BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1922, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

(Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, January 17. Ae Unionist Reconstruction Committee adopted a- resolution that theie should not be a general election until there was carried out an exchange of views (between Britain and* France with respect to the pact likely to be carried on through the usual diplomatic channels. There.is a strong feeling in Paris that any agreement between the two countries must be precise, dear and quite apart from bargaining over other matters, that the agreement for mutual protection should necessarily take the form of a naval and military convention. Without some such alliance European peace would be insecure.

GENOA CONFERENCE. (Received His Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, January 17. Hon Lloyd George’s advisers at Genoa will be Sr R. Horne and Blackett (Treasury official). The personnel of the conference will probably comprise a thousand. It is probabe it Avfll he the biggest international gathering since the Pence Conference. ROME, January 17. Twenty-four European nations are invited Genoa, and also representatives of United States, Japan and British Dominions, But Turkey is not invited. COPENHAGEN, January 17. According to Soviet newspapers, Bolshevik authorities estimate the Russian debt at about eighteen milliard, gold roubles. The Soviet wil] not recognise this debt at the international conference, unless permitted to submit a counter claim for about twelve milliard roubles. The Soviet desires to discuss at Genoa, firstly, the payment of the Russian debt; secondly, compensation for losses occasioned by the intervention of foreign powers; thirdly, return of merchantmen seized ,by Deniken, Yudenitch and AVrangel; fourthly, settlement (of eastern Siberia; fifthly, economic restoration of Russia, and economic relationship with foreign countries. GENOA CONFERENCE . 'Received This Day at 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 17. It is still doubtful whether the British Dominions will lie represented at Genoa Conference. It is understood they have been formally sounded, and the issue of invitations depends to some extent on the character of their replies.