SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6219, 27 May 1907, Page 1

SUMMARY.

The Federal Education Conference opened in Loudon on Friday. The dole-* gates include representatives of the leading universities in the British colonies. Victoria's froe, compulsory, and secular education system was described by Mr Bent as so constituted that a man possessing brains could pass from primary school to university. "The Times" says the Conference is the most remarkable feature of the day. The results should be fruitful. Mr Bent,. Premier of Victoria, addressed 4000 school children at Ealing, near London, on Empire Day. Referring to the recent demonstrations in England in honour of Mr Louis Botha, Mr Bent declared- that Australians would not have shouted themselves hoarse and fluttered white handkerchiefs, but would have remembered the sorrow* ing widows, the wooden-legged and th# armless men in their midst. When the children sang " Rule Britannia," Mr Bent said he believed that Britons were the biggest slaves of all. Mr John Kirk, secretary of the Ragged School Union, lias been knighted by the King and complimented upon his work. It is reported that in connection with: the Russo-German plot to assassinate the Kaiser, recipes for - the t manufacture of bombs and evidence of inquiries regarding the Kaiser's movements have been discovered. Six Russian students have been, banished, and three others aro beinjf prosecuted for conspiracy. The agrarian policy of the Russian Government has been outlined in the Duma by M. Stolypin. It is proposed to form a reserve from which peasants may acquire . laud through the State Bank at reduced rates. The Czar of Russia says that his life is not precious to him provided that Russia lives in glory, peace and prosperity. The. Rand miners who have "struck"' work are gradually being replaced by poor Dutch. Development work, rather than crushing, is being delayed by the strike. A crowd of strikers who had assembled at a mine in defiance of a Government order refused to disperse. A squadron of Dragoons was ordered to charge the strikers, who then fled. An American obtained w 550,000 worth of jewellery from New York firms to eell to visitors to New York. He pawned tho jewellery and absconded, but has now returned the pawn tickets, reducing the actual loss to ,£16,000. Mr Bent, Premier of Victoria, has inforihed Mr Deakin that Victoria will join in a guarantee of the Federal mail service if the other States participate. The other States have not replied yet to Mr Deakin's inquiry whether they would join in such, an arrangement. Sir William Lyno says that Australia ie not rip© for freetrader Mr Bent states that’ Victoria is able 'to supply immigrants with a million acres ii necessary. * The Newcastle Coal trimmers’ Union has refused to trim the Union Steamship Company's steamer Moana, as 300 tons of coal were put into the vessel at Sydney by non-unionists. It- is probable that the revised estimates of the New South Wales wheat yield will show a fallinp-off of 2,500,000 bushels on the first estimate. Mr W. H. Hughes, Australian says that the Queensland elections have only proved that tho Labour party had indulged in the luxury of fighting amongst themselves. The Labour garty, added Mr Hughes, had made politics the people's question, and the people were supporting them in larger numbers each year, . The Wellington, Rugby Union competitions were continued on Saturday in remarkable weather conditions. After a very fast and interesting game, Ponoko (14) drew with Athletic (14). Oriental (12) beat Melrosd (o>, St. James (9; defeated Victoria College (0), and Old Boys (8) beat Wellington (3). The North Island team to play thtf South Island on Juno 3rd has been selected. No Auckland players are in* eluded, as those nominated refused to sign the declaration required by the New Zealand Rugby Union. In the Association football senior matches Y.M.C.A. (4) beat Wanderers (1), Rovers (2) defeated Ramblers (X), and Diamonds (2) boat Swiftp (1), Tho senior hockey matches on Saturday resulted in Karori (9) beating Vl» vian (2), and Wellington (3) defeating United (2). The Hutt Valley Trotting Club held its annual meeting on Saturday, at thf Petone Recreation Ground. The Club Handicap, which carries with it tho Stewards' cup, was won by Ploughboy. The evidence at an inquest in Christchurch on the body of a married woman ID years old showed that the declared had poisoned herelf by sucking the heads off of over sixty matches. A grave charge was made 1 yesterday by a preacher in the Wesley Church, Taranaki street.