INTERCOLONIAL. MELBOURNE, June 13.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 31

INTERCOLONIAL. MELBOURNE, June 13.

Mr Deakin, in an interview on the question of defences, said Australia, which used to depend largely on its isolation, was now within striking distance of 16 foreign naval stations. The defence forces were inadequate, imperfectly supplied with war material, and exceptionally weak on the naval Bide. There were no vessels or forts capable of properly defending the coasts. It was doubtful if they were prepared to meet a dash by cruisers. They were markedly deficient in defensible coaling and refitting stations. He did not think Australia could afford an extension of the naval agreement until she had placed her harbours, coaling stations, and naval bases in a fit state of protection. A great influx of desirable settlers was necessary in view of an efficient defence of the whole continent. Given that, he had the highest hopes of future naval development. The very least that they can be content with is such expenditure on such defence forces as will give a reasonable guarantee of the safety of the ports, cities, and coast. June 14. The Royal Humane Society has awarded the Clarke gold medal to Mr F. C. Ronalds, of Christchurch, second engineer on the s.s. Monowai. for rescuing the donkeyman of that vessel from death. A deputation, lepresentative of temperance bodies and churches asked the Piemier to introduce a bill giving complete local option on the New Zealand lines, and substituting three yeais' notice for monetary compensation. Mr Bent was sympathetic, but thought three years too short, and said five years was nearer tiie

mark. He promised careful Cabinet consideration. June 15. At the annual meeting of the Impeiial Federation League, Mr Deakin advocated Imperial federation by a gradual fusion of the inteiesU of the States comprising the Empire. June 17. In connection with the prosecutions for the short payment of duty on New Zealand fish, Allen has agreed to pay £1100 costs, and an additional £207 in penalties. He has already paid £247 duty and one-eighth of the costs of the cases wherein he and seven others were concerned. SYDNEY, June 13. Mr Reid addressed a large meeting in the Protestant Hall under the auspices of the Liberal League to initiate a rally of the Liberal forces against the Socialist movement preparatoiy to the next Federal elections. Similar meetings were held in. other metropolitan and suburban electorates, and branches of the league formed. Meetings will also be held throughout the country. Subsequently, a central council Will be constituted representative of the whole of the electorates to direct an active campaign. Mr Reid's and some of the other meetings were rowdy. The Opposition is rallying strongly. June 14. The steamer Aparima loaded 7390 tons of coal at Newcastle. This is a record for Australia. Betore the Lands Commission Mr Crick was lengthily examined. Replying to adverse criticisms, he defended his action as Minister in allowing occupants of holdings thrown open on improvement leases the preferential right to retain portion for the preservation of their stock. He admitted he had stretched the Act, but he was deterenned not to let old settlers' homes be brolcen up. He alleged that every time land was put up, to enable the old lessee to get it there would be blackmail right and left. With reference to the witness Speight, he said he came to him with a scheme to speculate in land, which was absolutely illegal. It was the coolest bit of effrontery he had ever heard of. He decided that Speight should never have an acre of land. He had brought on himself the anathemas of the Farmers and Settlers' Association because he would not take land from the squatters and give it to them indiscriminately. Sir W. J. Lyne, speaking at Inverell, denounced the fiscyl truce, and declared that Mr Watson was to-day the most powerful man in Australia. He indicated j that he was willing to take office if a Labour Government was formed. j June 15. | Cardinal Moran declares that the Socialism which Mr Reid and his colleagues are assailing belongs to the class which means Communism and Anarchy. It therefore seemed to him that the campaign was quite out of place in Australia, where the democracy Tiad no such aim. The Government was engaged in a Don Quixote campaign against an enemy that was non-existent. The democracy was not an enemy ; it was a social development on constitutional lines, the object being to promote national prosperity. As such, it made for peace and plenty, and therefore from his heart he wished it every success in attaining those objects. Mr Beid, replying to Cardinal Moran, said Mr Watson wanted to efface him politically, and now Cardinal Moran came to Mr Watson's side and wanted him to emigrate to Europe, where he would find a class of Socialism worthy of his eloquence. If our democracy had no aims leading to communism and anarchy, was he wrong in making assurance doubly f=ureV Was the Cardinal alone ignorant of the objective of the labour leagues, the strongest body in Australia? The league's efforts were expressely concentrated on Australia, wherein there would De no private enterprise, no right to possess private property, no right to work according to liberty of choice. As a counterblast to Cardinal Moran, he quoted from the Encyclical of Leo XIII passages condemnatory of the Socialistic movement. June 16. The report of the Comptroller of State Prisons shows that the number of inmates of the gaols had decreased both actually and in proportion to population. In 1891 the prison population was 1 in every 445 of the general population, and in 1904 1 in every 777. Mr Reid, in replying to Cardinal Moran on the subject of Socialism, cited the Bishop of Wilcannia against the Socialistic tendencies of Labour legislation in his diocese. The income tax returns this year indicate a general revival in industrial affairs. The Government has finally decided not to engage Dr Donysz to conduct experiments for the extermination of rabbits. A fall of stone in the Broken Hill South mine killed two miners named Noble and Edwards. The Minister of Lands infoimed the House of Assembly that it would be impossible to give an unlimited scope to the present Land Cammi&sion. Any specific recommendation -for inquiry, however, made by the Commissioner would be given immediate effect. jjefore the Land Commireion Mr Speight, replying to Mr Crick's statements, said the proposed syndicate w i?s only mentioned to Mr Crick in a letter wherein it was proposed to acquire land by special auction. It was intended to use it for intense culti-

v ation and spcnrl £1,000,000 in developing it. It would Lave bc-en a good ass-et to the country. A similar proposal was now berore the Lane's Department. Hoskins, station manager for Willis, was asked to produce books giving details iE connection with the disputed leases where on Mrs Willis has mortgage*. He gave evidence that file books had disappeared trom Willis's office feince Saturday. It is unknown where they had gone. Willis, in whose chaigc they were, was absen* from toil n. Juno 17. The Army Remount Department, India, has informed the Premier that the supply of Australian class of horses required for army purposes it, lapidly inci easing, and that unless something is done quickly the trade will bs lost to Australia. Slight earthquake shocks were felt afc Cooma yesterday. A promising copper lode has been .discovered near Cooma. June 19. News has been received of the murder afc Epi, New Hebrides, of S. Trumble, a brother of the -well-known Victorian cricketer. The murdered man had trouble with the natives, and during a fight a native was shot. The tribe determined on vengeance, and set upon Trumble, whose body was found horribly mutilated. BRISBANE, June 13. The sugar output last season was nearly 143,000 tons — the largest since 1898. Whitegrown cane increased 2 per cent, as conn pared with the previous year. June 19. The Cabinet will probably deal -with the death sentence passed on Warton, or Butler, this week. Several Ministers have been absent from Brisbane during the pasfr few weeks, but al have now returned. PERTH, June 14. A Chinaman named Ah Kin ran amok at Moora, and killed with an axe a European named Ellis and a Chinaman named Lang Sim. Ah Kirn butchered his victims while they were sleeping. He seriously wounded a third man named Pearre. He then quietly surrendered, saying he would have killed himself but the knife was too blunt. All the victims were employees at the Warrengabbi homestead. It is supposed the motive for the murders was that h« believed the others intended to rob him.