BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1922, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

ITJ6TRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

BRITISH RAILWAYS. LONDON, Feb. 25. The Great Western Railway and 26 other lines in the West of England and Wales are amalgamating under th e Railway Act of 1921. The aggregate capital of this group will approximate £15,000,000. Their net income, it is anticipated, will reach £8,000,000 a year. The absorption includes the rail-way-owned docks at Newport, Cardiff, Barry, and other Welsh ports. The group retains the title of the Great Western Railways. land armaments. PARIS, Feb. 25. “Le Temps” states: — Hon Lloyd George intends to submit to the Genoa Conference proposals for a treaty for limiting the land armaments of all European- nations, on a similar basis to the Washington naval agreement.

ELECTION CAMPAIGN. LONDON, Feb. 25

It is reported that British official circles in London are perplexed regarding the immediate future of the Irish question. The pro-Treaty party at Dublin, however, have opened up their parliamentary election offices, and are now methodically inaugurating their cam•paign. The Irish ‘republicans are likewise operating. They are issuing weekly propaganda matter, wher-rin the Treaty is attacked. A prominent contributor to the Republican paper is Mr Barton (Sinn Fein Minister) who, after signing the agreement, lias now seceded tv Mr de Valera. WAGE-C UTS WANTED. LONDON, Feb. 25. Tlie Geddes report deals with the pay of the Navy, Army, Police and other State employees, numbering nearly a million and a quarter. The Committee points out that the pay of the fighting forces, the teachers, and police was fixed in 1916 under quite abnormal circumstances. It say? the country cannot continue to support a burden of this magnitude. It does not make any recommendation, but suggests a thorough special investigation by the most expeditious and authoritative means available.

The Committee is convinced that great economies can be realised in the lighting services if the Treatsury control over them is vastly increased, and brought up to the standard obtaining in the civil departments. The Committee concludes that it believes the reductions proposed arc retainable if (lie Departments act promptly on the fines suggested, with it determination to effect economies. “We do not lay any claim to infallibility in our judgment,” they say; “but the report is the unanimous recommendation of five men of goodwill, 'desirous of advising Imw the National Budget can best be balanced.” It suggests that criticism can only be constructive if it is accompanied by concrete alternative proposals.

LIGNITE COAL

LONDON, Feb. 25

Professor Pone, of the Imperial Col- I lego of Science, lecturing before the Royal Society of Art, on brown coals and lignites, emphasised lheir importance to the Empire. lie dealt especially with the Monvell, German. Canadian and Malayan deposits. TL I Al or well coal is not very different from the dried Irish peat, although possessing somewhat higher carbon contents, and great calorific values. Whii'e brown coal was (i matter if indifference to Britain, it was of the highest importance to Canada arid Australia. The Canadian Government, recognising this, had appointed a Lignite Utilisation Research Board to carry out investigations. The results would he vitally important in Western Canada, where it was proposed to organise a great scheme for exploiting the immense tertiary cretaceous coal resources of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Great as the. Canadian deposits were, the Australian ones, lie said, were simply astounding, notably at Monvell, Gippsland, and Cape Otway. These deposits were of phenomenal thickness, without a parallel in the world, and there was a wonderful s l ore of energy awaiting the service of man. He anticipated that within a few years, not only will Melbourne drive the whole of its electric power from # .Monvell, hut the State railways will lie electrically worked from the same deposits. BYE-ELECT JON. (Received This t Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Feb 25. Bodmin bye-election resulted: Isacc Foot (Free) 1751 Sir. F. Poole, (Coali. Un.) 1000 The election was due to the death of Sir 0. Hansen. A COMPANY’S FAILURE. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25. The Official Receiver authorises in an announcement stating the immediate j causes of the City Equitable Com- | pany’s difficulties were highly specula- ; tive financial dealings undertaken largely by direction of the Chairman, (Levan) . Many investments were wholly unsuitable to Insurance Coy business. The balance sheet issued on Feb. 1920 | did not disclose the company’s true position. j ITALIAN MINISTRY. ! This Dav at 8 a.m.) ROME, Feb. 25. I With the aid of constitutional groups Signor Facta has formed a Ministry. Laking takes the portfolios of Interior, and Liberated Territories; Schanzer Foreign Affairs; Treano, Treasurer; Rossi, Justice; Retrim, Agriculture. IN THE COMMONS. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 24 Continuing the die hate in the Commons, in committee of supply, Sir Hamar Greenwood said the claims from Northern Island had been reduced from one-third to one half in a great majority of cases. The total value of the claims in Southern Ireland was about nine millions, of which about one million were paid. The vote of £1,130,000 in aid of miscellaneous jsepices was carried, after division.