MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1918, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYniGMT.j CENSUS FIGURES. CAPETOWN Juno 23. i>t[i boaiS snsaoo i«vn .fjumuu[3.id ‘>qL European population of tin? South Africa n Union, exclusive of those on Active service as 1,418,000 whereof 680,000 arc males an increase of 11.11 per cent over the 1012 census. The largest .proportional increase was in Natal with 25 per cent, and the smallest the Free States 3.70 per cent. All the larger towns are showing increases. SEMINKOFF DEFEATED. PEKIN, June 23.

Scminkofi' has been forced to retreat hastily to the Chinese frontier. Three thousand Cossacks, after killing their officers went over to the enemy, while Red Guards threatened to cut, off Scminkoff. Bolsheviks occupied a railway between Borzia, and Mannheim stations, adjacent to the frontier which is strongly field by Chinese troops with ordores not to intorie.ro with the Bolsheviks unless the frontier is threatened. CHINA'S FUTURE. LONDON, June 23. The. Daily Mail's Pekin correspondent interviewed the Premier who said Chinese soldiers near the frontier nr Harbin wore available to cope with the Japanese. He hoped the Canton rebellion would be quelled in two months when more troops would be sent to the front. O ntlio whole he was absolutely confident that the patience and toner' of the Allies would bo rewarded with victory. Every nntjon admired the high idealism, which drove Britain into the war and prayed for Heaven to bless Britain’s arms. He announced the intention, after the war, to open China by railways development.

LABOUR MANIFESTO. LONDON. June 23. The Labour Manifesto proceeds— They as well as we, have sunk personal party predilections. It is more than ever necessary to set our faces firmly against disintegrating influences We appeal to Labour to do nothing to destroy the prospect of labour unity after the war. For the moment we believe the National unity is the one supremo consideration, hut there is another consideration present in our mind. We are labour representatives desirous of maintaining solid labour and look forward to. the time when there must he a rebuilding of the social and industrial fabric, in order that labour may then exert due influence. It is necessary that labour should he a united body. There, are. however, ominious signs of division. We regret it, hut regard it as an unavoidable outcome of the course of conduct on the part of certain prisoners, who assume the right to speak for labour; hut fail to realise the momentous issues involved in the war. The manifesto is signed by Baines, Hodge, Roberts, Brace, dynes, Walsh, Wardle. and Parker.

Mr Henderson speaking at Brighton, cordially approved of 'Count. Grey’s pamphlet. He added that as a corollary to better international relations, they desired a better understanding botween the. classes. The war bad sounded the death knell of class rule in polities, and industry. The workers eould no longer be denied a share in the control of industry. COYER NOT! OF GIBRALTAR. LONDON, June 23. ! It is reported that General SmithDorreen has been appointed Governor of Gibraltar. MR MASSEY’S ARTICLE. LONDON, June 23 ; Mr. Massey in an article in the National News considers there will be no world famine after the war. The men who are building ships with such splendid energy ami the men of the navy, whose marvellous devotion to duty has already scotched the submarine menace, are all making that impossible. The mere matter of production of food presents a smaller difficulty. I can promise there will be abundance of meat, wheat, butter and cheese to till Europe’s empty larder. Give us the ships and we will send the. food. HONOURS URESENTED. LONDON, June 23rd. Thousands of spectators were in the quadrangle of Buckingham palace on Saturday, at the King’s open air investiture of decorations including six Vic. toria Crosses. None were more loudly cheered than Vice-Admiral Keys on advancing to be knighted.

ESCAPE FROM GERMANY. SOME PARTICULARS. Received, this dav at 8.45 n.in. LONDON, June 24

Babcock (cabled on the fjth) had Gil) a Scaforth Highlander, as a comrade in his escape. Babcock was wounded at i’ozieres iu 1017, and had been working since then at Cassel. He and Gill belonged to a party of eight prisoners working in a private garden, the sentry being an old civilian gardener. Babcock and (Jill purloined a map of Westphalia, bought a compass, and secured a supply of civilian clothes. When the* sentry was at lunch on May 7th, Babcock picked up a spade and (Jill shouldered a sack of provisions and walked off. They traversed Cassel from south to north, passing unchallenged, and hid in a neighbouring wood till nightfall. Thereafter they travelled for fifteen nights, hiding by daytime. Once they lost- their way through misreading i

compass, and had anxious moments, hut they did not experience anything sensational. Once they were observed by a sentry, hut they eluded him. They traversed several substantial towns and many villages, rationing themselves on seven biscuits daily, which lasted until the frontier was reached. Though the distance to the frontier was 140 miles, the escapees covered 220 miles, owing to the circuitous route they Took. Babcock, with English and Canadian companions, tried to escape in 1910, but was recaptured after covering 180 kilos, and was sentenced to nineteen days solitary confinement, during which he was severely clubbed by the guards.

A CRICKET TEAM. (Received, line Dav ux 8.50. a.m.)' LONDON, June 24. The following Australians have been chosen to play in Saturday’s cricket match, England versus Dominions : —E. P. Barbour, Kelleway, Macartney, Moyso, Park, E. J. Long, C. T. Docker, and J. M. Taylor, or A. Lnmpard. SOCIALISTS MASTERS. (Received, This Day at 8.50. a.in.) LONDON, June 24. The “Exchange Telegraph’s" Zurich correspondent says the Socialists are masters of the situation and won’t be content with a reconstruction under Seidlcr. They demand a new parliament. The Poles are equally firm. The appointment of a new leader, Dr Tedtil, amounted to open defiance of the Government. It was probably largely influenced by Soiiller’s decision, which the news from the Pinve clinched. A STEAMER DESTROYED. Washington, June 21. An explosion destroyed a large river steamer in dock at an Atlantic port. A BIG EXPLOSION. WASHINGTON, June 24. Particulars of the destruction of the ship in an Atlantic port are withhold. Two of the crew are missing. The ship lies in the harbour, only the funnel and superstructure showing. The explosion shattered windows for miles around.

LABOUR RECOMMENDATIONS. (Received This Day at 9.15 a.m.j PERTH, This Day. The Interstate 'Labour Conference adopted n series of recommendations with the object of democratising the defence system and safeguarding the civil rights nnd industrial organisations. These include no military training or calling up in war time of persons under the voting age limit, and the limitation of professional militarism to instructors and administrative staffs the abolition of the military oath, and distinctions between no-commissioned and commissioned officers, the non-employment of soldiers in industrial disputes and no forces to bo raised for service outside of the Commonwealth, except hv the decision of the people, the initiative referendum vote, and that conscientious objectors be freed from any combatant training or service.