BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1921, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

BY TKLEGRAFH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT, LINER DAMAGED. LONDON, Feb. 18. There were no casualties on the steamer “Palma,” and the cargo apparently is not damaged. THIRD PARTY BONUSES. LONDON, Feb. 18. The Colonial Office announces an agreement between the Government and the governments of the Dominions abolishing bonuses to third parties in the recruitment of sellers. This' operates from July 1. TRADE SLUMP. " ■ LONDON, Feb. 18. Lvsaghts, Limited, ironworks firm, have decided to run their works at Newport and Monmouthshire on alternate weeks with a view to saving the cost of coal. SOUTH AFRICAN STRIKE. CAPETOWN, February 18. After 19 days, the strike of miners af the Consolidated mine at Canglaagate is ending. The men arc resuming, but the dispute is to be submitted to”a board of reference on Tuesday. CHARGES REFUTED.

WASHINGTON, February 19. The State Department lias published a report of the investigation by American officers in Germany of alleged malfeasance and barbarity by French coloured troops in the occupied regions. The report states the charges are grossly, exaggerated, there being only sixty six cases of misconduct towards women in, to June- 1920. The charges arc merely used for propaganda purposes, especially in America. SENTENCED IN ENGLAND. LONDON, Feb 19. At a trial at Wandsworth, the accused, O’Sullivan, qdrnittefl he went into the Vacuum Oil Works for the purpose of setting them on fire. He denied having fired on the police with intent, to injure. He aimed high and wide. The object of his action was to bring home to the English people the seriousness of what was happening in Ireland. , , , , Moran Kenny and other defendants made similar admissions. They said they took revolvers to hold up * ,! night watchman, but they bad strict orders not to kill or wound. The prisoners were all acquitted on the charge of attempted murder. They were then found guilty of an arson conspiracy. O’Sullivan and Moran were sentenced to eight years each. Kenny was sentenced to four years.-

A VENDETTA. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, February 19. A well dressed man was discovered m a locked compartment of an empty train near WiUesden this afternoon. He died later. He was a passenger on tbe Irish mail train reaching Paddington this morning. The police found a slip of paper bearing the words “Shadowed from Ireland.” PRINCE’S TOUR. 'Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, February 19. The Controller General has issued a report on expenditure of special war missions and the Prince of Wales tour of Australian and New Zealand. Hie cost was £19,193 and an unexpended balance of twenty thousand lias been returned to the Exchequer.* The whole five thousand granted for the Canadian mission was spent. WORKMEN’S CONDITIONS. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, February 19. A party of workmen who left Preston eleven months ago, have returned frdm Australia, One engineer states that conditions in Australia arc worse than in England, and excepting in the building trade there are no openings for skilled workers. , MINERS THREAT. (Received This Day at 8 a.in.) LONDON, February 19. South Wales Miners Conference passed a resolution that if Government refuses to put into operation the Labour Party’s unemployment policy, drastic steps be taken within a fortnight. REDUCING WAGES'. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, February 19. LfO employees representing ninetyfive per cent of the labour of a Lancashire firm of embossers and finishers requested a reduction of ten per cent in wages, involving the surrender of 2/6 to 15/6 weekly, expressing the hope that-the offer will lie accepted as the present high cost of living exists primarily owing to high cost of production and also hoping that the example will be followed throughout the country in order to decrease the cost of living. The Company in accepting the offer announced charges for finishing will be reduced teti per cent to firms undertaking to give customers the benefit of the reduction. A number of Birmingham boilermakers have also agreed to a reduction of ten per cent in order to enable the trade to cope with foreign competition.

A JAPANESE DEMAND . (Received this day at 8 a.in.) PEKIN, February 19. The Japanese Legation has presented to the Chinese Government demands compensation for damages and apology arising from the burning of the Japanese consulate the killing and wounding of Japanese subjected Chinese Corean bandits at Hungeliun in October last.