AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 57, 2 March 1912, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) Sydney, March 1. The Manufacturers' Conference motion in favour of compulsory training on account of its good effect on the growing generation was carried; It was decided that the holding of the proposed international exhibition in Australia was inadvisable at 'present. '' Mr Carmichael, who some, months ago for private reasons resigned-the portfolio he held in the .State Cabmet, has rejoined as Minister' for Instruction. The Manufacturers' Conference adopted resolutions in favour of greater efforts on the part of the State Governments to induce a continuous flow of immigrants and overcome the scarcity of skilled labour. Another resolution favoured the introduction of decimal coinage, weights and measures. The President of the Methodist Conference received a recommendation from the New Britain Synod that the control of the mission there be transferred to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Germany, because it was a German colony, and it was difficult to get English missionaries speaking German to work there. The recommendation was sent to the' Australasian _ Board of Missions for confirmation. A merchant going into business in " Canada, in an interview with Mr Tudor, complained that owing, to lack of shipping facilities New Zealand ,was reaping the benefit of Australia's pioneering work. Under present conditions Australia had-to be.cohtent with New Zealand's' leavings! in| ; jregard ,\o refrigerating' space. No butter had been shipped since the discontinuance of the Sydney-Vancouver service last f year. Mr Tudor indicated the probability of an early agreement 'between Canada and Australia' oh the •, subject of' a 'fecipfbeaT tariff;'" "'Ne-' gotiations had already been opened. The urgency of the question was n fully recognised. ( Until-.reciprocity 3 was agreed upon it was useless to discuss a'direct shipping service: '■' I Strained relations exist between the Government and the Railway Com- . missioners on several matters of policy. The Government instructed the , Commissioners to observe an eighthours day in all grades of the service. This was not complied with and there is also disagreement on the question of imported or local manufactured engines, the Government desiring the latter and Mr Johnson favouring importation. The appointment or a Royal Commission to inquire into congestion at Darling Island railway yards is regarded in Labour circles as a censure on Mr Johnson's management. The Premier admits certain disagreements but denies that a crisis is at hand. The New South Wales revenue for the first eight months of the financial year shows an increase of £381,180 oyer the corresponding increase in Victoria and West Australia, due chiefly to Commonwealth returns.