Australian.

Southland Times, Issue 14814, 15 December 1900, Page 2

Australian.

NO STATE GOVERNORS AT THE COMMONWEALTH CEREMONIES: A RIFT IN THE LUTE. ARRIVAL ON THE INDIAN AND IMPERIAL CONTINGENTS. BUSH FIRES IN VICTORIA : CROPS AND HOMESTEADS LOST. MELBOURNE, Dec. 14. Ifc ht now practically settled that none of tbe Croveraors of the other Australian States will take part in i;he Commonwealth ceremonies at Sydney. An invitation was sent by the Government of Now South Wales to ActiagGovernor Sir John Madden extending to him hospitality commensurate with = his high official position. He thnre- ; upon sought instructions from Mr ; Chamberlain, whose reply virtually was to do as he pleased. This he communicated to the Governors of the other States, and on hearing of it they refused to participate in the Sydney ceremonies, and he then decided tc> do ; likewise. Various rumours are af oat ? as to the reason, one being that the inevitable question of precedence has ~ again cropped up. 1 Bush fires are doing great dam ago in various* districts, much crop and several homesteads having been destroyed. ~ The Ormuzs English mails will be forwarded to New Zealand next waek. ALBANY Dec. 14. The s.s. Dalhousie has arrived with the Indian Contingent for the Coin^ monwealth celebrations. They number ahunclred, and represent different, races . throughout India. The men are a splendid lot and have all seen service. Eighty native servants accompany the • r ' i ; officers, all of whom landed and killed a number of sheep brought for the purpose, according to the rites of their various castes. The s.s, Britannia, with the Imperial Contingent, has also arrived, BRISBANE, Dec. H. Another case of supposed plague is reported in the city.