MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1922, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

IUBTBALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. FAILURE OF ELLIS AND CO. LIABILITIES NEARLY £2,000,000. LONDON, Feb. 16. A sensational sequel to the City Equitable Fire Insurance Company Liquidation is the failure of the stock exchange firm of Ellis and Coy., of which the senior partner was Gerard L. Bevan, Chairman of the City Equitable Company. Though the liabilities are estimated to he in the neighbourhood of £2,000,000 the failure is not likely to disturb the stock markets, as the Stock Exchange anticipated sales connected with the company. Sales have been proceeding since the latter end of January. Ellis and Coy. are one of the oldest and most important stock-brok-ing firms and have been established nearly 150 years. They raised a loan of £24.000.000 to finance the campaign against Napoleon in 1814.

VICTORIAN LOAN. LONDON, February 17. A Victorian five and a half per cent loan of four millions issued at £O9 and repayable in 1930-30, has been underwritten.

COURSING. . LONDON, February 17. Tn the Waterloo Cup final—Guard’s Brigade heat Beaded Bob.

A LANDR.U INCIDENT. PARIS, February 17

The “Petit Journal” has received a caibe confirming the burial of Madame Hion in Montreal. When Lahdru was informed he said - “They will all he found one day.”

RUSSIAN DEMANDS. PARIS February 17. The “Matin” states the Russian Committee is preparing a programme for the Genoa Conference. They will demand observance by the Allies of Russia’s rights to obtain from Germany all restitutions and reparations hosed on the principles of the Versailles Treaty. Russia will insist on the return of sums deposited abroad, also the fleet and demand an indemnity for the loss of treasure removed from Siberia by C'zecho-Slorakian legionaries when Koltchak retreated. CABLES OWNERSHIP. WASHING-TON, February 17. The acting secretary of State, Mr Fletcher, has called a meeting of International Communications Conference or next week to settle the disposition if three ex-German Atlantic c .ables, Sir E. Geddes, M. Jusserand Ricci, and Shidehmra will represent Britain, Fra iic-e and Japan. A MURDER CHARGE. LONDON, February 17. Armstrong was committed for trial lor the murder of his wife, and attempted murder of Martin. The evidence of the Government analyst showed they found over two grains of white arsenic in each of the two chocolates in the box sent Martin. FRANCE AND RUSSIA. BARIS, Fell. 17. The Premier. M. Poiucaire declared in the French Chamber of Deputies that there was no question of France recognising the Russian Soviet. The French attitude was unchanged.

ITALY’S CABINET. ROME,. Feb. 18

The Chamber of Deputies by 297 votes to 197 lias refused a vote of confidence iii Premier Unmani. It is believed that M. Ronomi will he asked to form a new Minis'r- wi'h adequate representation of the Democrats. JAPAN’S GOOD SKXSE. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. IS. On the orders of the Japanese Government, the Japanese Consul here has refused to vise a passport for Mrs Margaret Sanger, who is the head of the Birth Control League, anti who is about to sail for Tokio to lecture on birth control in Japan. Mrs Sanger is thus unable to obtain a passport. The Consul announces licit the Japanese Department of Home Affairs forbade the woman to land on Nipoimeso territory. RUSSIAN Civil, WAR, T()KI0‘, Feb. 17. A message from Yladivostoek officially reported that the Chita Reds, 10,000 strong, have reoecupied Harbafov.sk. They took it. on Monday, after two days’ biird fighting. The “Whites” arc retreating south. Tito Yladivostoek Government is alarmed, and is discussing measures to cope with a threatening situation. The Japanese command lias notified the “Whites” that they will-tie compelled to disarm their' defeated army in the event of its entering the .Japanese zone. Japan stats this 's according t» her agreement with the Chinese Government.

This notification is greatly intensifying the anti-Japanese sentiment Imre The approach of spring means the approach of a life and death struggle for the last nnfi-Communists bf' c Russian soil.

The Daroin Conference is attempting to reach a final agreement ,u i ir to the Genoa. Conference, but it sticks at »|i»ecpoints, namely Japan refuses Nikolaievsk, and wants the date for the dismantling of the Vladivostock forts left open. Japan is insisting on immediate disarming. Japan wants China to recognise n. continuance of the old* fishery treaties, whibli tlie “Whites” want to refer to Moscow,

iJUNKEit S'HOOTING OUTRAGES. BERLIN, February 18.

The ctifSWfe hhhjiis of a Junker family mimed Von Kahh'e were revealed ini 'the Potsdam Court;,

The family consists df the grandmother, husband amt wife and their i&a,, living iii a cas file, commanding the’ ■‘south-v?i»t ! fern approaches to Berlin. Motolffsffs and pedestrians were obliged to pWs through, the park, to which'von Ealitfe objected and he pounced: upon the wayfarers, holding them up at the revolver’s point.

In one ease the 72-year-old grandmother pursued a motor-car on horseback, firing an automatic revolver. She also sprayed passers with a garden hose while the son shot a man through the lung and left him lying in the snow. The family were fined the equivalent of £l3. They pleaded it was the family’s tradition to carry revolvers and to shoot when necessary. The villagers threaten to burn down the castle unless the shooting ceases.

EGYPT’S GOV ERNMENT. LONDON, February 17

The London “Daily Chronicle” suggests that the British protectorate over Egypt should he abolished, and that a now Egyptian Government with an Egyptian Legislative Assembly be set up. Britain, it says could then negotiate a settlement with the new Government, including the question of tho Soudan, and that of the control of Egypt’s foreign relations.

The “Daily Chronicle” adds: “As the result of his recent conferences with ike British Goernment, Lord Allenby is returning to Egypt in complete agreement with the British policy. He will attempt to secure the co-open-L of the Egyptians, but the text of the now proposals will not be published until Lord Allenby has reached Cairo.

Britain’s Meat supply

LONDON, Feb. 17

Practically one half of the United Kingdom’s meat supply is now being imported, as compared with a little over one-third 10 years ago. This is the statement of “Weddell’s Annual Meat Trade Review.” New Zealand alone, it says, has furnished fully as many carcases of mutton and lamb as the Home growers produced. The total importations of frozen ami chilled meat in 1921 exceeded all records, ainomPng to 917,000 tons of beef, mutton, and lamb as compared with 810,000 tons in 1920. Excluding the live stock and fresh killed meat, which last year was 26,000 tons, the Home production is estimated at 1,056,000 tons.

REFORMS NEEDED

NEW ZEALAND’S TRADE. LONDON, Feb. 17. “Weddell’s Annual Meat Trade Review” for 1921 states: The imports to Britain of beef, mutton and lamb totalled 917,414 tons, an increase of 100,000 tons as compared with 1920. The imports thus amount to 17 per cent of the total meat consumption of the United Kingdom. The “Review” strongly criticised the New Zealand meat pool. It says:— “The whole idea requires much more careful scientific thinking out than it appears' to -have had. before it can he accepted iis a likolv panacea for the present ills of the trade.’

“Weddell’s” also says that stricter grading, the elimination of inferior qualities, the amalgamation of small lots into merchantable lines, the reduction of number of loading ports to be visited, tin? extension of ihe shipping season, and the better regulation of sailings, will do linicli to remove some of the disabilities under which the meat trade still labours. It also urges that more must be done at the British end to facilitate the discharges, anil 'o utilise biitports intelligently, to improve the railway transport, to reduce the storage and other (barges, to discriminate between weak add strong holders ns selling agents, mid to in-

:iv:iso the popularity of New Zealand meat by extensive advertising - or sustained propaganda.”

SIR. JOHN SALMOND. .Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 17. Sir John Salmond of New Zealand has just arrived, fie is convinced of the necessity of separate Australia and New Zealand representation at the Imperial International Conference, based on bis experiences' at Washington. He did not think the system of joint representation would be agreed to. Mainland rejoices in the spirit of concord, compromise and surrender on the part of all' the Powers, rendering a great settlement possible. Pointedly omitting France, he stated, I am satisfied the Conference resulted in a most notable increase in good will, mutual confidence and understanding among the throe Great. Rowers, the Empire, United States and‘ Japan. Australia and New Zealand welcome the Pacific Settlement as a guarantee of peace in the oceans m which they possess most direct special interest. Under the Naval Treaty the battle cruiser Now Zealand. of which New Zealanders are justly proud is doomed. They regard the impending destruction with regret, naturally, lnit it is inevitable in view of her original history. Recognising the greatness of the occasion they are willing that the ■treat ship given to Britain for tlie purpose of war, shall he offered as a sacrifice at the altar of peace. In this connection I suggest the destruction should he a. public ceremonial. not secretly, not silently as if they were putting absolute tnnehiiiery on the scrap-heap, hut with diunity and honour, a ceremonial observance appropriate to so great- and snfinifiennt, an pisode. Salmond is snilincr for New Zealand on l'Bth March.

BIG BARGAIN SALENEW YORK, Feb. 17. Tlie entire fie el of merchant ships owned by the United States will how he offered for sale'. The fleet comprises 1470 veesels.