"Special to Star."

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 92, 17 January 1885, Page 2

" Special to Star."

[bEUTEB*B TELEGBAMB.I | Berlin, January 14. The question of granting subsidies to steamship companies is still under discussion in the Reichstag. At to-day's sitting a sub-committee was appointed to consider and report upon the details of the scheme. The Government supporters ! strongly advocate the establishment, with Government aid, of a line of mail steamers to Samoa and Tonga via the Australian colonies as a means of increasing the prestige of the Empire. London, January 14. In its issue to-day ther Daily Tele* graph announces that the English and German Governments hare arrived at a definite understanding regarding Samoa, and mutually agreed to abstain from annexation of the island. At a conference of working men of Great Britain now being held here, the question of Imperial federation was brought up for discussion and resolutions adopted declaring that the fiscal and political federation of the mother country and the colonies is necessary and urging its adoption. Many of the speakers declared themselves strongly in favour of abolishing the Colonial Office. Received January 17, 0.50 a.m. London, January 16. Tn the course of an address at a meet* ing of the Empire Club last night, Sir Saul Samuel, Agent- General in London for New South Wales, expressed an opinion that federation was a delusion, and deprecated the formation of fleets of war vessels by individual colonies, and declared that the Imperial Government ought to undertake the maritime defences of the colonies, the latter paying the cost of their naval protection. The homeward mails, via San Fran* cisco, dated Auckland December 9, were delivered yesterday.