AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7957, 6 February 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTKALIAN SECURITIES. / Received February 5, 8.42 a.m. LONDON, February i. Mr Coghlan, Agent-General for New South Wales, in a letter to The Times, denies suggesting that the prejudice arising out of the Chinese question had influenced immigration to Australia. He states that he had merely suggested the prejudice therefrom as one of the factors affecting the prioe of Australian securities in London. He reiterated his complaint against the attitude oC the Australian financial correspondent of The Times. COMMONWEALTH IMPORTS. Received February 5, 1.3 a.m. SYDNEY, February 5. The value of the imports from all countries into the Commonwealth last year was £38,401.803, an increase of £1,380,961 over the previous year. BRITISH OFFICERS AND THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE. Received February 6, 1.5 a.m. MELBOURNE, February 5. The Defence Department has been informed of the arrangement made by the War Office (London) with the Japanese Government, under whiob four British officers will be selected annually for two years to study in residence at Japan. When the officers have been four months in the country they will be required to pass a colloquial test in the language. A second examination, oral, and written, will be held when a year has been spent. During the second year's stay the officers will be under the orders of the Military Attache at Tokio, to whom they will have to send in diaries every month. The final examination, which precedes the officers . departure, is to relate to general powers of conversation in Japanese, and knowledge of military history, and tactics in the Far East. A MATTER F,OR PRIVATE ASSISTANCE. Received February 6, 1.5 a.m. MELBOURNE, February 5. Mr Alfred Deakin, Federal Premier, in his reply to Mr J. H. Carruthers, Premier of New South Wales, said in reference to sending assistance to the people of Japan, that be was averse to spending any part of the funds of the Commonwealth for such a puroose. The work should be undertaken privately.