AUSTRALIAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9991, 5 March 1904, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

Press Assn.— By Telegraph.— Copyright. _ SYDNEY, March 4. The" Commission appointed to enquire into the subject of the declining birthrate has presented an exhaustive report. • It laments the existence of a grave disorder, sapping the vitals of a new people. It estimates tliat the State within recent years has by preventive causes lost 260,000 inhabitants, and urges drastic remedies. . - MELBOURNE, March 4. Dowie, at a meeting m the Zion Tabernacle, made a bitter tirade against Methodist ministers. He denounced all Methodists as liars, and threatened to have Methodist- parsons kept out. A Metho- - dist minister rose m the audience, andasked*Dowie to repeat the statement. Dowie became •wildly'exeited, called the ushers, and had him. ■bundled out. Mr Irvine, the> late Premier, and his wife have left for a six months' trip to England. " ; ■ The teams for the final test -match will be chosen to-morrow. It is not certain if .they- -will be altered, although it is reported that the Englishmen may make room for Eelf, and the Australians for Armstrong. (Received March 5, 9.35 a.m.) MELBOURNE, March 5. ' Mr Deakin has' formulated a scheme of wider trade development -with, the Western Pacific. It will not be made public till Cabinet lms considered it. The Trades Hall adopted resolutions approving of the Immigration Restriction Bill as checkmating any tactics similar to the introduction of Chinese into the Transvaal, and, condemning the pro-" powil to induce immigration while the ' unemployed m the country are ■willing. ■ to settle on the land under proper Government supervision. Obituary: John Whittingham, a pro-, mineiit figure m commercial and sporting aircles. • ■ : • ROCKHAMPTON, March 4. A couple named Macdonaid liave been sentenced to death for the nurder of Maedonald's 15-year-old daughter by a former wife. The evidence d'sclriged tliat the girl was m a terribly-neglected condition, her body being covered with filth and large sores. Two of her ribs and a wrist were broken, as the result of illusage by the prisoners.

Ihe Niroku Shimpo, wliich claims a daily circulation, of 150,000 copies, lms been described as the "yellowest' 1 journal m Japan.