AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7954, 1 February 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

CAUSING gA GRASS FIRE,

TWO MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT

Received January 31, 10 p.m. MELBOURNE, January 31. A man has been sentenced to two mouths' imprisonment for carelessly throwing a lighted match, which caused a grass lire.

LABOUR PARTY VIEWS

Received January 31, 9.30 a.m

SYDNEY. January 31

The Labour Conference has passed a resolution to tho effect that neither the Federal nor the State Parliamentary Labour Party shall in future enter into any alliance extending beyond the life of fcbo then existing Parliament or crant a promise of immunity from opposition at election time 1 .

The Conference negatived a proposal that in the event of the Labour Party gaining tho Ministerial benches the Ministry will be recommended by the party in caucus*.

CONTINGENTERS' CLAIMS,

SYDNEY, January 31

The Government has decided to carry out the Royal Commission's recommendation to pay certain contingenters who took part in the Boer War, State as well as Imperial pay. The sum involved is between £23,000 and £40,000. A HURRICANE. SYDNEY, January 31. A hurricane destroyed the Yarrabah Mission station. The members of the staff, with 360 natives, are without shelter. CYCLOiNE AT GERALDTON. Received January 3, 10 p.m. BRISBANE, January 31. A oylcune at Geraldton unroofed the post office and demolished several buildings, aad damaged the majority of others. Eighty per cent of the banana plantations are ruined.

EUROPEAN-MAIL CONTRACT,

Received January 31, 10 p.m. MELBOURNE, January 31

The Cabinet bave considered the tenders, which close on May 31st, for tne new European mail contract. It will be purely postal caniage. Produce or other commodities it may be thought advisable to carry in connection wito the sorvice will be considered iudenendently. The terminal porta will be Naples or Brindisi and Adelaide; the service will be fortnightly aad of a speed of not less than fifteen knots; and the contract will be optional for seven or ten years. The white labour sfcipu lation is unaltered. It is also stipulated that the Government may at any time during the contract pur chase or charter any mail steamer. BUSH FIPE3. Reoeived February 1, 1 a.m. MELBOURNE, January 31. The township of Foiviter is surrounded by bush Ores, and is threatened with destruction. The Fire Brigade has been sent from Melbourne.

THE NfIED OP IMMIGRATION.

PRACTICAL SPEECH BY MR DEAKIN.

Received February 1, 12.30 a.m,

MELBOURNE, January 31

The Hon. A. Deakin, Federal Premier, speaking at the Exhibition luncheon, referred to the necessity of increased immigration to develop the country, and said that the Commonwealth and States in this matter must be closely and intimately associated. If the States would make the land easily available to satisfy the inflow of immigrants and come to an agreement with regard to the manner in which they would compete for immigrants, the Federal Government was prepared to submit a Bill next session to ask Parliament to vote liberal subsidies to advertise Australia in England and to bring out suitable immigrants at chc-a p fares, thus competing with Uanada. The Government, also, was preparing a scheme of bounties to encourage new products. ThejStates would thus be inspired to advance to the conquest of the great interior, which was at present practically unoccupied. It was a great national question, and he ma-ie the States a practical offer, hoping it would lead to practical business.