INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 13

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, January 23.

Mr Deakin has sailed for London. He will be advised on reaching Albany of the excision, of the Premiers' Conference with.

regard to the appointment of the other ' Federal delegates. January 24. Lord Beauchainp, Governor of New South Wales, sailed for New Zealand by the Mokoia. He returns to Sydney early in March. January 25. The Legislative Assembly has passed a bill abolishing trading coupons. The export of breadstuffs and other produce to South Africa is increasingly brisk. There are a number of vessels loading. SYDNEY, January 24. The Eastern Extension Cable Company's steamer Sherard Osborne has sailed for New Zealand on a cable repairing trip. > The Premiers' Conference opened this afternoon. Amongst the subjects to be discussed will be the precautions to be taken against bubonic plague, and the New Guinea Land Syndicate's claim for compensation. I The Premiers' Conference resolved that ( it is not desirable, owing to the war, to send a federal rifle team to compete at Bisley. The conference decided that under federation State Governors shall still be appointed by the Imperial authorities, bub their salaries will be reduced. The more important questions will be discussed tomorrow. A letter from a prominent Samoan merchant ■ states that the natives v are opposed i to German rule. The main tiouble will be to keep Mataafa's people from fighting. The Mataafans are trying to get the Malietoans to join them and make the Samoans one people under a government of their own. The natives have plenty of rifles and ammunition, and are still in the mood to figbt. The general cry is ' " Samoa for the Samoans." Many are leaving for Tonga, Fiji, and other places. January 25. A man named Schnavel, who quarrelled with his wife near Parkes, shot her dead. The Sherard Osborne has returned to port. She goes to Bass Strait to ovprhaul t the Tasmanian- Victorian cable. | The Premiers' Conference resolved that each colony should have its own representative on the federal delegation proceeding to England ; that a conference of statisticians should decide the population of the various colonies in connection with the j initiation of federation. The confer- | ence resolved upon joint precautionary j action against the plague. -In reference to J the i>ew Guinea Land Syndicate's claim ; for compensation, the Victorian Premier declined to recognise the claim. Mr Lyne announced that he would do nothing in the matter without consulting Parliament. The Cape cable discussion was postponed till Saturday. An Intercolonial Labour Conference has been opened to discuss the advisableness of forming a party to contest the passage of the Commonwealth Bill through the Im- | perial Parliament. The press are excluded. The Intercolonial Labour Conference adopted a fighting platform for the Federal elections. It includes one-adult-one-vote, old-age jiensions, exclusion of coloured races, national referendum, and the settlement of deadlocks. January 26. l It is rumoured that Earl Beauchamp i will return to England early in June. j Payne, who was attacked by the bubonic plague, is progressing satisfactorily. One explanation for the mildness of the attack is that mildness in the initial case is the peculiarity of the disease, the latter as it passes from body to body increasing in virulence. The health authorities believe that it was introduced by rats, and war is raging against them, especially in the suspected district. A rumour is current that a girl has ■similar symptoms, and that Payne had been removed to the \Sydney Hospital, where he died, but the- health authorities deny any knowledge of the . matter. I The Premiers' Conference yesterday discussed the press cable that the French i press are urging a settlement of the future of the New Hebrides. The statement J that Australia is less hostile towards the

French in the latter's desire to annex th«t New Hebrides group was ridiculed. ' A resolution was adopted intimating to th« Imperial Government that Australian op' position to French occupation of the grouu has in no (way diminished, and expressing the earnest hope that no steps will h', " taken to give France any further measun of control over the islands unless the AuS tralian Governments are first consulted. The conference then adjourned till Salur day. January 28. The Premiers' Conference has concluded. It exhaustively discussed the Eastern Extension Company's Cape cable proposals. Mr Lyne states that a majority of the Premiers favoured the modified scheme submitted by the company, but further information is required on several points. Until this is received no final decision can be arrived at. The matter has been left over for 10 days. When he is advised of the decisions of the various Governments he will communicate with the Imperial authorities. One of the contemplated alterations in the original proposal is that the right to distribute messages should not be given to the company till the Pacific cable is constructed. Mr Lyne says that the discussion of the conference in no way interferes with the Pacific scheme. This had material weight with the Premiers in arriving at a decision. • January 29. Obituary : Mrs 3?orsaith, widow of the late Rev. Thomas Forsaith ; aged 88 years. ADELAIDE, January 26. The restrictions placed on the Adelaide Hospital in consequence of the plague have been relaxed. The authorities believe that the danger of its spreading has passed. There are no further plague developments. Payne is making satisfactory pro- . gress. BRISBANE, January 23. Sir W. Laurier, the Canadian Premier, has cabled to the Premier : "We sincerely hope the Eastern Extension Company's Cape cable will not be accepted. Any kind ot delay might be fatal to the Pacifio cable." The Chief Secretary has replied that the Government of Queensland, being sincerely desirous of seeing the early completion of the Pacific cabje, will lend no countenance to the eastern extension proposal, whereby the completion of .the Pacific scheme wquW be severely prejudiced. The China Company's steamer Airlie is ashore on Chatham Reef, 200 miles north of Cooktown. Her passengers and\mails have been brougho to Cooktown by an The Airlie, while en' route from China, struck at 2 o'clock on Sunday" morning at full tide. She lies hard and fast high up, on the reef. The fore part is • badly - damaged, and she has eight feet of water in the fore hold. The captain and crew remain aboard. In response to the captain's request for immediate assistance, salvage steamers have been sent. The weather was thick and foggy when the Ah'lie struck. There are three large holes in the forehold. The passengers were asleep, but there was no commotion. They quietly waited till morning, when a rescuing steamer was signalled. The stern of the Airlie is swinging on thi" reef. It is feared she will break her back COOKTOWN, January 24. Philippine files state that Aguinaldo's. wife and the former's principal lieutenant were captured in a recent engagement. Th, American troops now in the islands numbei 60,000. It is thought to be impossible foi Aguinaldo to hold out much longer. HOBART, January 26. Earl Beauchamp, who is on his way t& New Zealand, was seen aboard the Mokoia, when he denied the rumour that he intended to resign on an early date. January 29. Viscount Gornianston, the Governor, has been striken with partial paralysis in his light side. THURSDAY ISLAND, January 26. A passing steamer reports that the Airlie remains on an even keel, with her bows higE out; of the water. There are very little hopes of saving her.