BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1921, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

CABLE NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. French press opinion. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) PARIS June 22. The “Petit Parisien” referring to An-glo-Japanese relations, says if the Alliance is renewed there will be the risk of annoying China, whose relations Japan are not as good as they Po%njght be. China does not hide her desire \ Jko see the end of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, On the other hand, the refusal to renew the alliance without having complaints against Japan would cause an Asiatic crisis of the greatest gravity. It is hoped the British pominions will show then- political sense in this matter. PLAGUE SPREADING. 'Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) . HELSINGFORS, June 22. According to the report of the PanRussian Health Congress at Moscow, the plague is rapidly spreading to South East Russia from Persia and Siberia. Cholera is raging in the and middle governments. There is hardly one part of Russia unaffected by malaria. The alarming conditions are due to flies and gnats carrying the disease. ARMS CONSPIRACY. (Received Tins Day at 9.45 a.m.) NEW YORK, June 21. The Department of Justice has ordered the‘steamer Eastside to* be held, pending an investigation of the arms conspiracy. The vessel was about to sail for Dublin. LABOUR AFFILIATION. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, June 22. The Labour conference rejected the proposal to allow the Communists to affiliate with the Labour Party. Herbert Smith said the majority of the Miners Federation did not believe >n communism. When the miners were about to take action the Communists said: “Go along; it will be alright." “But," proceeded Smith, “now we are in our present position, we don’t hear their shouting."

' CHINESE DESPATCHES.. PEKIN, June 21. Chinese despatches state the Fai Eastern Republican Army was totally defeated, and the Bolshevik forces defeated tlie anti-Bolshevik forces under General Sternbnrg invading Southern Siberia. divorce bill. LONDON, June 22. The Marchioness Conyngham’s Bill, to dissolve her marriage, was read a second time by the House of Lords. ■ FARROW BANK CASE. (Received This Day at 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, June 22. In the Farrow Bank c a s e > Judge Greer, in passing sentence of four years, said he took into account the fact that neither Farrow nor Crot«h lived extravagantly or used Bank moneys for personal purposes. Barrow appealed pathetically from the dock. MINE EXPLOSION. BERLIN, June 22. One hundred and fifty were killed and eighty injured by an explosion in Mont Ceris mine in Westphalia. Hundreds are still imprisoned, including the son of the millionaire proprietor. It is feared further explosions are impending, and many imprisoned will not survive. UNITED STATES NAVY. (Received This Day at 10.40 a.m.) WASHINGTON, June 22. Mr Denby has announced the re-or-ganisation of the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, by which a preponderance of super-dreadnoughts will be located in the Pacific. All oil-burning capital ships will be sent there, coal burners being transferred to the Atlantic. On the surface, the Navy Department’s reason for the change is economy by the j saving in coal expense, but it is believed the real reason is the decision to maintain the strongest half of the fleet in the Pacific. The Atlantic Fleet, however will still include several superdreadnoughts. PUSHED OFF HIS PERCH. ROME, June 23. Following the conflict in the chamber, ! between the Mascisti deputies and So- J cialists, Premier Giolitti has requested j iLabriola, Miniter of Labour, to desist from his approved Socialist’s action, and : pushed him from the ministerial bench, j Lnbriola has resigned. ! WARSHIPS VERSUS AEROPLANES. (Received this day at 11.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, June 21. At Hampton Roads, American naval planes sunk the former German sub- . marine il7, in a test air raid, to settle the controversy over the usefulness of planes versus capital ships. The submarine sank after two attacks, in which twelve bombs were dropped. Three machines attacked first, dropping threo bombs, and scoring one direct hit. Nine bombs were dropped in the second attack, one hitting direct; whereupon the U-Boat disapenred. The tests will continue, an electrically controlled battleship being used as the object, th 6 planes using dummy bombs. Naval air authorities had claimed that capital ships were useless, because of the advance in air attack, wbicli Mr Denby and other exponents of capital ships deny.