MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1920, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

(Imperial News Scrvioe). THE JAPS IN CHINA, j (Received this day at 8 aim.) PEKIN, May 17. 1 At the annual meeting of the Britis Chamber of Commerce at Shanghai, i ’ adopted a resolution favouring China’ claim to Shantung. Mr A. W. Bui J kill, chairman of the'directorate, in j speech, said Japan was taking delibei J ate steps to control the whole and sur ' rounding harbour, docks, wharves am railroad terminals at Tsingtao, am every obstacle was being put in the wa; of other nationals acquiring any proper ty in the business centre. WOOL SALES AT MANCHESTER. (Received this day at 8.a.m.) LONDON, May 18. , The port of Manchester is agitating that wool sales bo held there, alternately with Liverpool. Manchester bankers will afford every facility as regards wool consigned to Manchester.

‘ FRENCH STRIKE ENDS. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) PARIS, May 18. The strikers are returning to work at the railways and ports. Practically all coast vessels have ' resumed, and thero are several other indications that the strike is collapsing.. The Gasworkers Union have ordered the provincial branches to resumo. The failure of the strike is provoking a violent discussion in Syndicalist circles.

I EX-KAISER AND CROWN PRINCE. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, May 18. The Foreign Minister, replying to a question in the Dutch Chamber, said the State had spent no money on behalf of the ex-Kaiser or the Crown Prince. The latter was living in a modest dwelling; liis expenses to date, were only about twelve hundred sterl-

VITAIJ STATISTICS. f AUBTKAMAN <V N. 7.. . OABI.G ASSOCIATION A UEUTKIt.'J (Received this day at 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 18. The quarterly returns of marriages, births and deaths for England and Wales, "shows the .births were 721,082, which is a record. Deaths were 137,637, whereof 4,031 were due ,to influenza. Infant mortality was 88 per thousand, which is thirty-two per thousand. below average of ten preceding first quarters. There were 230,760 births and 137,022 deaths registered in three months ending 31st December, in .United Kingdom, an increase of population therefore of 133,738. Marriages during , the same quarter were 238,460.'

A BILL DROPPED^ (Received this day at 11.30 a.m.) ' v. ( LONDON, May 18. In the House of Lords, Lord Stanhope, in moving the second reading of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Bill, said it largely modified the Act of 1914 and subsequent measures. He contended that foreigners ought not to be admitted while ex-service men were walking the streets unemployed. The Lord Chancellor declared the proposals were wholly, unworkable. The bill was unamendable and inter alia would involve a revolution of the whole scheme existing as a result of repeated conferences between Home and Dominions Governments. It would involve a breach of the understanding with the latter and would bo construed into an attempt to legislate for the Dominions within their own territories, which those ■ 'undoubtedly would resent and to -which it was wholly impossible to give effect. The Bill was dropped without division.

POINCAIRE RESIGNS. (Received this dav, at 9.80 a.m.) PARIS, May IS. M. Poincaire has resigned the Presidency of the Reparations Commission on the ground that the Premiers’ Conference at Hythe ignored the Commission; ACQUITTED. (Received this tidy, at 9.30 a.m.) PARIS, May 18. A Court martial acquitted all those accused ofc the Maubege surrender, cabled on April 10th.

LABOUR AS PLAY CENSOR. ' - PARIS, March 21. , For the first time in France labour has interposed as a dramatic censor. Ihe well-known -playwright M. Noziere was about to produce at the Ambigu Theatre a play entitled “Isn’t Life Jolly?” in which a trade union secretary inteiviews one of the new poor—an aristo-, crat whose property had been confiscated. What can you do? he. asks. ‘‘l can play bridge and drive a car,” was the aristocrat’s reply. The labour representative retorts, “I only play nap,, but I will take you on as my chauffeur.” The cliaffeur changes masters, but m the final scene his former status is restored. The Theatre Trades Union tak ing this satire very seriously, lias threat ened to call a. 'strike if the piny« P r °' duced, and T understand that the author has offered to withdraw it.