CABLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2063, 25 April 1907, Page 2

CABLES.

TOESS ASSOCIATION— UOI’VnUIUT. LONDON, April 23. A deputation of the Australasian Merchants’ Association waited on Sir W. Lyne and expressed complete sympathy with preferential trade, including British produce brought by British ships from oversea Britain in preference to foreign produce. The deputation emphasised the growing danger arising from competition of foreign shipping engaged in the Australian trade, and instanced the German lines and the White Star, which was owned by American financiers. It was stated that New Zea-

land’s preference had already diverted much trade from Germany and America to the United Kingdom, and it was hoped the Commonwealth’s preference would yield even .more far-reaching results. Sir AV. Lyne gave a sympathetic reply. In the House of Commons, in the

Budget debate, Mr. Asquith said while the entire proceeds of direct taxation went to the Exchequer under the system of tariffs, much of

the benefit went to the pockets of favored interests. It was impossible to do justice between parts of the Empire unless they supplemented preference on food with preferonc.) oil raw material. It is officially announced that the Marylebono Club will send a cricket team to Australia in September. A meeting at Newcastle urged the international limitation of armaments. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman wrote: “AVhatever difficulties there are in the way we must hope there will be no retrogression and the general desire for relief prevalent m Europe would find expression at the Hague. Lord AVeardale said that if Britain favored tlio proposal for limitation he believed the United States and Franco would support her. Air. John Redmond, at an Irish Nationalist demonstration in London, reiterated the Irish demand .for full le'Mslitivo ’and administrative control of their own affairs; but, knowini’- the forces at work against -Ireland, he was almost afraid, awaiting the Government’s Bill, to express too sanguine a view. Unless the proposals were calculated to prepare the way for settlement the Irish peopio would ho well advised to reject and

repudiate them. The captors of Alt". Robert .Abbott, a British merchant of Salonika, demand a ransom of £2-1.000. PARIS, April 23.

A fire at Toulon arsenal destroyed the workshops. olliees, torpedo

school, and several storehouses. Thirty soldiers and sailors were injured, and damage of several million francs was done. The cause is unknown. '

SYDNEY, April 24

The billiardist Stevenson gives his opening exhibitions in New Zealand He sails for Auckland on May Ist The railway revenue for the nine months increased £342,000.

Signor Hasson has resigned the conductorsliip of the Philharmonic and Orchestral Societies, and is returning to Italy.

The steamer Australian, recently stranded at Port Darwin, lias been sold for £6OO.

Advices have been received that the wrecked steamer Fortuuatus is only slightly damaged. Mr. Holmes, general secretary of the AVelliiigton Y.M.C.A., has arrived by the s.s. - Aorangi, after touring Canada and America. He visits South Australia before lturning to New Zealand next month. PERTH, April 24. A sensational attempt was made to shoot Captain Hare, Commissioner of Police. Mr. Hare was sitting in liis office reading a report, when exCorporal Tyler rushed in exclaiming, “I’ve got you this time,” and fired a revolver point blank. The bullet passed through the paper in the Commissioner’s hand and lodged in the wall. Hare grappled with Tyler, who again fired. The bullet struck his shirt-front, which was heavily starched, causing it to glance. It then struck his shoulder, but did not penetrate. Assistance arrived and overpowered the maddened assailant. Tyler resigned from the police two years ago as a protest at being fined on a charge of insubordination. He has since nursed liis grievance, and was continuously trying to get the case re-opened.

PERTH, April 23. . Air. Marks, formerly Japanese consul for Victoria, acting-on behalf of influential London sympathisers with the Jewish refugees from Russia, .is desirous of obtaining a million acres for the purpose of forming a refugees’ settlement. Ho has submitted the proposals in connection with the scheme to the Ministry.

MELBOURNE, April 24.

Tlio cyclists Lonnie and AVarren have arrived from Adelaide. So far they have covered 2749 miles.

Captain Crosswcll, director of naval forces, speaking at a dinner, said the nations of the East were only just awakening to a sense of their owni power. It was the duty of every Australian to prepare himself and the country to meet inevitable developments in the future.

BRISBANE, April 24

The commercial agent in the East reports that five of the six new gunboats ordered by China from Japan have been launched. An attempt was recently made to assassinate the Japanese Minister of AVar. A member of the Korean Secret Society, who was pledged to kill high Japanese officials, fired four ineffective shots. The Chilian and Mexican Governments and Republic of Columbia arc . offering great inducement to the Japanese to emigrate there, promising land grants and money bonuses.

ADELAIDE, April 24. Mrs Stead died at Ninindie, aged 103. TRADE WITH CANADA. SYDNEY, April 23. 11l connection with the recent cable stating that the CanadianI'aeific Railway Company had decided to place two of its Orient service vessels on the Australian lino, Mr. Gibbons, a representative Canadian pressman, who arrived by the Aorangi, confirms the information. Referring to the development of the Canadian-Australinn trade, Mr. Gibbons says that much interest was evinced throughout Western Canada at present in the steamship situation the. withdrawal of the Oceanic Company’s fleet being looked upon as creating an opportunity which British lines should not neglect. By the combination of mail subsidies and general traffic, hitherto diverted hv rival lines, there should he no difficulty in profitably maintaining a direct Australian-Canadiau lino, calling at Auckland. By utilising the most modern steamships afloat, traffic, would be stimulated, and the required interchange of British mails appreciably reduced. The general expectation throughout British Columbia had been that tile Pa-cific-Canadian Company would, with the lapsing of the present mail subsidy, seek to enter- the trade on its own account, probably by the transfer of the Empress fleet. Whether this ■course of action will ho pursued or the service continued in the hands of an Australasian company operating in company with the CaiiadianPaciflc Company, is, Mr. Gibbons thinks, immaterial. The main issue is that the time is ripe for the substitution of larger, faster, and more modern vessels, with which the trade would speedily considerably expand. MELBOURNE, April 24. It is understood here that it is the intention of the Canadian and Australian Company to carry on the Vancouver mail service at the expiration of the existing contract in July. It is stated that the company

has undertaken to bring the service up to-the standard required by the Postal Department as far as accelerated speed is concerned. The company suggested a nine months’ extension of the existing contract to

allow time to put on three now steamers or vessels of the standard specified at the rate of one a year, or three in two years. Ministers are now considering this proposal.

NAVIGATION CONFERENCE.

LONDON, April 23

Tho Navigation Conference has resumed. Sir AV. Lyno moved that ■compulsory insurance for seamen was desirable. Ho thought tho Governments ought to pay half the premiums. Mr. Hughes thought the Australian people would object to pay. Ultimately, at tho instance of Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Hughes, and Mr. Dugakl Thomson, a motion was ad-

opted recommending the Commonwealth to extend the benefits oi the Workmen’s Compensation Acts to sea-

men, as had already been done in the United Kingdom. The New Zealand shipowners dissented, but approved ol the British Department’s scheme oi compulsory insurance, rccommendet in 1904.

Sir AV. Lyno proposed that the North Atlantic plimsol rnai'k should apply to a ship leaving Australia via Cape Horn. The Board of Trade export considered this was unnecessary, as steamers leaving Australia lightened by two feet through coal consumption before reaching tho storm area. At Mr. Thomson’s suggestion, a resolution was carried that the Commonwealth should adopt the provisions of the New Zealand Act regarding the load-line. The Imperial delegates abstained from voting, believing the decision rested with tho Colonial Governments. Sir AV. Lyne withdrew his motion for a light load-line for ships in ballast, when the Board of 'Trade representative announced that the House of Lords’ committee in 1903 reported it unnecessary. Sir William Lyne said that Australia could deal with tho matter if necessary. Mr. Hugnes concurred. The Conference admitted that Australia possessed the authority to provide that all seamen be engaged through a Government office, also fo abolish advance'notes and to restrict the allotment of notes to relations. Sir AV. Lyne did not press his mo-

tion, insisting that all vessels constructed after a certain date should be fitted with water-tight compartments, when the Conference admitted that it was a purely local matter, within the Commonwealth’s jurisdiction. He also withdrew his motion for tho coinpulsroy fitting of large vessels with wireless telegraphy, accepting Mr. Thomson’s motion that the Board of Trade anti the Australian and New Zealand Governments should consider the desirability of the provision of wireless telegraphy aboard passenger ships, which was carried. - Sir AAV Lyne’s motion in favor of affording third-class engineers' facili-y ties for qualifying for liigher-grade certificates was not pressed, on the Board of Trade promising to consider what relief is possible. Sir AV. Lyne proposed to abolish imprisonment for desertion. He declared they did not desire to place foreign ships in a better or worse position than British. Messrs. Norman and Hill objected that seamen were allowed to go free if they forfeited wages, yet if a seaman proved undesirable the ship-owners were fined for leaving him behind. Mr. Hughes interjected: “You are between the devil and the sea,so there!” Ultimately, on Air. Hughes’ suggestion, the motion was amended and carried as follows: “That imprisonment for desertion lie abolished in the country where seamen are engaged, except where a seaman, after negotiating for an advance note, wilfully or through misconduct fails to join the •ship, or deserts before tho note is payable. provided t'liat in respect to desertion from ships other than those registered in the Commonwealth, or whose final port of discharge of crew is the Commonwealth, deserters shall he placed aboard such vessels upon request by a competent authority, that of tho Consul in the case of a foreign, and the captain in the case of British ships.” Tho colonial delegates refused to accept Mr. Hill’s rider providing that if imprisonment for desertion was abolished the ship-owner be relieved of responsibility for repatriation of a deserter and relieved of any State penalty. The Conference adjourned till the 29th inst.

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. LONDON, April 23. Mr. Deakin, interviewed, said the Colonial Office was somotimes obstructive, and almost hostile. It was almost always unsympathetic. 'The Premiers acting with him wanted the business of the autonomous colonies handled by a different method to the Crown colonies. They aimed at creating a new, small department, in a certain sense part of the British public service, yet separated from ail other offices, and possibly from particular British interests. Its function would he to ileal with all important questions peculiar to tlio autonomous colonies. If under tlio British Prime Minister it was unlikely he would have much time to

be meddlesome, and would be pretty certain to accord sympathetic treatment, because he would represent besides the United Kingdom all his fellow Premiers belonging to the Conference. Mr. Deakin said the Premiers would contribute to the cost of -a department of highly competent experts upon a population or any other basis, but Lord Elgin and Mr. Churchill were opposed to it. They wanted men who had lived in Australia or had sufficient acquaintance with the outlying dominions to he able to act with a knowledge of their wants. The British Government, after consideration, declined the proposal, declaring it must lu<

left to the Colonial Office’s own department. Mr. Deakin sharply retorted: “We want a joint department to do our work as well ns yours.”

Lord Elgin’s assurances respecting (he constitution of the proposed secretariat were most vague and unsatisfactory. Probably the remodelled Colonial Office would soon fall into the old groove. Mr. Deakin said that the position of the Governors as a channel of communication remained unaltered. Lord Elgin’s suggestion that the Premiers must not ignore the value of the Governors as a means 'of communication was received in silence. The Premiers entertain great hopes that they will secure all they want at the next conference, as they inticipate the present expedient will break down. The Premiers are willing to try the expedient, since its failure will deprive the Colonial Office of the main ground of objection to the proposed change. Lord Elgin even greatly resented the presidency of the Prime Minister as a blow to the Colonial Office, who were opposed to anything in the nature of a secretariat, and intend to minimise its importance. Mr Donkin attaches importance to securing recognition of the principle of one vote one Government, also recognition of equality of Governments. Answering Mr. Reid’s criticisms', Mr. Deakin said: “My original proposal was carried excepting that the secretariat was left under the Colonial Office instead of the self-govern-ing colonies, all their business and the Conference being placed under tlie Prime .Minister. The difference between Sir Wilfrid Laurier and myself is that he wished the Conference under the supervision of the Colonial Office, and I think it needs no supervision ill that sense by any British department. AVo ought to be responsible only to the head of the British Government, who should be the only responsible Min- | ister to deal with us,”

Mr. Haldane moved that the Conference ,without wishing o commit tho Governments represented to immediate action, recognise tho need for developing throughout the Empire tho conception of a general stall recruited from the Empire forces, becoming a means of fostering the study of military science, co’locting and disseminating military information, and undertaking the preparation of a scheme oi defence on common principles, without the least interfering with questions of command and administration, such staff being capable oi advising the various Governments regarding the direction of war and military organisation throughout the Empire. The resolution was carried.