COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 10, 7 March 1908, Page 9

COMMONWEALTH.

A girl has died at Kempsey (N.S.W.) of plague. The Victorian railway revenue for six months decreased by over .£ 45,000. The annual report of the Sydney Benevolent Society indicates a decrease of poverty in that eity. Mr. Best announced in the Senate that the Imperial Government had agreed to allow the Commonwealth to coin its own silver. The estimated population of Queensland at 31st December last was 535,113, with a preponderance of 50,000 males over females. An inter-State conference of Ministers of Agriculture, held at Sydney, has adopted a comprehensive scheme of combined action dealing wth fruit pests. The population of Victoria at the end of last year was 1,258.140, an increase of 20,142 on the year. The population of Greater Melbourne is now 538.000,

Mr P. Howells, of Adelaide, has engag'd the Royal Artillery Band to visit Australia and New Zealand, anti to give a serie.) of concert* beginning in May. A Kalgoorlie miner named Hutehen fell down the shaft of the Golden Horseshoe mine and was killed- A companion named Griffiths, going to his assistance, met with a similar fate. Tire "Sydney Morning Herald” estimates that something like £2OOO will have to be paid by the Cricket Association to make up tin- Board of Control's guarantee to the English team. The New .South Wales Parliament will meet on Marell 10 for a short session. The chief business will be the consideration of tlm Arbitration Bill to amend the machinery of industrial arbitration. At the half-yearly meeting of the Melbourne Steamship Company, Mr, Hugh Reid, the ehairman. referring to the Navigation Bill, said it was calculated to destroy the trade of Australia. If it was passed it would debar son.; of the finest steamers from coming to Australia. At Melbourne, on 29th February, the English cricketers were entertained by the Melbourne Cricket Club. Mr A. 0. Jones (captain) declared that the Eng lishmt n should have won two test matches at least. It was a great deal their own fault that they had failed to win the Inst. A Western Australian prospecting party has returned to Perth, after six months’ absence in the Mackay ranges. The natives were found to be hostile, and once surrounded the camp and threatened them with spears. The party fired and killed two, whereupon the rest of the natives fled. Mr. Deakin, addressing the first of a series of meetings intended to stimulate interest in the Government defence proposals, said the scheme was for defence not offence. It meant co-operation with the Imperial Navy, and the development of the best trained forces in close alliance with the Imperial Army. There was no intention of checking the volunteer movement. The Premier of New South Wales. speaking at a banquet at Newcastle, foreshadowed a Wages Board Bill. The Government should see that the necessary machinery was provided for continuity of work in every industry. He asked the assistance of all sections to remedy the ineffective arbitration legislation. It was necessary that the tribunal should deal with eases promptly, and it would be presided over by men engaged in the industries concerned. Death of an ex-Pi-einier. The death occurred on February 27 of Mr. Janies Munro, who was Premier of Victoria from 1890 to 1892. Mr. Munro was born in Scotland 76 years ago and emigrated in 1858 to Victoria, where he worked in 'many capacities until 1887, when he founded the Real Estate Bank. He was first returned to Parliament in 1874, and was Minister for Eduetaion for a few months in 1875. In November, 1890, he became head of what he styled a “National Liberal'’ Ministry. In February, 1902, he resigned the Premiership to Mr. Shiels, ami became Agent-General for Victoria in 1892. After leaving that office he settled again in Victoria, Chinese Student in Sydney. Interesting statements regarding the future of China have been made by Mr. Ling, a prominent Chinese student, who is visiting Australia to inquire into the condition of 'he Chinese. In the course of remarks made at Sydney, he said that the Chinese nation is : wakening, and taking into account all little details in dealing with foreign nations. China, he added, is following the lead of Japan, and it will not be long before Japan will be surpassed by China so far as ideas of advancement are concerned. Success o* New Zealand Athletes. The Australasian Athletic Champion ship Meeting opened at Hobart on February 9th. Among New Zealand athletes who took part, prizes were won Kerr and Stubberfield. first and second respectively in the one mile walk championship; Orbell, first in the running high jump; Sharp, fourth in the one mile running competition; Murray, third in the 120yds hurdles-. Fisher, third in the 440yds race; and Stubberfield, third in tire one mile walking Irandieap. At tire second day's meeting, on Monday last, New Zealanders won five out of

the eight championship events, viz.:— Sharp; pole jump, McKay, 11 feet lin, beating by three-quarters of an inch the Australasian record, formerly held by Hori Eruera, of Auckland; three mile walk, Kerr; 880 yards race, Trembath; 440 yards hurdles, Murray. Other New Zealanders “placed” included Stubberfield, second in the three mile walk; McKay third in broad jump championship; and Fisher, third in 880 yards championship. The contests were most exciting, and the wins of the New Zealanders were warmly applauded. I The Sydney University Athletic! Club lias accepted the challenge of the New Zealand athletes now in Hobart, to a • match on the Sydney University Oval on March 11.