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Hokitika Guardian, 13 May 1921, Page 2

BRITISH £ FOREIGN ITEMS.

\USTItAXiIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. PRINCE CHARGED. BERLIN, May 11. Prince Eitel Frederich will be tried on the 18th for attempting to smuggle 337,(KM) marks worth, of valubles out of Germany, through the banking “Grosser Philipsohn.” The Prince does not deny the chrge, but pleads self protection, as be was anxious for his father and was morally bound to provide for the existence of the family. JAPANESE SENSATION. TOKIO, May 11. The leaders of the Radical Omotoky’s cult, with many followers were arrested following the police raid on their headquarters. They are charged with distributing alarmist reports, calculated to disturb the public. The cult’s teachings included the necessity of war with America.

BIG STRIKE IN NORWAY.* CHRISTIANIA, May 11. The Labour organisation has resolved on a general strike on May 2£th in support of the seamen, who have been out for some days. Some 120,000 men are involved,’ but the railways, postal services, hospitals and the workers’ own institutions are not included in the strike. The Government is taking steps to maintain supplies to the fullest.

A ALAND ISLANDS.. . LONDON, May 11. The League of Nations Commission has recommended that the Aaland Islands remain under Finnish Sovereignty, .being self-governed in accordance with the Finnish Diet’s undertaking.

• ITALIAN TRADER’S VIEWS. LONDON, May 11. Signor Ramaciotti informed the Australian Press that he cannot recommend the appointment of a Trade Commissioner to Italy this year, owing to the unsettled trade conditions. Italy has turned the corner, both politically and commercially, but owing to industrial unrest she is making little progress. He is optimistic regarding the forthcoming elections. Socialism is discredited and the Fascisti is growing rapidly more powerful. HUGE. ARMIES IN SILESIA. LONDON, May 11. The “Daily Express” Berlin correspondent says lie estimates that I'here are 1.700,000 men under arms in Upper Silesia. Of these, lie says, GO per cent, are Germans. The heaviest fighting yet reported occurred yesterday (Tuesday), at Kosel where Italian forces assisted by the Germans, drove back several thousand Poles. ■The Poles’ losses in killed and wounded are estimated at 500. The Poles are attempting to occupy the German bank of the river Oder, between Kosel and Rntibor, and are bombarding Kosel. Special trains are bringing refugees to Berlin. There is the greatest excitement throughout Germany. Thousands of Germans are volunteering daily for service in Silesia.

OLD AGE PENSIONS. LONDON, May 111. Rt. Hon. A. Henderson in the House of Commons, moved to repeal the income limit provisions of the Old Age Pensions Act. in order that thrifty pensioners may not lie subjected to a posterity test. He admitted that his would involve an additional expenditure of £13,000,000 annually. Mr Henderson succeeded in carrying the closure against the Government, but, with "the aid of the Coalition whip, an amendment declaring this reform inopportune in the present state of the finances was carried. * STRIKE RESULTS. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 12 As a result of the depression and strikes, there are now 1160 ships of 1700 thousand tons laid up in British ports and the total partly or wholly unemployed, is now estimated at five millions. KOREAN REQUEST.

(Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, May 12 Soon Hyun, claiming he holds credentials from the President of the provisional Government of Korea, has presentee a petition to Mr Harding requesting the latter to recognise Korean independence.

CARSON’S APPROVAL. LONDON, May 12, The Belfast “Newsletter” publishes Sir Carson’s statement, entirely approving of Sir R. Craig’s meeting with De Valera. Having regard to the present state of daily murder, assassination and outrage in Ireland, nobody •'•-•lid shirk to intervene even with only dim expectations that the interview might lead to some mitigation or cessation of the terrible state of affairs.

RAILWAYS BILL. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 1.2 Under the Government’s new railway hill, English railways will be amalgamated into four groups, and Scottish into two groups. The English groups are the southern, western, north-west-ern and midland, north-eastern and eastern. Scotland will he divided into western and eastern groups. The various companies must submit their amalgamated schemes before June 30th, 1922. The scheme operates in January 1923. Three Commissioners will form the amalgamation tribunal and prepare schemes where constituent companies fail to agree and rates and freights will he fixed by a special rates tribunal. Where the rates yield an excess beyond the standard of eighty per cent surplus, it is to he used in reducing the rates of the remaining cpmpnny earning It,

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