immigration. He suggested a central agency in London for the dissemination of data ___ supplied by the States. The Commonwealth was prepared to take up the work vigorously, but tfae active cooperation of the States was vitally necessary. In reference to a High Commissioner, he said the country could- reasonably expect - to- see one appointed within a year. He acknowledged the need of continued representation by the separate States in London. The Commonwealth desired also to have its own representative, and wished to make that representative a medium of economy for the States. ~ Healing with mail contracts, he said a new contract lor 10 years would be entered into next month. It was proposed that the Commonwealth should obtain the .whole of the cool storage accommodation. If that wore done it would mean the introduction of a fane new line of steamers, bringing out numbers of immigrants and taking back large cargoes of perishable goods. Much a line would be able to ii«- stand alone independently of any combination. He urged the States to carefully consider the proposal.