MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1920, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.!

a QUEENSLAND AFFAIRS

DELIBERATE BREACH OF FAITH. LONDON, Aug. 25. Tho British Australasian Society, in a letter to a newspaper in reply to Mr Lennon’s speech, say the Queensland Government’s action is repudiation pure and simple. At meetings with Mr Theodore there was no suggestion of interfering with Queensland’s selfgoverning powers, but it was nKide clear to the Premier that the breach of faith was ruinous to the credit of Governments ns well as individuals, and the one sure road to restoration of credit is by repealing the Land Act Amendment Act, restoring the status quo ante. Air Theodore offered the repeal, but coupled with the offer was an intimation that Government would immediately introduce an act taking these particular leaseholds to the same extent as they would have suffered by the breach of Government in their leases. Thus the Government professed to keep faith in the letter, while deliberately breaking it in the spirit. This offer was coupled with a suggestion that the Society join with him in an announcement in the Press that his Government had done the right thing and that wo were satisfied. Naturally we refused to be parties to any such hollow deception. Tho letter concludes that the Lieut. Governor is only throwing dust in the electors eyes when he tries to lay on the Queensland delegation or certain London financers, the blame that rests, in fact, solely on the shoulders of the Queensland Government, owing to its deliberate breach of faith.

THE PRESS DELEGATES. VANCOUVER, Aug. 25. The Canadian Club of Vancouver tendered an enthusiastic welcome to the pyess delegates. Lord Burnham and Mr Parker (New Zealand) were the speakers. Mr Parker urged the development of imperial consciousness; a commerce of mind and commerce of market must go together. A factor in developing the former was cheaper, more efficient and unbiased cable services in all parts of the Empire. The inter imperial trade relationship should be strengthened by making a closer study of economic conditions, particularly in the Pacific and 1 doing our best to make them fit.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 26,

Sir Edward Thorpe has been nominated as President of the British Association meeting at Edinburgh in 1921. It is understood there will be a continuation of the policy of occasional visits to outlying portions of the Empire. The Association meets at Colombo in 1922. 1 *

THEORIES ABOUT THE SUN. LONDON, August 26. At the British Association’s meeting the most outstanding declaration was a statement by Professor Eddington, (President of the Physical Section) that the sun could maintain its output of heat for fifteen billion years. That the sun and stars dq not depend on their heat upon contraction, as according to Helmholtz and Kelvin’s theories, but upon some vast reservoir of subatomic. energy. Professor Eddington declared file sun must dale bjick to a time so remote that there was no limit tq estimates (if thp earth’s age.

COAL STRIKE CRISIS, (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LQNDQN, Aujj. 26, Thqugh first ballots sho.w sweeping majorities in favour- of a coal strike, the crisis has entered on a more hopeful phase. Trade Union opinion is generally hardening against a strike. It is pointed out if £lper week were paid by miners as strike pay, the funds will be exhausted in three weeks. Arthur Henderson urged that the issue between minors and Government is not really nationalisation but wages, which are affected by the increased cost of living, which .he declares is a negotiable proposition. /

OBITUARY. i (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 27. Obituary.—Sir Walter Isennaway, a New Zealander. SWIMMING THE CHANNEL. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 26. Henry Sullivan an American swimmer left Dover last night to swim the channel. He was reported to be still in the water at 11 this morning, but the sea is choppy. ATTEMPT FAILS. (Received this day at 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 27. Sullivan abandoned his swim when three mi}es oft' Cape Grisne?, after being 19$ hours in the wafer. He covered 35 miles, his chief food, beefsteak, being cooked on an accompanying trawler. He put up a plucky struggle during the last five hours, but was unable to make progress and gave up the attempt.

MESOPOTAMIA PROPOSAL. (Received this day, at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, August. 27. The “Daily Express” says the Government had decided to not longer employ a large garrison to hold Mesopotamia. Arabs will be given the right of self Government under their own chiefs, assisted by British administrators if desired. A mission including Sir Percy Cox and Harry Philby are going to Bagdad to put the new policy into execution. OFFER TO EGYPT. LQNDQN, August 26 ; Following the Government’s decision to contract, as far as possible, Britain’s foreign obligations, Cabinet proposes to grant independence and and self-Govem-ment to Egypt under British influence. J,\PS RECALL PROPOSED. HONOLULU, August 24. According to a dispatch from Tokip, prominent dtzens in Tokio have suggested that the Government should recall all the Japanese who have emigrated to America, in order to solve the i Japanese problem in the United States. The Tokio press generally is supporting the suggestlon^^^^^_