MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1922, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

ICSTItALIAN AND N.Z. CABLS ASSOCIATION,

JAPANESE TROUBLE. TOK 1.0, Feb. 23

Large military forces are lielf! in readiness to assist the police in connection with trouble anticipated over the suffrage debate. The police have strongly barricaded all the streets leading to the Diet. The Franchise Bill has the hacking of the combined opposition but is expected it will be defeated. A BEQUEST. LONDON, Feh. 24 Sir James Garrick’s daughter Alice, whose estate is valued at £28,523, boqueather £IO,OOO to the University of Queensland for a professorship either in law or in medicine, in memory of her father.

THE GEDDES REPORT. LONDON, Feh. 25

The Geddes Report Committee is confident that reductions will he possible in naval expenditure, as a result if the Washington Conference. They will be on oil stocks and military garrisons abroad, and will exceed thirteen end a half millions, thus making a total in economies of one hundred millions.

The rudurtions proposed in the liiird

"eport include £2,285.5(H1 in Lllc colonial group ; C0,30f»,200 in ihe Revenue Department; £B9;i,HOO on works and public buildings; 1V,51,300 in the Stationery Office and Registrar General's ; C.'iO 1.300 in the Foreign Office. The Committee does not suggest any further modifications in the Colonial Secretary’s. An arrangement in the .Middle East, which appears likely, would reduce the military provision for 1922-23 to ten mul a-half millions, compared with thirteen millions included in the provisional Estimates. Regarding the overseas settlement .scheme, the Colonial Office considers £7-30.1100 will he required for 1 922-23 for free passages. The Treasury l inks this is an over-estimate, and that half a million for passages should ■ office. The Post Office estimates include £-130.000 for plant and buildings in connection with an Imperial wireless ■liain, of which the total cost to Britain aould he £BOO,OOO. As the experts approve of the present sell.'me and iiuioli preliminary work is completed, the Geddes Committee makes no recommendation in that connection. It has proposed a reduction of £471,000 on the revised Post Office estimates, chiefly in connection with postal stall's and postal telegraphs and telephone services.

ADM IR A LTY 0 F Fid Al. VK R SION LONDON, Feb. 24.

The Admiralty, in a communication v to the press, points out that before the Geddes report was published, ii had submitted to the Treasury its draft estimates for the ensuing year, totalling £81,183,000, which was more than eleven millions less than, the estimates lor 1021-1922. The Geddes Committee had suggested a further reduction of £21,000,000, but only specified economies amounting to £14,000,000, many ot which had since been proVcd to lie impracticable, or to be based on a misunderstanding, or be did not indicate how they were to be realised, apart from the Washington agieemcnt. As the result of those agreements, collaboration between the Geddes and Cabinet Committees, and the Admiralty had effected further reductions, reducing the proposed estimates from £81,183,000 to less than £01,000,000, which had now been approved.

JAPANESE POLITICAL CRISIS. TOKTO, Feb. 2b. Tile Japanese Diet have defeated tin Sufi rage Bill by 288 to lbfi votes.

M. Sasaki, member of flic* Opposition, presented a motion in the Diet, demanding the impeachment of the Ministry for their unconstitutional nod illegal actions, • resulting in the arrests at Thursday’s demonstration, lie asked the Speaker to leave thb chair. The Speaker ordered Sasaki to leave the Chamber. An uproar followed, and fists were shaken. Hundreds of poilcc were brought from nearby towns in anticipation of further trouble on tlie part of the crowds. LANDRU EXECUTED. PARIS, Felt. 2b Landru was executed this morning at Versailles. He passed a restless night hilt he was sound asleep when the Governor entered his cell at b.4b. He dressed quietly, and refused a chaplain’s administrations. He said: “1 repeal I am innocent.” He then walked a few yards to the scaffold. Only officials and pressmen were present. The streets leading to the scene were barricaded. SHIPPING SLUMP. LONDON, Feb. 2b

Frederick Lewis, in his presidential address at the Chamber of Shipping, said that about 30,000 maritime officers and seamen were unemployed, lie estimated that 2,250,000 tons of British shipping was laid up in the United Kingdom. The United States Shipping Board, he said, had 1000 vessels lying idle, representing over 4,000,000 tons, apart from wooden and privately owned vessels. Most other maritime countries, lie said, were in a similar position. Schemes for a proportionate? laying up of tonnage for breaking up and evun sinking old obsolete tonnage, lie says, Ii a vie been discussed. “These schemes all start with the idea of cutting down the supply to meet the demand. T think we should all like to see the demand increased up to the supply. All that we, as shipowners, can do is to get our operating costs down to a minimum, and raise the efficiency of cargo handling at our ports to the maximum.”

OFFICIAL STATEMENT,

LONDON, Feb. 25

The following communique has been issued at Boulogne:—Hori Lloyd George and Poincaire discussed the Genoa Conference. They entirely agree on the political guarantees to secure order, and avoid any encroachment on the rights of the League of or traties signed by France, since peace, or on the Allies rights regarding reparation. Italy will be to postpone the Genoa Conference until the 10th April. Lloyd George, before-, leaving Boulogne for London, interviewed, said we are in complete agreement on etvery point. I am more than satisfied that the Entente is stronger than ever. France and Britain will work together for the reconstruction of Europe. The fact that Russia is invited to Genoa does not imply recognition of the Soviet. Everything depends on the guarantees and safeguards Russia can give ait Genoa. If this is satisfactory, recognition may follow. T would never think of pressing for recognition of the Soviet, if these are unsatisfactory. BRITISH TRADE SHIR. LONDON, Feb. 25. British Trade-ship Company Ltd. have postponed the sailing of the tradeship until the world’s economic recovery becomes more apparent. TEACHERS’ PROTEST. LONDON, Feb. 25. Teachers from the country wide participated in a demonstration held in Trafalgar Square against Geddas’ reports. It was pointed opt the proposed reduction in expenditure by thirty millions out of eighty millions was out of proportion to the proposed cuts in other services. ENGINEERING TRADE. Received This Day at 8 a.m.l LONDON. Feb. 25 Engineering lock-out notices affecting 350,000 workers wore posted today. The employers have issued a statement emphasising the issue is not overtime, hut a fundamental principle, whether they shall exercise managerial functions over their own works. The Trades Union Congress will be asked to take concerted action .'in fife event of a lock-oul operating. AMERICAN ITEMS. (Received This Dnv at 8 n.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 25. President Harding declared the House Naval Committee opposes a reduction of naval personnel below eighty thousand.

The American Federation of Labour plans an active campaign during the coming Congressional Elections, and intends to place numerous candidates in the field throughout the country. The International Communications Conference scheduled for to-day has been postponed until Monday, for the purpose of enabling TTnited States to submit a compromise proosal for conrol of former Herman cables across the Atlantic.

Senator Lodge announced he would resent five treaties reported on favourably to the Senate on Monday, when the Committee on Foreign Relations is expected to report favourably on two treaties relating to Chinn. Mr Lodge will urge their being promptly despatched. for which purpose night ions of the Senate will probably begin on Monday.

NEW YORK, Feb. 25.

Advices from Tokio state Aka Marti, Chief of the Commercial Bureau in Japan lias announced railway fares to embarkation ports have been reduced ;,nd special steamship rates offered in an effort to encourage immigration. It is predicted during the coming year a greater exodus from Japan will take place than heretofore.

AN INQUEST. LONDON, Feb. 25

Rumours are afloat regarding Hnrcourt’s death. Preceding the eveius, his family doctor had not attended him for a month previously as Harcourt was in good health ,though sometimes d°-

pressed. Indications are that death was due to heart failure. The doctor has since consulted the Coroner who decided to hold an inquest-. A CONFERENCE. LONDON, Fleli. 2b Messrs Griffiths and Duggan conferred with Hon Churchill and Lord Birkenhead. The conference will he continued on Sunday. A LENTEN PASTORAL. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Feh. 2b Cardinal Bourne in a Lenten Pastoral, referring to a conversation with the Popfr, states the latter referred to Britain in most tender terms, expressing a longing to do all in his power to secure her return to unity with the Roman Catholic church. The Pastoral also contains Bourne’s request to the clergy and people to offer special prayers on the occasion of Princess Mary’s wedding. NOTABLES CONFER. PARIS, Feb. 2b. Hon Lloyd George and M. Poincaire conferred at Boulogne this afternoon. The former, during a motor journey from Calais received a hearty welcome, the populace displaying French and British flags.