AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8148, 24 May 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

MR SBDDON'S VISIT. ARRIVAL IN MELBOURNE. A HEARTY WELCOME. Received May 24, 1.56 a.in, MELBOURNE, May 23. Mr Seddon has arrived. He wns met by the' Lord Mayor, Town Clerk and some cnembers of the State Ministry. He whs heartily welcomed. Mr Deakin intended to be present, but arrived too late. He afterwards* saw Mr Seddou at his hotel. A public reoeption by the Mayor in the Town Hall took place at noon, and was a most representative gathering, including Messrs Deakin, Bent and Sir J. Forest. The Lord Mayor said that no one was more welcome to Australia tdan Mr Seddon. In reply, Mr Seddon declared that he accepted the compliments paid as more in honour of New Zealand than himself. The greatest good-will existed between .New Zealand and Australia. In the afternoon a meeting of the New Zealand Exhibition Commission was held, Matters in detail were discussed especially in regard to steamer accommodation and fares. Mr Datid Mills stated that the Union Company proposed to put on , the steamer Maheno and Captain Webb stated that the Huddart Parker Company would utilise the steamer Riverina for Exbibiton traffic. Mr Seddon, with the approval of the Exeoutive Commissoners, stated that excursion rates were essential, and there ought to be a concession of at least fifty per centum on ordinary fares. Messrs Mills and Webb promised to place the matter before their respective Companies, and give a reply on Thursday. Mr Seddon, tonight, was enterthe commercial men of Mel-, bourne. THE SURRY HILLS TRAGEDY.' RILEY FOUND GUILTY. Received' May 24, 1.32 a.m. SYDNEY, May 23. Riley has been found guilty of the wilful murder of Rose Arnold, at Sony Hills, on March 27tb. The evidence disolosed that Rose Arnold's husband ia supposed to be living in New Zealand, where it ia also believed some of her sisters reside. THE JAPANESE SQUADRON. Received May 23, 9.41 a.m. SYDNEY, May 23. The} Japanese Admiral and his officers were entertained by the Lord Mayor at a dinner in the Town Hall last night. The brilliant gathering included Lord Northoote (Governor-General), Sir Harry Raweon (Governor of New South Wales), and Admiral Fawkes. * Lord Northoote said be was convinced that neither Britain nor Japan would have contracted the alliance if either country had nut honestly and sincerely believed that in forming such an alliance she was giving to the world a strict guarantee of future peace and oommerioal development. He trusted they would unite the white ensign of Britain to the banner of the Rising Sun of Japan in an alliance that would prove indissoluble. Mr Reid, in submitting the toast of Admiral Shimamura, paid a tribute to Japan's achievement. Admiral Shimamura, replying, said he bopedjj the alliance would be renewed again and again, not fbr aggressive purposes, but to safeguard peaoo. He declared that the Japanese successes, at sea were largely due to the fact that most of the warships were built in Britain, and were commanded and officered by men who learned their profession from the British Navy. Sir Harry Rawson and Admiral Fawkes welcomed the visit of the Bquadron and the Anglo Japanese Alliance. - . ■ j PREVENTION OF CONSUMPTION. Reoeived May 24, 1.40 a.m. SYDNEY, May 23. The Chief Secretary promised sympathetic consideration of the requests of a representative deputation asking that further precautions be taken to prevent the spread of consumption. WEST AUSTRALIAN FINANCES. A .DEFICIT ANTICIPATED. Reoeived May 23, 10.1 a.m. PERTH, May 23. The Premier delivered a policy speech at Bun bury. He anticipated that the year would end in a defloit of £IIB,OOO, and he proposed to go in and to impose a tax on unimproved land values, with the objeot of breaking up large estates as well as gaining additional revenue. Docails of the tax have not yet been deoided upon. The Government intended, said the Premier, to amend the land laws to make compulsory and pro sressivo improvements on coodtional blocks. The provisions relating to agriculture would also be liberalised in order to assist suitable men possessed only of determination and muscle. The question of immigration with a view of attracting suitable settlers was receiving special attention. Cabinet in? tended to ask for authority to raise a loan of from a million or a million and a quarter for the development of agriculture, the extension of the railways, land settlement, and other works. He would keep the expenses down to an absolute minimum, adds ing that the retrenchment proposals would include a reduction of Ministers' salaries from £I,OOO to £BOO.

CABLE__NEWS. By Telegraph—Press Assocf&tion—Copyright EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION. Received May 23, 1,10 a.m. BRISBANE, May 23. The Employers' Federation, which is sitting in conference here, decided to support the anti-Socialistic movement irrespective of members' views on the fiscal question. The hope was expressed that the present Parliament would oarry into effect the recommendations of the Tariff Commission, and remove any glaring anomalies. THE IMPERIAL DESPATCH. Received May 23, 11.30 a.m. MELBOURNE, May 22. Mr Deakin, the Federal Premier, states, with referenoe to Mr Lyttelton's despatch on the question of vetoing the Asiatio Aliens Bill, that since the deoision of the Premiers' Conference to submit the Bill to the House of Commons the matter bad been satisfactorily settled, but he refused to disclose how.