COMMONWEALTH CABLES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 6, 7 May 1915, Page 8

COMMONWEALTH CABLES.

REPORT FROM PAPUA. United Pbkbs Asbooiatiqw. (Received 16:25 a.m.) ; Sydney, May 7. Judge Murray, Governor of Papua, who is visiting Sydney, is gratified with'the development oi'tjie territory. The area under cultivation last year increased 7500 acres, and is now fortythree .'.thousand. The' old idea that .Japanese labour was required to cultivate the rubber i.s exploded, as the Papuans proved very apt in learning the business. PREMIERS' CONFERENCE. The Premiers' Conference is sitting in camera. The Premier (Hon. Andrew Fisher) attended and discussed matters of interest to the Commonwealth, including strategic railway covering a distance of 2(118 miles from T'erth to Brisbane. The conference agreed that the railway was necessary, and decided that the expert opinion of the'arilway commissioners of the States interested be obtained on various points involved, including the New .South Wales scheme of utilising to a greater extent the existing lines than the Commonwealth proposal provides, thereby saving four million of the twelve million of estimated cost. It is understood the- Commonwealth will construct the works and pay for the line.