LATE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1920, Page 1

LATE NEWS.

(By Electric Telegraph—CoDyright.l BANKS TURNOVER, LONDON, Jau 1. Bankers clearing house operations for 1919 aggregate 24,415 millions sterling, an increas|D of 7217 millions over 1918, surpassing all records. The high cost of war materials and increased price of production and consequent greater demand for banking accommodation largely accounts for the greater tunover.

SALMON FISHERIES. OTAWA, Jan. 1

Responding to an agitation by returned soldiers, Government have issued regulations limiting the activities of Japanese salmon fisheries in British Columbia, wherein ten thousand are employed. Recently Japanese were buying up the canneries extensively, and threatening to almost monopolise the industry. The new regulations provide a large scale of fishing and canning licenses ,which hereafter will be granted only to white races. Tho same number of individual Japanese fishermen will bo allowed as last year, hut they must remain the maximum for the future.

NECK TO ANKLE. PRIEST DICTATES FASHION. LONDON, Dec. 12. The revolt against fashions is dividing Parisiennes, and vigorous discussions are raging, reminiscent of some Australian controversies regarding alleged prudishness. A strong committee of dignified ladies

has been formed to combat extremefashions. This is a wealthy ami exclusive committee, and it controls nunieious dressmakers. The committee members caused a sensation by wearing high necks, sleeves half covering their hands and woollen stockings. Cardinal Aniette’s pastoral was followed by scathing sermons in leading churches. Some of tho clergy arc supplementing their words by acts, which are causing no little feminine" consternation. One priest posted a notice at his church door that no woman would bo allowed to attend service in a bodice cut lower than the neck or a skirt which did not reach to the ankles. Tlie women point out that this will oblige worshippers to have special church clothes.

BYE-ELECTION COM 3! ENT. LONDON, Jan. 4. There is much discussion in the proas and elsewhere over the latest election result at Spoil Valley, where the Coalition member polled only about 8000 out of 30,000 votes. The newspapers generally regard the Spon Valley result as being tlie severest blow the Coalition Government lias received since the General Election.

The. papers exphiin that there has been a remarkable growth oi the Labour vote at the recent bye-elections. Tt is due, they say, to the lower section of the Middle Class who have been squeezed by the taxation and the cost of living. They are now transferring their votes to Labour.

The Middle Class, the papers admit, are not alarmed at Labour’s policy of nationalisation of the coal mines, and of public services, and of a levy on capital. EGYPTIAN DESIRES. CAIRO, Jan. 4. Prince Hussein, son of the late Sultan of Egypt, and the five grandsons of Sultan Mohammed Ali have issued a proclamation addressed to the Egyptian nation declaring their support and solidarity in the nations’ demands for complete independence.

BRITISH AND ARABS.

HA SKA, January 2. At the outcome of a seizure made by some Arab tribes men at Dairezzar recently, British representatives have been in consultation with the Arab Government. It is now announced that an official representative of the Arab Government in conferring with the British authorities suggested that British troops .should return to Dairezzar to (restore order. A representative of Ramad Kan Shalasli made a similar application, and asked that funds be furnished to replace those looted by his friends aucl to enable him to restore order at Dairezzar. Both requests have been refused as it is considered the duty of the Arab Government to restore the situation. The incident may be regarded as closed.

for deportation. 'Received this day at 9.20 a.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 5. Gregory Wlinstein, an associate of Manrtenes, the Soviet Ambassador ha s been arrested on a deportation warrant. He is the leader of the Russian Communinists in United States.

MANY CASUALTIES

NEW YORK, Jan. 5. The earthquake shock in ten States destroyed two villages, and several hundred deaths arc reported. The effects of the quake were felt 500 miles distant. •At Orissa tea, eighteen miles south-east of the Volcano Citlaltepofol, a theatre crowd became panic striken and many were injured while attempting to escape. Many dead arc reported at Vera Cruz.

A SOFIA RIOT. | (Received This Day at 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, .Tan. 4. According to Rome advices from Sofia, forty thousand pcoplo participated in ’an anti-dynastic demonstration and attacked the Royal Palace. The police repressed the disorder, one hundred casualties resulting.

RAILWAYMAN’S WAGES. THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. LONDON, January 4. It is pointed out for the Government and the companies that the effect of the Government’s wage proposals is that some thousands of the poorer paid men would get a lOy- a week immediate advance along with additional five shillings war bonus. It is said that the terms would costthe Government and companies £5,000 000 annually. It is pointed out as a significant feature that the scheme evolved is one under which the cost of living would bo a determining factor in permanent wage rates.

It is said that when a settlement is -confirmed three hundred thousand pounds, now kept as back pay will he distributed among the railwaymen. It is said that apparently the mass meetings which rejected the new terms have done- so on the ground that they are not a s good as those granted to the loco men, who have received a wage based on the highest rate paid, previously in each grade, instead of a wage based on the average as in case -e others.

LONDON, January 4. An official Government statement on the railwaymens wages confirms the new 1 terms reported. The Branch delegates of the unions meet oil Wednesday to consider the terms Mr Thomas (A.S.R.B. Secretary) addressing a meeting of railwaymen at Birmingham, recommended acceptance of the new terms. He said that although these were not all they wanted nor all they intended ultimately to gel, a reduction in the cost of living wa s more urgent than an increase in wages. . LONDON, January 4. Mass meetings of the East London, the Rhondda Valley, the Northampton, the Carlisle, and the Newcastle railwaymen.' have all unanimously rejected the Government terms for a -•I Element.

BYE-ELECTION. THE AFTERMATH. (Received This Dav at, 8.45 a.mj LONDON, January o. Spoil Valley byc-elec.tioii result coupled with the fact that at the last nine bve-elecions, the Labour vote lias increased from 38,722 to 97,473, whereas the Coalition /vote has fallen from g 0,477 to 79,090, raises tlie question in several newspapers whether Labour is ready to assume the responsibility of Government.

Hon \V. Churchill maintained in a speech ah Sunderland that the Party W a,s now in process of development, while it was quite unfitted for the task and would conic hopelessly to grief. Several prominent Labour leaders rc-c-entlv admitted that the Party was not vet ready for the Treasury, benches, and does not desire office, following next election. Moderate men in the part v think a preliminary period m strong opposition would better fit them for power. The general result of the bye-elections seems to indicate a weakening of the Liberal Party as a political force, coupled with the eventual coalescing of the present Coalition into a Centre Party attracting all shades of political thought, except Labour and perhaps the extreme Tory, which might form a patty of Right under Lord 'Robert Cecil.

paper- supplies

(Received this day at 0.20 a.m.) OTTAWA, Jan. 3. An official denial is given to the report, that Government contemplated entirely prohibiting the export of newsprint paper. Canadian newspapers use twenty per cent, of the output, the remaining eighty per cent, must bo exported, or the industry will close down. Government’s only object in interferring is to see. that Canadian papers get fair supplies. As the first call wM not interfere with the balance there is reason to believe that the Pacific coast mills will continue supplying Australasia this year, substantially on the same basis as' last year; but publishes everywhere must realise that prices are rising with the acute scarcity, and all stocks arc wiped out. Even the richest newspapers have to be content with hand to mouth supplies. Certainly theie is no hope of Australasia getting more paper than she lias been receiving from Canada.

the RESERVATIONS. WASHINGTON, Jan. 3. A new issue regarding the Peace Treaty is reported to have been rejected by Mr Wilson. It is stated he violently objects to the proposed reservation dealing with the voting power ol the League of Nations. He declares its adoption will disfranchise Canada, Australia and other Dominions, which would certainly protest and the British Government would surely support such protests.