TO DEVELOP OVERSEAS TRADE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 75, 21 December 1917, Page 5

TO DEVELOP OVERSEAS TRADE

NEW BRITISH DEPARTMENT. (Rec. December 20, 9.50 -p.m.) London, December 19. ■ It is officially announced that a new department for overseas trade development and intelligence has been coiistitpted. Sir William Clark has been appointed Controller-General, and Air. I l '. G. Burton, formerly of tho Cojomal Office, has been appointed Director of the Overseas Division.—iteutur. | [Sir William Clark, K.C.S.L, C.5.1., C.M.G., was Minister for Commerce and industry of the Council of India from 1910 till 1915. Previously ho was at tho Board of Trade (189!)), Secretary to Special Mission io China to Negotiate Commercial Treaty (1901), diplomatic service (1002). Secretary to tho Royal Commission on the Supply of Food, etc., in Time of War (IUO3oS|.]

THE WAR ON THE GERMAN METAL RING

HOSTILE AMENDMENTS TO BILL DEFEATED. London, December 19. TJio House of Commons has negatived several amendments inteuued to defeat tho purposo of the Non-ferrous Metals Bill.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. [The Bill provides that it f.'iall bo unlawful for any company, firm, or individual to carry on the business of extracting, smelting, dressing, and refining, or wholesale trading in the metals or metallic ores to which tho Bill applies, except -under licence 'Jiio licence will be rescinded if, later on, it is proved that one-fifth of ;Jie capital directly or indirectly belongs to a German syndicate. Tho Board of Trade is empowered to require certain information and inspect books. Tho Bill is to remain iii operation lot fivo years 'after the war.]

PEACE DEMANDS IN HUNGARY MOST BE GENERAL, NOT SEPARATE. Now York, December 19. The United Press Agency's representative at Stockholm interviewed 11. AVeltnor. Loader of the Hungarian Socialists, who stated that more than 100,000 peoplo took part in a demonstration at Budapest on August 24, and demanded a general peace. They rejected a separate peace propssal, as being likely to jeopardise, democracy.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

THE HALIFAX DISASTER FIVE BRITISH STEAMERS DAMAGED. London, December 19. The Parliamentary Secretary ro the Shipping Controller (Sir Leo (.hiozza Money), speaking in the House of Commons, stated that five British steamers were damaged in the Halifax disaster, and about two-thirds of the crews were killed. —Reuter.

ECHO OF AUSTRALIAN STRIKE APPLICATION FOR- RTO-REGTBTRA-TION REFUSED. (Rec. December 20, 7.15 p.m.) Sydney, December 20. Tho Arbitration Court has refused to re-register a number of railway and tramway unions which had lean deregistered ns tho result of Uig late strike. At tho same timo it has granted registration to a number of new unions which had been formed to take the place of the old unions. The registrations have been granted upon certain terms, thorn being rules providing against strikes, against affiliation or co-operation with political bodies, or bodies outside the railway and tramway service, against any political activity as a union, and against changes in "tho rules without the approval of the industrial registrar. The Judge announced that l>o took this opportunity of notifying the industrial world that the Court had decided that something must he i!ono to recognise tho great importance lo the State of an industrial union as comparod witli a trades union.—Press Assn.

GENERAL SARRAIL PROMOTED

RECALLED FROM SALONIKA. (Rec. December 20, 7.50 p.m.) Athens, December 19. The newspapers state that General Sarrail has been recalled, having been appointed to a higher post. )Ie will ho succeeded by General Guillaumat. Jt is also reported that the French admiral comma titling the Allied squadron in the Aegean has been replaced by Rear-Admiral Fatu.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.