MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1917, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

! NATIONAL PROHIBITION. i I (Renter’s Telegram.) ! WASHINGTON, Dec. 17. Congress has passed a resolution it favour of National prohibition. It ; will have to bo submitted to the State 1 legislatures for approval or rejection. IN THE COMMONS. QUESTIONS. (Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON December 17. i lion Bnnar Law in the, Commons said to the 30th. new war bonds had been sold of a value of £159,227,000. He gave a reply to a motion urging more definite policy regarding alien cue mies. He agreed ithnt Government needed powers to review naturalisation certificates. Naturalisation was an imperial matter. Government had submitted proposals to tbe Dominion Governments at the request of the Imperial Conference. When the replies were received lie would introduce a Bill. FOOT) PRICES. I Received, this day at 8.45 a.m. j LONDON December 18. j The prevalence of queues throughout the [country is almost entirely due to the inefficient distribution of supplies Tn many instances, women make it a business of standing in the queues and afterwards selling what they get to the neighbours at a profit. Tho only problem awaiting solution is a more systematic distribution. The official Labour Gazette estimates tliht food, rent, clothing, fuel and light., used by working class family average 85% higher than before the war, while the average advance in secondary foodstuffs, excluding coffee, is. between 140 and 150%. Food prices in Norway are 114% above pre-war rales in United Kingdom 105%. Those bead the world’s list. New Zealand is the lowest with 27.4% increase

STEWARD’S WAGES. Received, this dav at 8.45 a.m LONDON December 17. Official—The standard for monthly rates on passenger liners have been fixed in the ease of stewards and stewardess at £lO 15s. sterling . The standard monthly rates with free food aboard cargo liners and general traders carrying sixty hand s and upwards are—Chief steward £l7, Cooks £IG. Second Cooks and baker £l2/10/Second Steward £ll.

MILITARY AWARDS. TA I'STHALTAN A N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & REUTER.] (Receiv'd! Tins Dav at 10. To. a. 1 !* ) LONDON December 18. A bar to the Military medal has been awarded the following New Zealanders: Corporal AT. Cnrruthers, Privates C. AA Porter, W. Espie and E Kel sail. Military medals have been awarded to 1(50 New Zealanders and a meritorious service medal to one New Zealander. The French Cross of War has been awarded tho following New Zealanders : i Brigadier-General L. S. Fulton, j Colonel AA r . S. Austin (of Greymouthi FJ. A. King j Colonel J. Roadh, i Colonel A. E. Stewart. I Major R.. H. Hall 1 Major R. G. Pardv, and thirteen of other ranks, principally riflemen. 1 . | nationalisation LAWS. I (Received 'rt's Tt"- c* V LONDON December 18. ! Sir George Cave, in the Commons. promised that a Nationalisation B'll ! will bo Introduced shortly wberebv ■ aliens will be deprived of their naturalisation rights if disloyal to Britain. Naturalsntion is now an imperial mutter, so it is essential, first to consult the Dominions. More than half of tho G.BOO male Germans now interned, had sons fight- ! ing in the British army.

I A GALLANT RESISTANCE. ! ' I deceived This Dav at 10.15. -i m.) ! LONDON December 18. i The “Morning Pos’s” Copenhagen correspondent says the survivors of the Maracaibo, which wa's bound for a . jDaftish poyt with coal ,states the British destroyers and trawlers made a. gallant resistance, and were only beaten by the arrival of enemy reinforcements. The defence of the warship enabled the merchantmen to get out of range of the enemy’s gun-fire and make preparations for saving the crews. The battle was fought in a fog, the survivors suffering greatly from exposure. j GERMAN PEACE AIMS. TAUSTRALIAN A S.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] AMSTERDAM, Dec. 17. ' Berlin political circles are excited by the report that Germany is about to state her peace aims. It is understood that she will chiefly declare her political disinterestedness in Belgium, with ample damages in exchange for the return of Germany’s colonies. The question of Alsace-Lorraine is not mentioned. It is believed that Germany informs England, France, Italy, and the United States of her aims through neutral diplo mats, under secrecy. ARGENTINE AGITATION. deceived Da 1 ' at 11 25. a.m.l 3 BUENOS AYRES. Dec. 18. An influential meeting adopted resolutions urging Argentine to declare ’ war on Oennnny.

THE TRAITOR. CAILLAUX. i ßeceived This Da.v at 10.15. a.m.) PARIS December 18. Premier Clemencean giving evidence before the Caillaux Inquiry Committee. intimated that Government would resign, unless the Chamber suspended Cajillaux’s parliamentary immunity enabling the charges to bo investigated. The committee accordingly determined to report in favour of authorising.

RED TAPP WAR. PARIS December 18. Clemenceau bus declared war on Government red tape, and lias ordered the War Office in future to decide simple problems within three days and avoid long inter-departmental minutes.