NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15520, 30 January 1914, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

: AILING immigrants. The matter of the repatriation of a certain, class of sick immigrants who .have come to" New South Wales is engaging attention of the.State Premier (Mr. Holmaa). According to a report furnished to: Mr. Holman, tlie number of oversea immigrants during > the three years ended June 30 last was 135,586, and of these 74 are now being treated- in. public institutions either for, consumption or insanity. - The number of insane J immigrants represents .29 per 1000; a .proportion considered by the authorities to be comparatively low. The consumptives represented .25 per luuu, which ratio has not bad the .effect of .- increasing the State's figures proportionately, but rather the , reverse.. Mr. Holman announced last week that he,is • calling for a detailed report regarding; the consumptives who may be willing to accept repatriation, and that he is prepared to adopt that course in all proper cases. ' "It is not equitable, said Mr. Holman, that-the State should be called, upon to bear the. expense of keeping unhealthy newcomers, who are alithe time a source of infection to. healthy residents, and have not, like residents of longer . standing, contributed in the past towards the revenue, of the • State. -vThe Premier • says it. is proposed bf the.- commonwealth.* Government to arrange for the medical examination persons who desire to proceed to Australia from Great Britain before the , passages .are booked. j In ' the past, he adds, all i unassisted immigrants have been allowed. to reach the vessel s_gide before being medically ; examined, and : this examination has been conducted in such a hurried manner that, it was not difficult, for persona to be allowed to embark rwho in the interests of Australia should have been rejected. ■ ■■ . .

CONFERENCE OF AUSTRALIAN ! ; PREMISS. .- »; Jv- ;> : The Australian Premiers' Conference, at which the Commonwealth and.» all States will be represented, will probably be held in Sydney, late "in March. " The- principal questions, to.be-dealt with, as far as respective. .States have.notified them, are as._ follow : —Representation ' 'at Panama . Exposition ;' transferred. properties; whether - the interest paid to the States by the. Commonwealth's fair when, compared ; with.interest 'charged by .the;, Commonwealth on -loans. The question of. retransfer of - properties that have ; been ■ taken . over. by ; Postal and De-

fence Departments from the Commonwealth. to the .States will also.be discussed. - Other subjects are the relation of the Commonwealth to immigration, the locking of the Mlrray : waters, border migration, a , system of checking; passengers 'on railway , lines, ! ferries, and bridges, .with a view to easier | assessment at any . time of the inhabitants . ! of the States *for the - purpose of payments I by Commonwealth to States, communicable | diseases introduced from oversea, the opening ;ip of English outports for the "reception j of - Australian produce;- the establishment of | uniform railway gauge, details . vols trade statistics; the advisability! of taking a quinquennial census :in u. place of s the present decennial census, uniformity in standards for. foods : and drugs, provision for uniform • company law, 1 State's savings in relation to Commonwealth Savings Bank, the unfair ; competition' between ? States arising . out of the varying ' decision: of State industrial tribunals, and the work. of the InterState Commission ■ in' the r endeavour :to secure -the' rectification|£ of anomalies, the taking over - of gold coinage 'by ' the Commonwealth gold buyers, and hall-marking • of- jewellery,' / uniformity "of -' legislation, :of State "debts, daylight saving, and; the bulk-handling of wheat. '' ' 1 ■ fi i - - l ' &J&££ g