MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1920, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

15y Electric Telegraph—Copyright,

A POLAR RESCUE. LONDON, July 5,

Captain Sverdrup reports the rescue of the steamer Solovei, a Soviet vessel, (cabled on the 12th of May). The icebreaker “Sviatogor” encountered masses of old Polar ieo in Kara Sea, and steamed north-west to find new and more penetrable ice. Tlie Sviatogor reached the Sovolei by running into pack ice full steam ahead, using all her ton boilers. Even then she was sometimes beaten back, but she attacked the pack again and again, though at times obliged to make ten or a dozen efforts, as thb ice was 20 feet thick in places, finally the rescue ship brought the S.oiovoi with 85 persons aboard, to Archangel. SEAMEN’S HOUItS. ROME, July 3. A commission of the World’s Seanun’s Conference at Genoa decided to ■ übmit to the forthcoming conference j a proposal that the working hours of seamen should not exceed forty-four weekly in port, and that beyond this limit, work should bo compensated. BRITISH LABOUR AND SOVIETS. LONDON, July 4. It is stated in the papers that a British Labour delegation which visited Russia generally speaking agrees that Soviet rule would not be adaptable to Western civilisation. The members say that Russian workers would he glad to enjoy freedom and liberty as much as if afforded to British labourites. EXCESS PROFITS TAX. •LONDON, July. 3. Following a fierce propaganda, a most influential deputation of British traders to the Chancellor, asked him to alter the Government’s Budget excess profits tax proposals, which increase the 40 per cent excess profit tax proposals, which increase the 40 nor cent excess profits. The deputation failed to secure'an alteration. THE WOOI; SLUMP. LONDON, July 3. The ‘‘Yorkshire Observer” says that the wool traders calculated that at the present rate of absorption, it will take four years to dispose of the Government isltoteks of wool. Snob a postponement of final payments to the Australian growers, they sav, might result in grave trouble. It is said that iresh markets must be found and Germany is admitted to offer the best field. ARMENIAN APPEAL. CONSTANTINOPLE, July 4. Khatassan, ex-l’resident of the Erivan Republic, is touring Europe and if possible will go to America. He is raising' twenty million dollars for an Armenian independence loan. 1 AN AUSTRALIAN ESTATE. LONDON, July 4. The late William Oswald Gilchrist’s estate totals £496,430. He left legacies of a thousand each to Mr Richard Chase (Manager of the Lnnslln Estate, in New South Wales), Mr Gustav Echardt (accountant with Gilchrist), and Mr Watt. There are legacies of £750 each to Mr Hugh Hopkins Mr Alfred Simpson, and five hundred to Mr. George Hewison.

JAPANESE BUDGET. TOKIO, July 4. -■ ’Hie supplementary Naval Budget, amounting to 84,000 dollars and Army credits of 48.000,000 dollars, will be asked of tbe Diet. One item will he 6,500 for aviation. The Budget, brought down at an extraordinary session of the Diet cootains an increase in armaments on land and sea, including fortifications at Bonin and other small South Sea Islands. The required revenue will be obtainable from increased income tax and new loans. The Peers are expected to oppose an increase in the tax, though not opo.sed to the armament plans.

A telegram from Osaka states that 20,000 workers were discharged there during June, duo to econmoic depression.

JAPAN’S NEWS. TOKjIO, July 4. Japanese naval authorities defend the proposal for increases in the Japanese income taxes as a means of providing revenue with which to strengthen the naval forces. They point out that the present conditions make it impossible to postpone the completion of the Jap anese naval programme. SEOUL (Korea), July 3. Sporadic fighting lias broken out oetween tbe Japanese troops and Korean bandits on account of tlie racial antipathy. TOKIO, July 5. A bomb was exploded, though harmlessly, at the outer gate of the Diet. It is regarded as the work of jingo agitators, as a demonstration against too Cabinet . JAPANESE ACTION. (Received tliis day, at 9.30 a.m.) TOKIO, July 5. Official.—Japansese forces have occupied Saghalien, pending the establishment of a Government, from which reparation for the Nikolnicvsk massacre will lie obtainable. Troops also retained the maritme province while evacuating Chita.

FAMOUS SURGEON OF,AO. LONDON, July 5. Surgeon-General Gorgas lias died in London. The-King recently visited the hospital and conferred' the Knighthood of St. Michael and St. George on him, in recognition of his services in regard to malaria.

IN THE ICE. (Reuter’s Telegram.) (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) CHRISTIANIA, July 4. News has been received from the Governor of Alaska regarding Captain Amundsen’s expedition, which is in the ice on the Siberian coast, near North Cape. A couple of the crew left the ship with important letters, travelling by dog team to Norway a distance of 2,500 miles. They expert to reach Potrograd in September next. GALLIPOLI. GRAVES. (United Service Telegrams) LONDON, July 3. Mr Hughes describes the curious recent discovery of a cemetery constructed by the Turks in the earliest days of Gallipoli. It wholly consisted of unsuspected graves of Anzacs and a few British Navy men. The cemetery is 300 yards eastward of Lone Pine, and was first located during Captain Bean’s last tour of Gallipoli, far beyond the Anzafc lines. An investigation of the isolated graves in the vicinity show that the cemetery contains fifty bodies of the bravest Anzacs, who apparently participated in the forward fighting. The discs found in the graves ensure identification in almost every case. The discovery show the fate of men hitherto reported as missing.