AUSTRALIAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12042, 16 April 1903, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraphs—Copyright. Received 9.22 a.m., April 15th. WHEAT AND FLOUR. MELBOURNE, April 14. Two cargoes of San Francisco wheat, aggregating 184,000 bushels, and 9000 bags of Hour arrived to-day. NEW GUINEA. The Admiral's report on the administration, of New Gninea shows that th« new Federal territory has not cost more to govern than the £20,000 .voted. There ave been no special demands for land grants, and the gold yield has not increased to anv material extent. TIMING CABLE MESSAGES. The Pacific Cable Board advise that arrangementt have been completed with, the Atlantic cable companies, whereby the time of the despatch of messages to the nearest ten minutes wHI ba shown.

THE TRAINING SHIP QUESTION. SYDNEY, April 15. Enquiries at Admiralty House have elicited the fact that no definite steps have yet been taken in the selection of a training ship for New Zealand boys. It is understood "that the application made to the Admiralty by Mr Seddon for the Sparrow has not vet been considered. THE CANADIAN MATL SERVICE-

Sir S- Barton »in Sydney. He states that there is every prospect of the question of a Canadian mall service being settled, subject to the approval of Parliament, withm a few davs.

THE FEDERAL"PREMIER. Sir E. Barton addresses his constituents aext weafc-

A GOOD EXAMPLE.

As a step towards a '* White Australia," tie Urgent camel proprietor in the western districts bag replaced the whole of his Afghan drivers by whites. The employment «f camels in the far interior daring the List few years, especially since the reign of the drought, has greatly increased. CameLt a;e, in fact, largely superseding other metlods of carriage. SHIRKING AN OBLIGATION.

The syndicate headed by Sir Somers Vine, which some years ago obtained! large land concessions in New Guinea, with ties object of growinj rubber, but which concessions were subsequently revoked owing to strong objections on the part of the New South Wales an<l Victorian Governments, is pressing the Federal Government for the payment of £4OOO compensation for surrendering the concessions. The correspondence shows thit Mr Chamberlain undertook to urge the state Governments interested to. honourabiy meet :heir obligations in the matter, that the AgentsGeneral of the State Governments, who were appointed to enqaire, recommended the payment ot competition, and that Sir E. Barton, whea in Louion (New Guinea in the meantime having been taken over by the Commonwealth), premised to use his best efforts to obtaii a settlement. The syndicate strongly complains of the delay, and the disinclination to meet an admitted obligation. Sir Somers Vine says he doubts if the annals of colonial government disclose a more disgraceful repudiation of a solemn agreement, or a more •houkiug breach of good faith than the action ot the New Sortth Wales and Victorian Governments, the- Qoeecsland Government having previously expressed its willingness to pay its share. Received 10.50 p.m., April 15th. RUSSIAN CRUTSER AT SVDNEY. The Russian cruiser Gii-hitt has arrived here. After refittina she proceeds to Port Arthur to join the" fle.t. Received 12.4 a.m., April 16th. THE PREMIERS* CONFERENCE. The Premiers' Conference has opened. The business today was only preliminary.