MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1918, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

fAUSTRALIAN ifc N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] TURKEY BANKRUPT. BERLIN December 21. It is reported that Turkey intends to declare itself nationally bankrupt. CHINESE ACTION. PEKIN December 24. The Chinese Customs, Health Postal, and Foreign Departments are dismissing all the Germans employed. One reason given is that Allied soldiers coul £ ] not be expected to work alongside Ger mans. ILLICIT TRADING. SHANGHAI, December 24. Thje “North CHiina Daily News'’ makes sensational disclosures. It al leges that an enormous illicit traffic in morphia and Indian opium is going on in China. The paper affirms that no less than eighteen tons of morphia arc being im ported into China from Japan every year. The drugs are being distributed by the Japanese Post Office and by Japanese pedlars. INTERNED VESSELS RELEASED. LONDON, December 23. Fifteen British merchant ships were interned at Hamburg have arrived al the Tyne . JELLICOE'S VISIT. SYDNEY, December 26. Admiral Lord Jellieoe’s visit is raising in responsible circles the Issue as to whether the naval tasks ahead of the Commonwealth should rest solely on Australia, or should form part of a /scheme in which Britain and New 1 Zealand will also participate. PRESIDENT WITH ARMIES. NEW YORK December 25th. President Wilson was awaiting at Chaumont on Christmas morning and was welcomed by General Pershing. The President afterwards left for Laiigres, in order to> review and address the American troops and to cat his Christmas dinner with them. President Wilson left Langres for London at six o’clock in the evening. lie delivered an address at Chaumont. KAISER. HAS THE “FLU/’ AMSTERDAM December 2.1. Reports from Ameriongeu state that the Kaiser is ill with fever. Apparently he has the influenza. Ho is confined to bed. COALITIONISTS RETURNED. LONODN, Dec. 25. Tlie elections at Belfast, Dublin, Wales and Cambridge universities resulted in the return of Coalitionists by good majorities. 100,000 BACK IN BRITAIN. LONDON, Dec. 24. The Press Bureau states that since tlie armistice the number repatriated to Britain is as under: — Officers 5288 M (>n 00,247 Civilians 4-01 Total 108,736 GERMAN AMBASSADOR LEAVING. MADRID, Dec. 21. The German Ambassador at Madrid and Ills stall' have all received their passports, in readiness to depart. I'T TURE 01:' AIR NAVIGATION. PARIS. Dec. 24. Tlie “ Echo do Paris ’’ announces that the Allies are holding a conference in Paris early in tlie New Year to • consider the future of international air navigation, and study how to prevent the aeroplanes of different nationalities from' crossing the harrier, and also how to prevent commercial planes from being converted into bombers within a few minutes. The results of the conference must be accepted by Germany in the peace treaty. G ERM AN Y DISC OR GES. BRUSSELS, Dec. 24. Germany has restored 280 millions of francs to the Belgian Government. BRITISH INDEMNITY DEMANDS LONDON, Dec, 25. The “Daily Express” (Mr. Bonar Law’s organ) says: It has been suggested that British claims for indemnities will be allowed to stand over for some years, while tlie more pressing demands of France and Belgium are being met by Germany, but this is not tlie case. On the contrary, the British Ministers arc of the opinion that Germany with vast mineral resources, may bo forced immediately to supply raw material to rebuild the old and create the new British industries. A stern control of imports is under immediate contemplation, with a view of preventing any dumping of German goods, which are now ready lor transport.” JO URN ALT STS’ R EPR ESENT A TTV ES LONDON, Dec. 25. A number of American trade journalists who recently visited the West Front have appealed to President Wilson to insist on enforcing on Germany the payment of restitution and reparation. DEVASTATION IN FRANCE. PARIS, Dee. 21. In a. debate on the War Damages Bill in the French Chamber, it was stated that twelve thousand houses at Rlicims were razed to the ground, and that fifty thousand houses had been destroyed altogether in the north of France. - The Budget Commission estimated the total damage at 2,600.000,000. francs. FOCH’S HEALTH POOR, SYDNEY, December 26. A French resident here has just received a letter revealing the fact that is not generally known, viz that Marshal FoclTs master mind is encased in a frail body. Marshal Focli has really been a. sick man for some ,; :no. A doctor accompanied him everywhere.