BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1921, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

k ÜBTRALI AN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOIa-XION

FLOOD IN DENMARK (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, Dec. 19 A storm followed by a flood caused great havoc in Denmark during the week-end. Many streets in Copenhagen were flooded to a depth of se\ ei al feet. Boats in the streets rescued people with difficulty. CHINESE POLITICS. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) PEKIN, December 18. Owing to the acute financial situation Cabinet has resigned. Premier Chinvungleng has resigned, no reason is given. It is anticipated the President will appoint the Foreign Minister, Wuyen, as Premier until the Conference is over. Most of the other ministers remain in office. i i I j 1 i 1 1 t I

INDIAN PROTEST. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) DELHI, December 18. Ivengar, ex-Advocate-General has relinquished the title of companionship of the Order of Indian Empire and resigned his seat in tho legislature as a protest against Government’s policy. HOUSE OF LORDS. UNITED SERVICE TELEGRAMS. 'Received This Day at 9.40 a.m.) LONDON. Dec 18. The “Daily Herald” announces the Premier’s plan for the reform of the House of Lords repeals tho Parliament Act of 1911, where it concerns ordinary legislation, and established a chamber comprising a minority of hereditary peers, chosen from the whole body, . also a majority of life Peers nominated bv the Crown ; also a number of distinguished public services, including represenatives of the Dominions also prominent members of the, House of Commons. The intention is alleged to be to dish the Labour Party, it ever it comes to power. kaiser and war. A SUFFERING INNOCENT.

(Rereived This Day at 10.15 a.m.) BERLIN, December IS). Hindenburg sent correspondence from the ex-Kaiser to the press in April. The latter protested he would not have abdicated except to avert a bloody civil war, but the sacrifice was in vain. The truth will come like an a valanche. Ihe Entente methodically prepared and procured war and coerced Germany into an untrue acknowledgement of her jjuilt, and demanded Jny trial. No sacrifice would have been too great for me, but the tribunal where the Entente is plaintiff and judge, would have been merely an arbitrary instrument not an organ of justice. 1 recognise the penal jurisdiction of no earthlv Judge, however highly placed. LONDON. December 19. A significant commentary on Gei - niany’s attitude towards reparations as afforded by the publieati n in “Deutsche A lie Germeinc Zeitung,” of this correspondence. Hindenburg writing on March 30th declares the Versailles Treaty aimed at annihilation of Germany. Ihe fiet'on of Germany’s responsibility for war was the foundation of this policy. Germans were terribly penalised for the admission of Germany’s responsibility, wrung against their conviction from the German representatives at Versailles and the untrue admission of Germany’s guilt made by von Simons

in London. Replying an sth April, the ex-Kaiser calls God to witness be did bis utmost consisent with the security and integrity of the Fatherland, to avoid war. To talk of Germany’s guilt for the "nr is out of the question. There is no longer any doubt, it was not Germany hut th© Entente that methodically prepared for war and deliberately brought it about. AS. INTERVIEW. (Received This Day at 10.15 n.m.) PARIS, December 19. The “Matin” publishes a recent conversation between Foch and V iviani in which Foch snTd the Treaty of Versailles was bad. as it does not give France security over the guarantee. Tb t . Rhine is our true frontier. With a division at Cologne, one at Mavence and the other at Coblenz and three others behind. 1 could hold and defend the whole Rhine. I conveyed this opinion to each of M. Clemenceau’s ministers, adding, you are making a treaty under which we shall neither he defended nor paid. The “Matin” asserts the French delegates at Washington have been instructed to he conciliatory in the matter of big ships. The paper adds that France stands firm on submarine defence. THE QUEST SAILS. LONDON, Dec 18 Shackleton’s Quest resumed her voyage from Rio on Saturday morning. SMUGGLER KILLED. LONDON, Dee. 18. The “Daily Mail's*’ Paris correspondent says the French frontier custom officials at Laehapelle, near Sedan, ambushed a couple of smuggler motor van, laden with tobacco. They were dashing through a wood at midnight, and disregarded the challenges of the officers. Bullets glanced off steel shields, but the driver of the foremost van was shot and the lorry crashed into a cottage. The survivor alighted and attempted to hoard the second machine, but missed and the wheel crushed him to death. The capture consisted of three tons of costly tobacco. It is notified that the partnership of Graham and Johnson, saw millers, has been mutually dissolved.

PRINCESS MARY. 'Received This Day at 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 19. It is reliably learned that the wedding of Princess Mary will lie in the last week in February. FRANCE’S NAVAL RATIO. (Received This Day at 1.30 p.m.) PARTS, December 19. The uncertainty of the French attitude on the battleship ratio has been cleared up by a communique from the Ministry of Marine, stating M. Briand on arrival in London expressed a desire for France to conform with Ameirca’s wishes regarding the ratio, but no percentage was fixed.