BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1922, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.

IN THE COMMONS. LONDON, Feb. 23

lii the Commons replying to a question, Hon Lloyd George said there was no indication of a desire on the part of the Overseas Governments to hold an Imperial (Economic Conference with a view to carrying out a scheme of economic co-operation agreed upon at the Imperial Conference in 1917-18, therefore it would be no advantage to the Imperial Government at present in summoning the conference.

GERM AN INI )KMNIT Y

LONDON, Feb. 23

Sir R. Horne Stated Great Britain had not yet received a penny indemnity from Germany. On the contrary, the cost of occupation was over a milliard gold manes, which had been repaid to the extent of 970 million, of which 2,640 thousand sterling was paid to Canada and Australia.

AN ENQUIRY. LONDON, Feb. 23

The Ministry of Labour has circularised employees of the Association of Trade Unions throughout the country, asking for a recommendation in carrying out Geddes’ suggestion for making industries, instead of the State, responsible for unemployment insurance.

COALITION DEFENDED. LONDON, Feb. 23

The Lord Chancellor, Lord Birkenhead, delivered ft fighting speech at the Junior Constitution Club, in which he defended the Coalition Government and its policy. He said that in three years after the armistice the nation stood beacon-like in an unstable and faltering world, showing that in Europe there was one people who had confidence in their government. The demand l for the. dissolution of the Coalition,- he said, was a counsel of insanity.

The great leaders outside the Government, Mr Bonar Law, Lord Derby, and Lord Devonshire agree with this view -

Referring to the Prime Minister, Lord Birkenhead said:— “T think it is extremely unlikely that statesmen of world-wide reputation like Mr Lloyd George will submit indenfmitely to the kind of humiliating criticism to which he is now exposed. There is not tho slightest chalice, in the existing conditions, of an Independent Unionist Government obtaining an adequate majority in the country. The Independent Liberals do not count, but there is the great menace of tho Labour Party, which is winning seats daily, and which will continue' to win seats until they are faced by ft body with a coherent, intelligent doctrine, expressed by courageous men. why understand their own minds.”

JAPANESE RIOTS

Jte'eived This Day at >'.3o n.m.T TOKIO. Feb. 23

More than 50 persons were arrested and 100 hurt, by police to-night, when crowds of demonstrators attempted to break through the police lines and reach the headquarters of Kenseikni party. In a fight to stem the tide of the demonstrators the police were severely bruised. Numerous persons and a number of police also received rough treatment from the crowds who stormed the Diet in connection with the demonstration in favour of tUe extension, of the suffrage.

ECONOMY AND ARMAMENTS. LONDON .Feb. 23. Rt Hon Worthineton-Evans referring to economy said that in view of the position in India, Egypt', Turkey, and the Rhine, Britain’s military liabilities were not excessive. Oil the ot.icr hand, a. trade revival was impossible without most drastic savings. In the circumstances, he thought it was the Government’s duty to face the uncertain naval and military risks temporarily, rather than encounter financial and economic calamities. He could not freely accept th e Geddes proposals for reducing the garrisons in Egypt and elsewhere abroad nor could he overlook the fact that Britain did not possess a. militia, and her military reserves were greatly reduced. Ho hoped to propose a reduction of £16,500,000 in the army vote, instead of £20,000,000, which the Geddes Committee recommended. The Army would be reduced by 33,000 men instead of th 0 44,000 recommended by it|lio Geddes Commission. The total army estimates were under £60,000,000.

ELECTION POSITION OBSCURE. LONDON, Feb. 23

The position regarding the 'British General election is obscure. there have been frequent rumours recently of Mr Lloyd George’s resignation. These add interest to an important fighting speech delivered by Lord Birkenhead at the Junior Constitutional Club in which the Lord Chancellor vehemently defended thq Coalition. ENGINEERS’ LOCK-OUT. LONDON, Fob. 23. The Amalgamated Engineers’ Society are now seeking a conference with a view to avert the tlnoatened look-out of hundreds of thousands more of their number by the -ship-building employers.

UNEMPLOYMENT REMEDY. LONDON, Feb. 23

Tlie Minister of Labour has circularised the principal Employers Associations and Trade Unions, drawing their attention to the possibility of placing • the system of unemployment insurance on a basis of insurance by industry. He asks those in uic industries to think out methods of dealing with the unemployment in their respective trades.

BRITISH ARMY. j LONDON, Ecb. 23. 1 Rt Hon Mr Worthington Evans proposes to disband 24 battalions of infantry, and 47 batteries of artillery, totalling 36,000 men. CHINESE BANDITS. PEKING, Feb. 23. The wife of Doctor Howard Taylor, a British missionary, lias appealed to the British Minister at Pekin to save her husband, who is being held a prisoner by bandits in northern Yunnan. Mrs Taylor lierstelf was captured, but was released with instructions to demand 20,000 dollars ransom from her friends.