AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10092, 9 March 1909, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Br Electric Telecbawi — Coitrioht.] (rEB PUKSS ASSOCIATIO.V.) Received March 9, at 0.25 a.m. Sydney, March 8. One of the Arab crew of the French steamer .St. Louis, which arrived from \"ilna, on Sunday, was discovered to-day to he suffering from plague. The steamer was removed from the wharf to quarantine. Received March 9, at 0.30 a.m. Sydney, March 8. There is another ease of plague. A man working i" a flour mill in Goulbuni street is stated to be dead. Eats have been found on the premises for some time. Hobart, -March 8. • Messrs Fisher, Mahon, and Hughes attended the Premiers' Conference. Mr Fisher, in a general statcuK-nt, outlined llie growing requirements and expanding obligations "of the Commonwealth, and intimated that- he would disclose the financi:ii policy of the ( JovernnienL in a speech to !-.- dv'ivercd at (Jympie at the end of the month. lie had" no scheme to submit to the conference as regards settlement. The ISrad-d.n cl:iv.se was the diltic:.lty, but he wotil.i be glad to receive t'uv'repivicmatioiii the conference had to .mike. Mr Mrikon dealt with the lavish oxp. nditiire of some of the States. Although the Federation in 1900 relieved their, of <;•. piirimeuts costing four million :,nm:;diy. the expenditure of the .Suites bad grown from 4J, to 7i million in the soae'timc. The population Ironi the date of the Federation in 1306 had remained p.aetaady stationary. It would be idle to : onion 1 that- by development Australia in il:e pas: eight years had warranted such a 'or .- increase in the cost of government. Svdnev, March 8. Sailed i2 p.m.) —Kiverina, from Wellington.