BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1921, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

BY TKLEGP.AFH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. CHINESE RAILWAYS. N r AN EXTENSIVE SCHEME. NEW YORK, Jan 16. Chinese bankers have granted a loan of six million dollars to the Chinese Government for the extension of the railways. The security given is the revenue from the Peking-Hankow railway, and the interest payable is 8 per cent. ] The expenditure of the money and the supply of the material will he coiuluctled under'the supervision of the bankers.

PANAMA TOLLS. s AMERICAN EXEMPTION. . NEW YORK, Jan 16. The Washington corresponent of the “New York Times” states it is understood that Mr Harding, rin order to carry out his campaign pledge to exempt the American coastwise trade from the Panama Canal tolls, will open negotiations with England. The HayPauneefote Treaty negotiated between Britain and the united States forbids such exemption. It is recalled that President Wilson caused si repeal of an exemption law once passed, on the ground that it would seriously affect Anglo-American relations. It is now believed that Great Britain will probably agree to the exemptions. SIBERIAN ELECTIONS. TOKIO, Jan 16. Elections for the Siberian Constitution Convention, resulted in Communists and non-Communists securing 22 seats each. ALLIED CONFERENCE. LONDON, Jan 16. Mr Lloyd George and Lord Curzon will represent Britain at the Allied Conference in Paris on January 24th. AUSTRALIAN POLITICS. LONDON, Jan 16. Senator Milieu declines either to confirm or deny the cabled press reports from Australia stating that he will be acting Prime Minister, during Mr W. H. Hughes’ absence. ITALIAN ACTION. ROME, January ,17. | Cabinet has decided that Italy will not support at the forthcoming Allied Conference any measures intended to compel Germany to carry out the Versailles Treaty in its entirety, or compel Turkey to accept the present situation in the Near East. ' PARIS, Jan 17. It is expected that the Allied Conference will be able to meet about the 2nd of January. SECRETARYSHIP OF COLONIES LONDON, Jan 17. There are persistent rumours that Mr Winston Churchill, who is holiday .making in France, has been offered the Chief Secretaryship of the Colonies. Noliing is officially known although the newspapers assort that Churchill has accepted the post. The newspapers stats definitely that Mr Winston Churchill has accepted the Colonial Office, though the official announcement may he delayed for a few days.

The “Daily News” protests against the appointment, as essentially mischievous. Mr Churchill is reported to have said that lie would not wield any less authority than his predecessor. The news papers interpret this to mean that the Colonial Office will continue to transact Dominion business and also undertake ncu business in connection with the mandates. A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. * LONDON, Jan 17. Field and Gray, sentenced to death for the murder of a girl at Eastbourne in August, are making sensational appeal against the sentence by accusing each other of the crime. Field declares that Gary confessed he stunned the girl and he understood buried her alive. Gray denies Field’s story, alleging Field admitted lie himself killed the girl because she smacked his face.

LIEUT. LANGDON

JAPANESE ACKNOWLEDGE ERROR.

(Received this day at 8 a.m.) WASHINGTON, January 17. According to information [received from Vliadivpstdck Japanese soldiers have, since the shooting of Langdon, stopped two American uniformed seamen. 'The State Department has received official advic-e that the Japanese Board of investigations established the fact that the sentry who - killed Langdon, left his post in orftr to molest the Lieutenant, who was proceeding up the street in an orderly manner. THE AMERICAN NOTE. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) TOIvIO, January 17. Government have not yet published the text- of the American note, protesting against the shooting of Lieutenant Langdon. The belief is expressed that Washington has not only asked for reparation, with guarantees removing the probability of similar incidents in future, but also again pointed out to Japan the wisdom of reducing forces, if not entirely withdrawing, them from Siberia where she possesses no sovereign rights. A division of opinion exists in Government circles concerning the Siberian problem. Leaders of the military party insist that the Japanese troops should remain while the peace party is seeking means of abandoning the venture which it is declared is ruinously expensive and without the hope of compensation.