MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1920, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

AUSTItALIAN cfc N.Z CABLE ASSOCIATION}

SHIP STRIKES MINE. LONDON, April 2. Tho steamer Sempton lias landed at Hull, the crew of the trawler “Kibble” which struck a mine and sank. A German trawler picked up her boat and hospitably treated the fishermen until they were transported to the Sempton.

NEW BATTLESHIP. : TOKIO, April 2. I The keel of tho “Tosca” the largest, Japanese battleship, has been laid at. Nagaski. The vessel will have 40,000 tone displacement. She will be 700 1 feet long and her armament is to con- J sist of ten 16-in. guns. She will not be launched till 1922. She will cm- j body all the newest naval developments.

• ITALY’S ATTITUDE. ROME April 2. Signor Nitti, the Italian. Premier, speaking in the Seriate, urged , the desirability of rc-habilatng both Germany and Russia, and of enabling i them to produce. Thereby, he said, the Allies would he restoring tho European equilibrium. The German people, lie said, have already paid heavily for their crime. In reference to Turkey, lie said that j Italy only desired to develop Asia Min- 1 or and to protect lie straits. Italy did 1 not desire hostility with the Jugo-Slavs. ■ He recognised that it was impossible to demand the fulfilment of the Pact of i London as well as Fiume. He advocated a dignified compromise. The Senate almost unanimously pass- _ ed a vote of confidence in Signor Nitti.

AFRICAN POLITICS. CAPETOWN, April 1. General Dcwatt, in a speech at Pretoria, said we must be steadfast in our determination to attain that which is not far off, our freedom. None could blame us for desiring do get back our independence. They would continue to kneel before England, praying for independence until she was so tired of them that she would say—“Go form your own Government.” It was impossible for them to love, the Union Jack, just as Englishmen living in Transvaal could not love the Republican flag.

IN ITALY. ROME, April 3. Working class extremists continue erect siege works in various parts of Italy, placing them under Workers’ Councils. The workers’ efforts at Turin, Genoa, Naples, and Brescia were recently unsuccssful. This was largely due to “anti-Bolsheviks” organising a so-called “Royal Guard,” which goes round the country, taking action against revolutionary movements and strikes. Tlio.sc Royal Guards are composed of ex-sol-diers. These Guards are, however, well paid and well-armed. The Italian Socialist Deputies angrily demand the suppression of the Guards. Tlie continued rising of food prices encourages tlic workers’ unrest. The Government’s position is unstable.

FOOD FOR FIUME. ROME, April 2. D’A mmnrio’s motor boats captured a food steamer from Trieste. They escorted her to Fiume, where her cargo of foodstuffs was discharged. The steam er was then allowed to- proceed. A GENERAL CENSURED. LONDON, April 2. The “Daily Express” Calcutta correspondent states that there arc both majority and minority reports from the Hunter Commission on Indian Government. .Both reports on the riots take exception to General Dyer’s conduct. The minority report is one severely condemnatory of Dyer’s shoot-

OREEKS CALLED UR. CONSTANTINOPLE, April 2. The Greek commander in Smyrna has called up all the Greeks between the ages of 20 and 30 in readiness for any developments with Turkey. There are already six Greek divisions in Smyrna. INDIAN CABINET CHANGES. LONDON, April 2. Lord Sinha will he shortly appointed Governor of Bengal. He will be the first native Indian appointed to a Governorship.