AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1009, 10 March 1909, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Elkctiiic Telegbavii—Coi'vjuoht.] (Per Pkess Association.) Deceived March 10, at 9.50 a.m. llobart, March 10. Mr Fisher informed the l'remiers' Conference that the Government had no intention of taking full advantage of tin l Brnddon clause, lie wished the Conference, and country to get out of their minds that his Government at the end of 1910 intended: to seize the whole of the Customs and excise revenue, lie desired in a general way to see the iinaneial relationship of the Commonwealth States separated' on some satisfactory basis, .lie was not irrevocably committed to a scheme which compels all the work required by the Commonwealth to be constructed out of revenue, but at the same time he viewed with political horror a seventh lwrrowor in Australia. It would ta.ko something to move him to launch out into a borrowing policy until some arrangement had been come to between the Commonwealth and the States. Received March 10, at 9.35 a.m. ( Sydney, March 10. j ' The Port Darwin mail brings detai'.-; .:i' : the terrible conflagration in th;' ii.nver boats on the Pearl River, near Canton. Nearly all the boats were consumed, causing a loss of a thousand lives, the I majority of the victims being drowned. The fire occurred oiijj Saturday night when many parties were being given by mandarins. The wildest panic prevailed, hundreds of people jumping into the water to save themselves from lire. Many were saved, but over 200 charred corpses weir discovered up to Sunday afternoon. It is apparent that the boats were heavily laden with humanity. Jt is said that many mandarins, ten bankers and a number ol prominent business men are an g the victims. The lire was supposed to originate through a falling kerosene lamp. Received March 10, at 9.47 a.m. Melbourne, March 10. 1-lackeiischinuU and Gotch have accepted terms to wrestle for the championship of the world during Cup week. Soultline, who went oil a little after the Newmarket .Handicap, has picked up again. A case of suspended animation occurred at Ararat. A man named Stock apparently died on Monday. While the body was being prepared for interment it is alleged that the corpse sat up and ~.,ll„,l f„v <„•„ l.oilnrl errtrs.