AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 89, 4 May 1901, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

. .. (PEB; PRESS: ASSOCIATION.) Received 3, 1.12 a.m. ' Melbourne, May 3. Hon. j G. ,\f?'rd has interviewed Messrs Drake and ;B»tb{|i on the question of theadmfrsion of penny letters. A further' interview will take place today to settle the matter. At a Luncheon at Parliinoent 'House ■Mj-'Wirfl, in'a speech, ea : d as n matter : 6f- fact it could not be said that publio opiftion in New Zealand with reference fojjoiiiing the Federation had not yet been formed. As far as he could sea the pre-ent jnlicy of tl-o < olony was one of watching the developui nfc of Fedei ati"h"irt Aus'ralia, He <3fj)'e."B°d regret af'Mr, S ddoa's umvoidable ab--B<>nre, ' _ If rd' Hopetoun entril Ined Sir Edwaid; Coilipr, the repr-Hm ntitivo of India, Mr. Ward and Mr, Baccck at dinner.

•' Received 3, 7.8 p.m. ' ' ' ■ Melbourne, May 3. | ; Mr. Ward' was ft' gust of the Stock Exchange to-dav, and in reply to the toist of his heal h said that if in the future Anstrdl'a found herfelf with surplus funds for investmentjtfew Zealand might'look upon the Cbmmonwoilth eg a happy hunting ground for money, insteid of g ipg fui^hfrafield. The N w Zealand Contingent anived to-right; by special train and marched to camp.

| (Received 3, 952 p.m.) Sydney, May 3 Oao hundred and f ;rfcy-fix membe l s of ihf) New South Wales China contingent, v: coioatfd before they sailed from the East, hive been reKved from quarantine, and were matched t l r. ugh the stivet', mte ing with an enthusiastic reception. Th'y were wdcom'd hy the Prem : er, who ie?d an o d j r from Goner.il Stewart, highly praising tHeir discipline and the'manner in which they performed their duties in China. E'ghty n main in quarantine. Receivrd 3, 11.27 p.m. . . Melbourne, May 3. With regard to Mr. Sertdon's. invitotion to the State Ministers to visit New Zealand, the Cabinet his decided that no departmental Ministers ciuld be spved, b'it that two hono ary members, Messrs. Crook and McGregor, would go. Received 4, l.to a.m. Sydney, Miy 3. The Stite Government is issuing lccally half a million thrt'e arid a-half per cent treasury bonds for five yens currency being a-portion if the authorised Public Works lean. Arrived—Zea aodia. • Sailed—H.M.S. B'ake for Plymouth with the Royal Arthur's and a portion of the Tauranga's time' expired crews. Melbourne; M*y 3. Arrived—Ettosville from Kaipara.