MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1920, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

<By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.;

U BOAT ENGINES. (Received this day at 8 a.m.)

LONDON, March 10

Diesel engines have been' dismantled from German submarines and are being used to produce electric power in all parts of Britain. They are cheaper and better than any that can be manufactured at the present time. Several towns are getting their entire electric supply in this way. The engines formerly in U 62 which sank three hospital ships and 26 merchantmen, are now running a great factory.

MR SMILLIE’S RESIGNATION. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. The Miners Federation declined to accept Mr Smillie’s resignation of the Presidency, owing to ill health, and urged Mr Smillie to take a long rest.

■ CHINESE REBELLION. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) SHANGHAI, March 11

Due to the efforts of Peking Government to appoint Kwanghsin, Governor of Hanan Province, warfare has broken out between Kwanghsin and Chaoyi. T!ie present Governor of Chaoyi’s forces are moving upon Ohengehow and a cordon has been drawn along the Pe-king-Ghankou railway, ready to oppose the Peking troops. Refugees from the fighting area are pouring into Canton and Hongkong. PRICE OF PETROL. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) NEW YORK, March 11. Delegates at the National Petroleum Congress at Chicago predicted that the price of petrol in United States would probably rise to 35 cents per gallon in 1920, and possibly 50 in 1921. They pointed out that in 1915 there . were 2,500,000 automobiles in United States and the crude oil production was 281,000,000 barrels, which cost <SB cents per barrel, while there were 7,400,000 automobiles in 1919, and the crude oil production was 370,000,000 barrels, which cost 25 cents. Crude oil to-day was 35 cents per gallon.

A LABOR MATTER. (Received this day at 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, March 8

The “Evening Standard” states J. H. Thomas, President of the Joint Committee of the Labour Party, Trades Union Congress, Parliamentary Committee and co-operative party, has accepted the draft constitution of he proposed labour and co-operative alliance joint committee recommending the three affiliated organisations to accept.

JAPANESE DIET DISSOLVED. (Received this day, at 9.30 a.m.) TOKIO, March 8. A message dated February 26th, states during the debate on the Universal Suffrage Bill, the Premier read an edict dissolving the Diet.

VENEREAL DISEASE. (Received this day at 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, March 8.

The Ministry of Health reports the per centage of venereal cases among Colonials is higher than among British troops. The disease was mainly caught abroad.

TRANSPORT DISPUTE. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 9. The Transport dispute was referred to the Industrial Court on March 24.

COTTON DEPUTATION. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) (LONDON, March •10

Hon. Lloyd George has consented to receive a. deputation of representatives of the cotton trade, in regard to Government assistance in the development of cotton growing within'the empire. Tlie deputation will plead for a larger subsidy than ten million sterling annually for five years, which Government offered

FAILURE OF SOVIET (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 10

A striking admission has been made by Philip .Snowden, writing in a Labour paper, he confesses that the Soviet Government in Russia was compelled to abolish the local Soviet Councils. He points out that the official order abolishing them admits the Councils signally failed to maintain order and actually produced grave disorders and caused demoralisation of workmen and industry. Snowden says this decision should be a lesson to others wanting to imitate Russia. GLUT OF MEAT. LONDON, March 6. It is estimated the present glut of meat in cold storage exceeds the glut of 1919, when wholesale prices reached twopence per pound. COTTON PROFITS. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. Cotton Control Board is allocating the surplus funds of a million .sterling, for the relief of war hardships among operatives and finance trade research work. ANOTHER JAPANESE STRIKE. TOKIO, March 6. A strike of thirteen thousand iron, workers in Iwata province, which was settled on February 11th. broke out on February 24th., accompanied by violent rioting. APPEAL CASE SETTLED. (Received This Day at 3 a.m.) LONDON, March 9. The Morton case came before the Lord Chief Justice. Mr Hogg on behalf of Morton, said the directors of the Company thought Mr Hughes’ speech reflected on their personal characters, but the Court would learn from

Mr Hughes’ cotin.se! that while the defendant made various allegations against international organisations, he made none against any directors or officers of the companies. In these circumstances the liquidator felt that no good object could be served b.y continuing the action. The parties had agreed subject to the court’fl approval to stop the action. LONDON, March 10. It is stated that Mr Smillie has resigned the Presidency of the Miners’ | Federation.

REPORT RIDICULED. LONDON, March 8. The Hon. J. M. Hunter, (formerly Secretary for Public Lands in Queensland), interviewed by the Australian Press Association, ridicules Mr Minahan’s allegations regarding a Republican plot in Australia. He says that although he was a Queensland Minister during the w'hole of the war, and intimately associated with the Labourites during the Conscription Referendum, he never heard the slightest hint or suggestion of these alleged republican plans. The first intimation had come a year after, through the London newspapers, and on tlio authority of Mr Minahan, of whom he had never heard.

TAX ON SERVANTS. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) PARIS, March 9

The Municipal Council is levying a tax of 40 francs cash, each, on female servants and eighty francs on men servants. If the servants belong to an Allied nation the tax is doubled and if neutral trebled. If of enemy extraction the tax is quintupled. A RESIGNATION. LONDON, March 9 Mr Wardle has resigned from Parliament. LABOR MINISTER RETIRES. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. It is stated that the Labour Minister, Mr Wardle, is retiring on the ground of ill health.