MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1920, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

A RUMORED CONCENTRATION. [LONDON TIMES SERVICE—COPVn'GHT (Received This Day at 8.40 a.m.) LONDON, December 7. It is persistently rumored in Eastern Europe that Bolsheviks are concentrating forces for a new attack on Poland. Five armies were brought to the frontier on the Dvina front, between Rolotsk and Vitobhk, and on the Uneiper front between Smolensk and Mohiloff. Concentrations are proceeding at Vilna. It is apprehended that the w first objective will he an invasion of the Baltic States. BATTLESHIPS OBSOLETE. (Onited Service Telegrams) (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, December 7. Sir Percy Scott interviewed, said battleships are useless. .They were kept in port during the four years of, war, and when taken out were treated as glass, guarded by a whole flotilla of destroyers. Had German submarine officers been as good as the English they would have gone into Scapa Flow and sunk the lot. If we build battleships, "we will have to build nurses for them. ARMENIAN REPUBLIC., (Reuter’s Telegram (Rereived This Dav at 12.25 p.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 8. The Armenian Minister for War has proclaimed a military dictatorship and joined.hands with Bolsheviks. Troops at Baku advanced towards Erwan where an Armenian Soviet Republic was proclaimed.

AFRICAN POLITICS. (Received This Day at 12.20 p.m.) CAPETOWN, Dec. 8. The Nationalist Party programme proclaims the following principles— Economic independence, the right however which wilj not be. exercised with pnly a temporary majority in Parliament now, nor with a permanent majority until after a special referendum; complete control of natives within the union j segregation of natives; repatriation of Imported coolies. GENERAL SMUTS, (Received this day at 12.25 p.m) CAPETOWN, Dee. 8. Speaking at a function in Johannesburg in -honour of the Chief Rabbi, General Smuts referred hopefully to the League of Nations, which he described as the first step towards the realisation of the vision of the Prophet Isaiah. Three thousand years ago Isaiah did not see Geneva, but perhaps Geneva was only a half-way house to Jerusalem.

A PRESS COMMENT. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, Dec 8. Tlio “Star” commenting'on the report that a colonial Archbishop interviewed Mr Griffiths in Dublin prison on Monday, afterwards returning to England, asks was it Dr Mannix, pointing out that he is the best known, if not the only colonial Archbishop now m England. A NEW BATTLESHIP. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, Dec 8. !t is understood the Admiralty pror poses to build in record time at Portsmouth, tho first of a new type of battleships, embodying lessons of the war. P THE GREEK POSITION. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Dec 8. Neither the British Government nor the Greek Legation in London has received confirmation of the report that thg Greek Government has asked Constantine to abdicate. Both quarters are sceptical of the truth of the report,