BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1921, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

i i UY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. AUSTRALIAN ANI) N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION, j PERSIA AND THE SOVIET. LONDON, January 18. Persian advices show that the situation is precarious. Having failed to ratify the Anglo-Persian agreement, which would have enabled Persia to straighten out affairs, the Persians think the best alternative is an agreement with the Soviet of Russia. Although the agreement is not yet signed, practically it hands over Persia to the Soviet, which lias the right under the terms thereof to invade-Persia whenever it pleases them to regard the country as threatened. The Persians realise they are not getting anything nut of the Soviet, but owing to apprehensions regarding the future they want to keep on good terms with Moscow. Though the British evacuation of North Persia will begin shortly there cannot be any question of allowing Bolshevik interference in South Persia, owing to proximity to British territory. I PAN-AMERICAN CONGRESS.

MEXICO CITY, January 12. Mr Samuel Gompers was re-elected President of the Pan-American Labour Federation Congress held here. The Congress unanimously voted that Mr Gompers send a note to President Wilson merely requesting that the evacuation of Sen Domingo be accelerated. PRICE OF COAL FALLS LONDON, Jan 18. A crisis has arisen in Lire coal industry owing to a fall in export prices which tumbled from 87s a-ton in September to 55s to 60s in January. The coal owners say there is now a deficiency of .02,000,000 in the weekly pool of £18,000,000. It is expected his will be exhausted early in March. It then will be necessary to increase the prices of coal for home consumption. The collapse of prices is largely due to the big American shipments to the Continent during the strike, and to the ! fact that Americans are now releasing j stocks at almost any price.

LONDON WOOL SALES. ; LONDON, Jan 18. i At the wool sales there was a better j demand for cross breds. Fifty per cent, j offering was sold, j Prices are unchanged, j A meeting of wool buyers decided to I send a deputation to the Realisation ] Directors to ask them to reduce the limits on their wools to a parity with j ifnfe wools in London and niarket j values elsewhere, or not offer them, j The Brokers’ Committee decided to ! fiuish the Government sales on Friday 1 and hold the free sales on Tuesday, i Wednesday and Thursday.

' D’ANNUNZIO TAKING A REST. ROME, Jan 18. j D’Annunzio was farewelled by the 1 Provisional Government at Fiunie. I He is going to a village near Paris in search of solitude and repose. j AMERICAN TROOPS IN SIBERIA. » WASHINGTON, Jan 18. In connection with the United States inquiry into the killing of the \nieiican officer (Langdon) at Vladivostok, Senator Johnston will introduce a insolation providing for the Investigation of the reason for sending American troops to Siberia, why they are remaining; also the status of American civilians there. . DECLINE IN PRICES. NEW YORK, Jan 18. Mr J. K. Howard, President of the American Bureau Federation estimates that out of 6,000,009 farmers in the United States, 1,500,000 are bankrupt owing to the declino in prices. O’CALLAGHAN TO GO. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 18. It is understood that following a Cabinet meeting, at which the Secretary of State and Secretary of Labour conferred with Mr Wilson,* the President, sustained the position taken up by Mr Davis, that O’Callaghan must . leave United States. The State Department’s solicitor pointed out that O’Callaghan could not be given a seamen’s standing since he bad no seamen’s certificate for a vise. CONDITION OF LENIN. (Received this day, at 9.30 a.m.) PARIS, January 19. Messages from Russia states Leniu is suffering from a nervous disorder, so severe in character, that it- approaches madness. Lenin was going to visit Congress when a bomb was thrown into his mo- , tor car. Lenin was not injured, but , (fight soldiers and three civilians were l killed and* twenty others wounded, numerous arrests were made, But the as- : sassin escaped.

V SERIOUS EARTHQUAKE. i, GENEVA, January 19 An earthquake in Albania was more severe than was supposed. Fifteen villages were destroyed and thirty thousand people are homeless. The Ameiican Red Cross are doing their utmost to relieve the sufferers but the task is beyond them. MINISTRY OF SPORT. LONDON, pan . 18. The Ministry of Sport has been created in the Briand Ministry, and the famous footballer Stidal has been appointed Minister.