AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8133, 7 May 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

NEWUASTLE COLLIERY TROUBLE. (SYDNEY, May 5. The Colliery Employees' Federation at Newcastle rejected by two votes the proposal to withdraw registration at the Arbitration Court. THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE. MELBOURNE, May 5. Mr Daakin, the Federal Premier, stated that owing to New Zealand not apparently desiring to partici Date in the conference in England on the navigation laws, it may ueoessitate a reconsideration of the position of Australia by the Imperial authorities. The date fixed for the conference is April 15th. In communicating with the Imperial Government some time ago, Mr Deakin assumed that there would be no restriction on the questions to be troughs forward. To this communication be has received no answer, though a question asked in the House of Commons elioited an answer that the conference wonld tie unfettered. A further query as to whether it would be so on fisoal matters, and a definition was asked for, but nothing more transpired. A CONVICTION QUASHED. Received May 6, 10.42 a.m. SYDNEY, May 5. The Full Court quashed the conviction against Mrs Johnston for 1 the manslaughter of Harry Diamond, on the ground that there was no evidence to >show that any action of accused's caused the death of Diamond. THE BUNINGYONG CRIFFEtj ! COLLISION. SYDNEY, May 5. It was clear moonlight at the time of the collision between the stepmer Bumngyong and the barque Griffel. The preponderating testimony is that nothing approaohing a panio ocourred, though a lady passenger acouses some of the male passengers of behaving like madmen in , their , efforts to reach the boats. The effect of the steamer striking the towing hawser was to bring the barque down on her at a great pace. The passengers were thrown d Jwn by the shock of the impact, and it is marvellous how all escaped the fall- - ing funnel and the accompanying I wreckage. The fires were extinguished by the tremendous inrush of water into the engine room. The staff had barely time to make their esoape to the deck. Boats from H.M.s. Powerful and the Naval Depot at Garden Island were on the scene in a few minutes, and rescued the passengers. Finding the vessel sinking, the tug, after depositing the Criffpl in a safe place, towed the steamer across to shallow water. Received May 6, 10.55 p.m. SYDNEY, May 5. The Buningyong has . been towed off, and taken to the wharf. SPREAD OF A DISEASE AMONG STOCK. Received May 7, 12.34 a.m. BRISBANE, May 6. Dairymen in the Bundaberg distriot are gravely concerned about the spread of red water amongst their stock. Serious losses are reported. \ (Redwater is caused through scanty and unhealthy food. Indeed, it has been called in England "the disease ! of the poor man's cow." It is quite ! oommon in cows two or three weeks after calving when shey are fed on turnips grown on swamp lands. It is also frequent in bad weather, when-food is scanty and of inferior quality.) QUEENSLAND MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCE. Received May 6, 10.2 p.m. SYDNEY, May 5. The Under-Secretary of the Queensland Department of Agriculture, who was one of the delegates at the Commerce Conference, in a letter to Mr Walsh, Controller of Customs, points out that there are laws in operation in Queensland which oomnel the purity and qualityof meat and dairy produce intended for export. He adds: "1 am directed by my Minister to inforip you that Queensland will not brook any interference with a law whioh has taken years to build up, and whioh has enabled Queensland merchants to secure a good footing in the European market."

CAB.LENEWS.

I By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.