GENERAL CABLEGRAMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2343, 28 December 1914, Page 6

GENERAL CABLEGRAMS

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JAPANESE DIET DISSOLVED REJECTION OF ARMY BILL. (Reo. December 27, 3.55 p.m.) • ' . ' Tokio, December 26. The Diethas been dissolved, following upon tho Lower House's rejection of the Bill to increase the army by two divisions. The Budget Committee had previously reported against expenditure for this purpose. PATRIOTISM A JUDGE'S REBUKE. Melbourne, December 26. Mr; Justice Powers, in the Arbitration Court, refused the Feltham employers' application to grant a reduction in wages owing to a depression in trade caused by the war and drought.. He expressed the opinion that the application was .made to enable the employers to continue .to employ men below tho living wage for an indefinite period. "Ho indicated that the applicants had shown a disposition to shirk their share, of the burden during the present orisis. He hoped, the employers .would not reauiro all the patriotism to bo-shown by the men. DOCKYARD MEN DEMAND TREBLE WAGES. . . Sydney, December 26. employees of' the Naval Dockyard at Cockatoo Island • refused to work at Christmastide unless paid treble wages. Two hundred men went out. This.'means that'two-thirds-'of. the employees will be idle next week. AMERICAN DEFENCES : SCATHING CRITICISM. Hew York, December 24. Colonel' Hustana, of Chicago, Adjut-ant-General of the Central 1 Department of tli© United State's Army, in his evidence" before the Committee of the House, advocated universal military training ,of young! men owing to the utter inadequacy of:the forces. :If the whole , army assembled at New York there would be insufficient man to man the guns 'on a war footing. •/ If the entire . National Guard assembled there would not be enough to protect those' guns against the enemy. New York's guns in their present condition were things more likely to help the enemy capture the city than provide protection. Colonel Hustana outlined a scheme for service largely on the Australasian model,■ by which youths could be taught essential,-military knowledge and protected against' the false, history taught in the United - States schools. . American children ought to be taught that America never really won, a war against a foe worthy their.steel. 1 Britain during the colonist revolt waa too much oocUpied. with?.its own affairs. ; In 1812 Britain really won, but quite without insisting on her rights of civil war. It was merely a contest between two mobs of. untrained mien. , ' The fights with Spain and Mexico were trifling affairs. If the Americans were trained they would make magnificent troops, all ready to die for their country.

PEARL-SHELLING COLOURED , DIVERS IDLE. ' Perth, ;Deconiber 26. There arc 2000 coloured divers idle at Broome owing to the depression in the poarl-sholling industry. Mr. Andrew iFisher (Prime Minister) has declined to accept Mr. Soaddon's (Premier) suggestion that the Federal Government'should deport all indentured! coloured* divers until'the crisis is over; or ( alternatively, to assist in relieving distress. ' Mr. Fisher holds that the cost of deporting the men must be borne by their employers. , STATE MEAT WORKS SUBSTANTIAL DEFICIT. Perth, December 26. The State meat 'works report for the yoar ended June last shows that it mado a loss of £3571. HONOUR FOR MR. MASSEY FELLOW OF COLONIAL INSTI- . TUTE. fflco. December 26, 1.15 p.m.) ' • London, December 28. The Right Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister of New Zealand, has been elected a Fellow of the Colonial Institute.—("Times" and Sydney 'Sun" Sorvices.) MARSDEN'S CENTENARY ' APPRECIATIVE 'COMMENT. Sydney, December 26. The "Sydney Morning .Herald," in an appreciative loader on the centenary of Samuel Marsden's introduction of Christianity into Now Zealand, says:— "Never did a man labour more strenuously for the Gospel."