MISCELLANEOUS AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1921, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS

AUSTRALIAN.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. A CHANGED OUTLOOK. LONDON, January 28. In connection with the butter outlook, there is a. decline in the prices of copra and oil seeds. This has caused a lowering of margerine prices Margerine is now being retailed at from Ud to Is. per pound. Many people predict that butter will' he retailed at 2s per 11>. before many months. . Therefore, it appears likely that the New Zealand and Australian butter producers will l>e faced with a comparatively low basis of values when (lie new season opens. ° BRITAIN AND JAPAN. TOKIO, January 29. The newspaper “Kokimtin” states the Japanese Government is planning a revision of the* Anglo-Jnpnnese Alliance which will free Japan front its obligations. The paper says this action has followed a statement by Baron Havashi in London interpreting the British view of Article 1 IV eff the Alliance as leaving Japan isolated and unprotected. U.S. A RAM AMENTS NEEDED. NEW YORK. January 28. Admiral Sims in a speech at Haverhill,, in Massachusetts, said disarmament, was impossible at present. The United Slates should continue its naval construction programme. Only when all nations agreed to do away with armies md navies would it be safe for the United States to disarm. TOKIO. January 29. Ii has been officially denied that Americans have been placed under adlitional surveillance.

EMPIRE SETTLEMENT. LONDON Jan 28. Lord Milner presklent at the Empire Settlement Conference at London. Sir James Allen represented New Zealand; Senator Milieu, Australia; and Mr Parley, Canada. The- Imperial Treasury was also represented. Sotijli Africa is not represented. The Agent.s-General of the Australian.

States and the Canadian Provinces ifre not partic-paling, thus leaving the l representation to the Dominions. Lord .Milner explained that the Conference idated to State-aided Empire settlement. He said emigration was a wrong term to use in this connection. The proposals cdnhraced the 1 agenda already cabled. They related to the transhipment of British population with in the confines of the Empire. They

had, he claimed, no relation to emigration which strictly interpreted, meant losing the Empire’s population to foreign countries. It was suggested that this was a matter calling for the cooperation of the whole of the Empire's Governments. Sir James Allen said lie agreed with laird Milner, hut he deprecated spasmodic migration. He advocated regularised continuity. Senator Milieu elaborated 11 it' details of a scheme under which the British and Australian Governments would cooperate in the provision of finance —in the shape of loans whereby selected areas of Crown lands would lie developed by means of railways, roads, bridges, water supply, and other works whereon the new settlers could he employed w hile they could he contemporareouslv clearing, tilling, and cropping lands. Senator Milieu pointed out that the greater part of tlu> suitable lands in Australia, were already held by people as freehold and also pointed out that to resume possession of these freehold lands would he costly, whereas at the same time the suitable Crown lands in Australia were inaccessible. Hence there was a necessity for new railways

and other amenities accompanying settlement. He suggested that the Burnett River district in Queensland, was a suitable district to inaugurate such a scheme.

The British Treasury representative replied in the negative to Senator Milieu’s .scheme, pending fuller details.

Senator Milieu undertook to formulate proposals subsequently.

Mr Parley said that Canada was sympathetic towards Empire settlement, hut she yet preferred to adopt a waiting attitude for the present. The Conference adjourned till Monday, when Colonel Amery will preside. OBITUARY. LONDON, January 29. William Gun, ex-cricketer, and Prince Kuropatkin (at Moscow). PORT OF DANZIG. LONDON, January 29. The “Daily Chronicle’s” Berlin correspondent draws attention to the great growth of Danzig as an overseas port. Before the war, lie says, its trade was almost entirely coastal. Now there arc several American passenger and freight services. In 1913 the United States Hag was not seen in Danzig harbour. In" 1920 the American tonnage that entered there was 233,000 compared with a British tonnage of 250,000, and a German tonnage of 205,000.

FISHERMEN'S STRIKE

LONDON, January 29. The Grimsby fishermen’s strike commenced at midnight on Friday. Fifty boats sailed for the fishing grounds on Friday before the strike, and a small number on Saturday despite pickets.