BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 June 1921, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

CABLE NEWS.

iTTMTTIAUWN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

PEACE RESOLUTION

(Received this day at 12.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 13. The House passed Mr Porter’s peace resolution.

NOTABLE MOUNTAINEER’S DEATH

" THE TIMES ” SERVICE

Received This Day at 11.30 a,m.) LONDON, June 12

Dr. Kolias, whose death was cabled on the 10th., was the famous mountaineer, who devoted his life to testing the use of oxygen to overcome breathing difficulties in high altitudes. He was accompanying the Everest. Expedition for this purpose. He recently ascended Kabru twenty thousand feet, in order to obtain photographs of Everest. His death was the result of ceaseless exertions and overstrain. MUNITIONS WASTE. DRASTIC REPORT. Eij^nsn LONDON, May 26. Revelations of waste are contained in the Auditor-General’s report on the Ministry of Munitions for the year ending March 31st 1920 consisting amongst other items of considerable undercharge for supplies to the Allies, due to failure to amend the invoices to eosrrespond with the increased prices, over-payment for compensations; and sales of valuable stores as sciap. Another item was the excessive upkeep and costs of production of the Continental type of railway waggons, which continued to be, manufactured after the war, presumably in anticipation of a foreign market, but 623 of them cost £250,000 and were now awaiting disposal, through the original estimate was £342,000. The capital expenditure for the construction of bombing aeroplanes was exceeded by £320,000 without the authority of the Treasury, and the maintenance of the Government rolling mills was found to he costing £2OO weekly, sixteen months after production had stopped.