BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1921, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

CABLE NEWS.

\ USTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. CRISIS IN RUBBER. LONDON, Aug. 22. The “Times” states there is a serious crisis in the rubber trade owing to the fall in prices to less than ninepence. Few companies are operating, profitably. A scheme is afoot to control the output and raise the price. COMPANY FINANCE. LONDON, Aug. 22 Harrods and many other companies are not paying interim dividends, owing to trade depression. Marconi’s company in 1920 made a profit of £298,000, compared with the previous £1,221,000. The ordinary dividend is reduced from 25 to 15 per cent. Sir Frederick Lewis, of the firm of ! Furness and Withy, estimates the gross earnings of British shipping has fallen from 350 or four hundred million sterli ing two years ago, to seventy million in the current year. j Merchants report that trade is showing a slow, steady improvement. VITAL STATISTICS. 1 LONDON, Aug. 22. The latest returns in England and Wales show the highest marriage rate for any fiVst quarter and the lowest ! death 'rate for any second quarter. Marriages were 13,672 above the previous year, the percentage being 16J I per thousand and deaths 1-1 per thous--1 and. Infant mortality was twenty per cent below the average mortality feature of births. In that number, males were more pronouncedi than formerly. BUILDING TRADE TROUBLE. CAPETOWN, Aug. 22. The Board of building trades employees representing all unions concerned, in the building industry in South Africa have replied to the masters notice of a i reduction of wages at 16th Sept., by instructing all centres to accept notice of a lockout on that date. The masters proposed® a reduction of fivepence and sixpence per hour. Nine thousand men are affected. SPEECH BY AIR MASSEY. LONDON, August 23. Mr Massey, addressing the Working 1 ATen's Club at Kew said:—“The Imperial Conference had done something definite in the cause of unity‘of Empire in the direction enabling it ,to speak with one voice, as one nation. The delegates were being taken into complete confidence. “We all want te see permanent peace. If it can be brought about, by disarmament by oil means let us have it, but the dominions view with some alarm the cutting down of the naval shipbuilding programme. If we do not take care, wo shall become a third rate naval power. 1 would like to see the great naval powers, Britain, America, and Japan renrh an agreement, and decide to inform others they do not intend-, joining in future wars.” A AIARRIAGE. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 22. Air Massey’s publicity agent, Air Drew has married Miss Grant of Croy- * den. INDIAN FRONTIER TROUBLES. REUTER’S telegrams. ’.Received This Day at 8 a.m.) , DELHI, August 23. •** Reports of disturbances in Aloplah County, Calicut district, state the railways were torn up, telegraphs cut, railway stations and post offices looted and burned. Two officers and four constables . were' killed. The trouble is the result of agitators working on the religious fanaticism of the more ignorant Moplahs, which were brought to a head by the decision of Government to arrest the leading seditionists. A magistrate accompanied by a party of police and military proceeded to Tirunangadi on Saturday for that purpose, and three thousand armed Aloplahs approach ed the town. The magistrate went out for purpose of dispensing then, and fir e was opened, causing some casualties. 20 arrests were made, meanwhile , those remaining in Tlrangadio were attacked and driven in by large armed bodies of Aloplahs coming up from other directions. The police and military drove off their assailants but eventually „ withdrew from' Tirurangadi. Troops are being despatched from Bangaltore. The situation is reported to he still serious. > The officer commanding Malabar area has issued a proclamation forbidding trespassing on the railway line and also forbidding public assemblies in view of the state of open rebellion prevailinfi at Emad and North Ponani. SIR JOSEPH WARD. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 23. Sir Joseph Ward lias arranged the underwriting of the Southland Electric Supply Loan of three-quarters of a million at six per cent at ninenty-six, repayable in 1936-45. , BAWRA WOOL. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 23. The “Yorkshire Post” states as a result of information placed in Mr Hughes hands, the hope is entertained at Bradford that on his return to Australia, Mr Hughes will no longer j be guided by those who desire to secure for a private syndicate the manuipulation of sal e of Australian wool, and that once; the immediate difficulties have been successfully negotiated, he will restore to woolgrowers that freedom of action in the disposal of their wool which will quickly result in Bawra directors being reduced to a far less important factor than they are to-day. ! WARNING TO PANAMA. •' (Received This Dav at 11.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, "Aug 23. United States has sent a note to Panama, stating emphatically that America will not permit hostilities to arise in connection with the occupation of Coto , region by Oostarieans. ■ CHOLERA IN RUSSIA. HELSINGFORS, August 22. The Soviet. Commissary at Astraehan has informed the Aloacow Government that Astraehan is, so full of filth that it is useless for the army to fight cholera He recommends the inhabitants to evacuate the place and l to proceed to Siberia and that the town he destroyed by five,