AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8456, 5 June 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE LOSS OF THE NORMA.

Received June 4, 10.42 p.m. ADELAIDE, June 4.

The Court of Marine inquiry found that Captain Thomas, master of ithe ship Arden Craig, was responsible for the collision with and the loss of the Norma on April 21st, and suspended Thomas' certificate for nine months. They also ordered him to pay J250 costs.

INDUSTRIES IN NEW SOUTH WALES. Received June 4, 10.42 TSESr. -ata*' 1-.* rCBS £ SYDNEY, June 4. The official report dealing with various industries in the State shows that last year the number of establishments was 3,838, as compared with 3,708 for the previous year. The white males employed numbered 59,888 and females 17,870, as compared with 56,111 males and 16,064 females in 1905. The increases are general, but particularly in the building and iron trades. ACCIDENT TO COLONEL RICARDO. Received June 4, 8.30 a.m. MELBOURNE. June 4. Colonel Ricardo, the State Military Commandant, fell from his horse while following the hounds, and fractured the base of his skull. His condition is critical. ■ FRUIT FLY PEST. Received June 4, 8.30 a.m. BRISBANE, June 4?" '{The conference of Premiers decided to send the New South Wales .Entomologist to visit countries which are infected with fruit fly, to make ■enquiries, with a view to deciding the best;jneans of fighting the pest. AND STATE. June 4, 9,41 a.m. SYDNEY, June 4. Sir Jflhn Forrest, Acting - Prime Minister >of the Commonwealth, has returned Jfcom Brisbane. He expresses iumself as pleased with the decisions of the Premiers Conference on the question of the relations of the States and the Commonwealth, but is disappointed that no favourable decision was arrived at regarding the taking over of (the State debts by the Commonwealth, GOLD ROBBERY. Received June 5, 1.8 a.m. MELBOURNE, June 4. Four bars of gold, valued at £1,700, have mysteriously disappeared from the Mint. Pasise, a Bendigo gold- buyer, brought the gold after the main building had closed. The constable in charge of the police at the Mint lodged the gold in the Mint safe, to which there are only two keys, the constable holding one, and the master of the Mint the other, and the safe was locked. When the discovery was made that the gold was missing there were no signs of tampering with the lock. The constable kept the key in his pocket between the time of placing the gold in the safe and the dis covery. The police guards were changed thrice. Inquiries are progressing. The supposition is that by some means the key was abstracted from and replaced in the constable's pocket. THE SUGAR INDUSTRY. Received June 4, 9.41 a.m. SYDNEY, June 4. While in Queensland, Sir John Forrest, Acting-Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, made extensive enquiries into the sugar industry in the northern part of the State. He considers that the industry is profitable. Some planters are depressed at the outlook, but a majority are hopeful. The kanakas have almost disappeared, and are now practically a thing of the past. PREMIERS' CONFERENCE. Received June 4, 9.57 a.m. BRISBANE, June 4. The Premiers' Conference adopted a resolution urging that as the question of refrigerated freight is seriously affected by the mail service remaining unsettled, immediate steps should be taken by the Commonwealth to arrange a satisfactory contract. ' Received June 5, 1.8 a.m. BRISBANE, June 4. The Premiers Conference, after dealing with a number of minor questions, closed yesterday. RANDWICK RACES. SYDNEY, June 4. At Randwick the Prince of Wales' Stakes resulted: —Putty, 8.2, 1; Legion, 7.13, 2; Fnnshawe, 6.13, 3. Seventeen started. Betting- 4 to 1 against Putty, 5 to 1 Apologue. Putty went to the front entering the straight, and won easily by six lengths. Apologue finished fourth. Time, 2min 27sec. In the Second Hurdle Race Lion Heart finished a bad third to Superstition and Ryde.

NORTHERN TERRITORY. Received June 4, 9.57 a.m. BRISBANE, June 4. The Premiers' Conference carried a motion by Mr Carruthers (New South Wales) objecting to the proposed agreement for transfer of the Northern Territory from South Australia to the Commonwealth.

CABLE WEWS.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.

METHOJMSSF .CONFERENCE. (Received Jiune 5, 12.42; a.m. SYDNEY, June-.4. At the Methodist Conference Dr. Brawn moved tht adoption of the,report of the Fiji Commission on the The Conference agreed that the pastoral session should consist of all the European Ministers and preachers >©n trial, .and one native minister from each circuit. • Tilaere was a lengthy debate on the question of the composition of the financial committee. It .was finally, resolved that it should consist of four superintendent missionaries, two native ministers, two native lay members of the ckurch. Mr Slade said that though he had been away from Fiji for jive years he had not allowed his knowledge of j the place to lapse, with the result,) that he had found it to advantage to modify his views. He would not oppose lay representation, but would support it. He was seeking to do the best for Fiji. TJbey were not forcing anything upon Fiji, for the question had been before the group since 1901, aDd the people there had had time to consider it. Lay representation had become a question of importance to Fijians who wanted it, and unless they got it there would be a position of danger created. COPPER IN NEW GUINEA Received June 4, 8.30 a.m. MELBOURNE, June 4. News has been received of the discovery of copper, in payable quantities, in New Guinea."