BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1921, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

REUTER’S TELEGRAMS. MADRAS TRAGEDY. LONDON, November 29. Advices from Madras says the Government in a- press communique refutes that Moplha prisoners mentioned cm 23rd., in the throes of asphyxiation cut each other so severely on all parts of the body that some corpses were mangled beyond recognition. It is ascertained the statement is entiroly false. On the other hand, all medical officers who examined the corpses agree there were no external marks of violnee excepting a few scratches.

LOUVAIN LIBRARY. “ TIIE TIMES ” SERVICE. LONDON, November 29. A Brussels correspondent says the response to an appeal for the restoration of Louvain Library exceeded all expectations. Twenty-five thousand volumes have already been received and fortyfive thousand more are promised from France. AVith private gifts France’s contribution exceeds a hundred thousnad.

BRITISH GRAVES IN GERMANY. UNITED SERVICE TELEGRAMS. LONDON, November 29. Five thousand British graves in Germany including 105 Australians are scattered in 531 cemeteries. Their future location was considered to-day by the Imperial Graves Commission when it was decided in uniformity with tho policy of those in France and Belgium. It is understood the Australians at present are mostly one or two in each cemetery. The Commission appointed a committee, including Shepherd, to go to Germany and confer with the German authorites entrusted with the upkeep of the graves, concerning the best future action. The Committee expected to be absent a week.

SPANISH STATEMENT. REUTER’S TELEGRAMS. LONDON, November 29. The Spanish campaign in Morocco was quite a human affair, according to the statements of the Spanish Embassy, in announcing the Army was not using poison gas either in fubes, shells or booms, or rockets charged with microbes o|r liquid' fi|re, but .(ordinary weapons of artillery, rifles, aeroplanes and bombs. It declares assertions to eoptrary is part of a press campaign to hamper Spanish operations whose results are too rapid to please certain interests.

BRITISH ATTITUDE. LONDON - . November 20. The British Government is closely considering every aspect of the German reparation question. A recent British note to France points out that Britain cannot he expected to ratify other outstanding financial agreements unles France ratifies the agreement of 13th. August, which said that reparations instalment of one milliard paid l>y Germany on 31st. August, should be devoted firstly to paying the costs of the army of occupation and secondly to satisfying the priority claims of Belgium. The Note asks how France intends to safeguard the interests of Germany’s other creditors, if the Wisbaden agreement isi enforced. It is believed in this connection that Ha- , thenau’s visit to London is not unconnected with the submission to Britain of proposals similar to the Wiesbaden agreement.

ANGLO-GERMAN CONFERENCE. LONDON. November 29. Ail important conference is proceeding between Herr Rathenau, Dr Simon Sir R. Horne. Txird Dabernon, Sir .T. Bradbury and Sir R. M. Kindersley. Dr Simon is the economic expert, and must not be confused with the late Germany Foreign Minister. * FRENCH DISTRUST OF BRITAIN.

LONDON, November 29. The Paris newspapers are following the Anglo-German conversations with the closest interest. “Loeuvre” says that what it characterise as “Lloyd George’s latest offensive” is nothing less than the substitution of a new reparations policy for that fixed by the Versailles Treaty. Lloyd George looks forward to the re-establishment of an international exchange market, and sees opened before Britain markets at present closed to her. On Germany will be laid the burden only of restoring the devastated regions. XK.JI) SI'I.TAN ATTAC KS HEDJAZ

! KING. CAIRO, Nov. 29. J The Sultan of Nejd, in South Arabia, ( is attacking the troops of King Hedjaz. He has captured two towns, and is approaching Ktaref. This is in de- | spite of the fact that Britain recent!v gave the Sultan a subsidy of £60,001), . on the condition that he refrained from ! attacking Hedjaz or Irak. King Hodjar. is hastily arranging counter attacks. He is using aeroplanes, which Britain sent him recently.