AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7943, 18 January 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

CONTROVERSIAL MATTER. MELBOURNE, Jan. 16. The Governor-General, Lord Nortbcote, declines to transmit to the Ring the petition against the Home Rule resolution recently adopted by the Federal Parliament, on the ground that the petition is oontroverißal matter. LAND IN SYDNEY. A UNIVERSITY SPECULATION. SYDNEY, January 17. The University Council has purchased for speculative purposes a block of lanfl in Martin Place, opposite the General Post Office, paying £SOO per foot. CONFERENCE OF MANUFACTURERS. A PLEA FOR LOCAL INDUSTRIES. LAUNCESTON, Jan. 17. A conference of the Federal Council of Chambers of Manufacturers has been opened here. The President's address deplored the prejudice that existed against Australian-mads goods, and urged the necessity of fostering local industries; PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. MELBOURNE, Jan. 17. The Chamber of Commerce discussed the Premier's suggestion for the holding of an international exhibition. It was decided, owing to the large loss usually sustained by such exhibitions being out of all proportion to the benefits derived by the country, that it was not advisable to hold one at present. DESTRUCTIVE BUSH FIRE. STILL SPREADING. BELIEVED TO BE3 WILFULLY CAUSED. FATHER AND DAUGHTER ARRESTED. Received January 18, 12.17 a.m: SYDNEY, January 17. A bush fire in the Gonodoblin district swept a hundred thousand acres, and many settlers were burned out. An immense amount of grass, fencing and crops were dentioyed. Thirteen hundred sheep were burned on the Ivydale Estate. A settler, driving' was surrounded by fire, and made his esoape by driving into a tank. The fire has a frontage of thirty miles, and is still spreading. A man and his daughter have been arrested for wilfully firing the grasß. THE RABBIT PEST. DR DANSY'S EXPERIMENT. Received January 18, 12.17 a.m. SYDNKY, January 17. A meeting of those favourable to carrying out Dr Dausy'a experiment for the introduction of disease to destroy rabbits has appointed a committee to raise the £15,000 required for the experiment, whereof over £6OOO has already been subscribed. POPULATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH. Received January 18, 1.17 a.m. SYDNEY, January 17. The population of the Commonwealth at the end of the year was 4,002,839. New South Wales had a population of 1,834,934 and Victoria 1,214,098. THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT . AND NEW SOUTH WALES. A MASS MEETING. LACKS ENTHUSIASM. Received January 18, 1.17 a.m. SYDNEY, January 17. At the mass meeting held this evening to protest against the treatment of New South Wales by the Federal Parliament in regard to the capital site and other matters, over which the Lord Mayor presided, the hall was three-parts filled. The proceedings lacked enthusiasm. The principal speakers were Sir Normand MacLaurin, Mr Triokett (members of the Legislative Council), Mr John Norton and Senator Neild. Resolutions were adopted approving of the resolutions passed by the New South Wales Parliament, protesting acainst the treatment of the State by the Federal Parliament in many matters which are of serious concern, especially that as regards the capital site. The meeting pledged itself to useSall constitutional means to induce the Federal Parliament to acoord New South Wales just rights. A committee was appointed to carry the resolutions into effeot. The speakers entered strong protests against the treatment, but deprecated extreme measures. ■

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