MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1922, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

lUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. BEER BOYCOTT. LONDON, Feb. 21. A big beer boycott has begun in dockland. They have entered a solemn league and convenant mot to drink until ,the .price of hee.r is reduced. Every bar is desolate in dockland to-day, except for a few martyrs eating sandwiches, accompanied by tea, coffee and cocoa. Mr Bevim, the Dookers’ Secretary, is trying to make the boycott effective throughout the country, but thus far there has been little success with the attempt in the provinces. Instead of going dry, the Working Men’s Clubs are petitioning the Chancellor of tho Exchequer to reduce the beer tax, which is the real cause of the high prices.

FRENCH WAR DEBT

PARIS. Feb. 21

M. Loucheur (French Minister), speaking at Lyons,’said: “I do not believe that France will ever be able to pay Cne cent of her war debt to America. because the latter holds all the world’s gold. We cannot pay in merchandise, because America has raised an economic barrier.”

princess mary. LONDON. February 21

The navy has subscribed £2684 for a wedding gift to Princess Mary, who has decided to buy a personal present and to hand the balance to the Seamen’s and Mariners’ Orphan Homes. Princess Alary has handed 100 guineas that were enclosed in New Zealand's jade casket to the Women’s Hospital for Children.

IN SIBERIA. LONDON, Feb. 21

The “New York Times” Moscow correspondent states that according to a. report from the Far Eastern Republic, Rabarovsk was occupied by the Red Army on February 14th. Tho message indicates that the Japanese forces left the “White” Russians to fight alone. The Japanese action is considered the first result of the Washington Conference. whereat it was nnounced that Japan had promised to withdraw from the Far Eastern Republic.

STARVING VIENNA. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 21. The general conditions in the city of Vienna are most appalling. Dr Will, formerly of Christchurch, wrote on December 39th to the Secretary of the Canterbury Hospital Board as follows : The people here are nearly starving, and the hospitals arc filled with children with all sorts of weird bon© conditions, the result of malnutrition. Dr Spitzy, the greatest Continental orthopaedic surgeon, says: “We have no conception of how bad it really is. MELBOURNE MEAT gTBIKE. MELBOURNE’, February 21.. A settlement of the meat strike is probable ,as the Trades Hall Disputes Committee have arrived at a basis of settlement which is apparently acceptable to both sides.

THREAT OF DEATH. CAT.RO. Feb. 20.

A British proclamation has been issued, which announces that all Egyptian subjects in the possession of arms and ammunition in Cairo , are liable to death.

T,lie proclamation states that anyone offering resistance to the police, or the troops when they are searching buildings, is liable to he shot.

NATIONALIST LEADERS IMPORTED.

CAIRO, Feb. 21

It is officially announced that Znghlul, the Nationalist Leader of Egypt, and his colleagues will leave Aden for the Seychelles Islands on -March 7th.

DoriU/iE INCOME TAX. LONDON, February 21. The Law Lords, Buckmaster, Atkinson. Sumner, Wrenbnrg, and Carson are hearing arguments in the House ot Ijords in the Now Zealand Shipping Company’s appeal relating to the company’s liability to pay British income tax' in addition to New Zealand tax on the Company’s whole earnings. REASONS FOR LABOUR WIN. LONDON, February 21. Air Ammon, is an official in the Postal Workers’ Union. He declared that one facto rin his victory was the working.class alarm at the Goddes educational proposals, and the fear that scholarships would cease to be available to workers’ children.