MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1920, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

f*OBIRAMAN S N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION EXCHANGE DIFFICULTIES. LONDON, Oct. 28. Exchange difficulties are .affectinj shipments to Australia from Americi and similarly British. Considerabh quantities of raw produce like resin sulphur and petroleum are held up The Australian press understands seV' eral leading importers of. New Zealanc meat are endeavouring tg- induce the Ministry of shipping to permit thf shipment of privately owned meat com' jnencing in December or January. GREEK REGENT. , (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) «. ATHENS, Oct. 28. General Condoriotis lias been elected Regent. FRENCH CONSCRIPT LAW. PARLS, October 28. Tlie French Council of National Defence have been discussing the question of the period of military service in France in view of the contention that Germany, is “down y and out from a military viewpoint. The Premier, War Minister, Marshal Foch, Joifire, Retain and other Ministers were present at the meeting. It was stated that the War Ministers and the soldiers favoured two years service. To this French public opinion is opposed. . Other ministers considered that eighteen months service would be sufficient. The final decision was kept a secret and the newspapers, say they understand that the scheme to b e sutmitted to the French chamber will be for eighteen months service instead of three years as at present. The new scheme will not, however, come into force till it is possible to reduce the army affected. In the meantime ißiennihm (two years) service will be' adopted.

JUTLAND BATTLE REPORT. LONDON. October 29. The “Times” in a special article, condemns the Government refusal to publish the official 'account of the Battle of Jutland. Thereby it is depriving the navy of the greatest op-* portunity of learning how to fight. Secondly when shipbuilding programmes are on the brink of revolutionary changes, the country is prevented from studying the only battle where dreadnoughts fought and great destroyers’ attacks weire made on them. The Times says Lord JelKcoe and Lord Beatty represent two schools of thought na wide os the poles asunder. There is , the “Tijmes” says, no demand for a court martial in connection with the battle, but ther c is growing atmosphere of suspicion concerning the general conduct of the battle which is bad for the country aHd for its trust in the Navy. However painful it might be, j the only way to re-establish confidence and safeguard the future is fearlessly ; to reveal the facts, and.allow the public to judge. i

HANDING OVER FLAGS. PARIS, October 29. Germany in handing over the flags she captured from Napoleon as compensation for the flags taken in 1870 which German students destroyed a fter the Versailles Treaty was signed. ROUMANIA GETS BESSARABIA. PARIS, October 29. Britain, France and Italy have signed a treaty giving to "Roumania Bessarabia. „ ' CRISIS IN PERSIA. DELHI, Oct. 29. The defeat of the Cossacks by the Soviets in Persia has caused a Persian Cabinet crisis. The British Minister in Persia has announced that there is no more British money available. The British sources of money will not further finance the Cossacks under Russian officers against the Soviet forces, who are victorious. Mushire Dowleh’s Cabinet has resigned. The Shah has sent for Sephador and the new Government is expected to be appointed. It will comprise a Persian Commander with possibly British ad-

visers. AIRSHIPS FOR SEALING. [London times service—copyright - ! (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 29. Four airships have left for New Foundland. They will be employed in the early spring in seal hunting in the North Atlantic. They are fitted with wireless and will scout an expanse of ocean seeking seal herds, which every year drive down on the ice from the Far North. Instead of trusting to luck as they have done hitherto, sealing ships will now receive aerial information enabling them to intercept the seals without loss of time. When the sealing is over the airships will be used for forest survey and patrol work.