Australian News.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3638, 12 April 1906, Page 3

Australian News.

Sydnky, April 10,

To enable the Commonwealth to take over Norfolk Island it will be necessary to obtain Imperial approval. Mr Deakin hopes the difficulty will be met by means 0 an Ordinance-in-Council passed by the Home authorities as in the case of New Guinea. This will preserve to the Islanders as far as possible the existing laws. The Conference discussed the Braddon Clause. Mr Deakin suggested that instead of seeking a renewal clause for 21 years, the State should agree to a fixed payment by the Commonwealth 'or r term of years. The Conference rejected this suggestion and urged that the clause be extended in perpetuity. Mr Deakin .strenuously declared he would not consent trsuch a course and the Commonwealth Parliament would reject it. No decision was reached and the matter will be further discussed.

Twolmen, Farquharand SwainSton, have succumbed to the effects of gas in the Proprietary mine. A boy named Tonkin is in a serious condition. Altogether about twenty men are affected. The rest have recovered. But for the prompt efforts of the rescue party and the bravery displayed by them more serious results would have occurred. Several rescuers were amongst those overcome by gas. There are no indications of the tin? spreading. Mr G. H. Reid, speaking at Dubbo, said that if Mr Deakin would join him in a broad alliance against Socialism they might come to terms in this crisis. They must fight against Socialism whatever their fiscal views were. He proclaimed a fiscal peace. In the Queanbeyann bye-elec-tion Colonel Ryne (Ministerialist) Is leading Mr Hnngerford (Tabor) by 64 votes. There is only one return to come it, and it cannot alter the result.

At Wirth’s Circus a young lioness attacked Captain Burrows, the trainer, in the cage, and lacerated , his leg. It had to be shot to enable him to escape. Stansburg has announced his intention of accepting Towns’ terms for the rowing championship. It is expected a match will be arranged about the end of July. The High Court has decided that a State cannot levy stamp duty from the Commonwealth on land purchased for Government purposes. It it not probable Cabinet will take any action in connection with the Railway Commission’s report till after the Premier’s Conference. Whatever is done will have, under the terms of the Railway Act, to be submitted for the approval of

Parliament, wliich will not meet for at least some weeks. Melbourne, April 10. The explosion of the oil engine wrecked the ketch Topsy. The engineers and owner were blown out of the engine room and escaped serious injury. The butter trade is exercised over a consignment received by a local firm from Queensland. Two boxes outside were marked with a Queensland factory brand and the Government stamp, but inside the brand was that of a well known Victorian factory. The suggestion is that the consignment was intended for some other market and was sent to Melbourne in mistake.