BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 March 1922, Page 1

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOQIATION

FRENCH WINE TRADE. LONDON, March 18,

A National Wine Week is being held in Paris. A conference of growers, merchants and shippers is being held with the primary object of reestablishing prosperity of the wine trade. Forty years ago 6,000,000 acres in France were under vine cultivation, and they yielded about 3.825.000,000 gallons a year. Now the acreage is 4,000,000 and the output gallons. M. Gervais, of the Academy of Agriculture, states that the sale of wines has diminished 50 per cent, during the last fifty years. He attributes this to the increased duties abroad which are prohibitive for ordinary wines. He points out that the present English duties represent ai tax of 17 per cent, on fine Bordeaux wine, 35 per cent, on vin ordinaire, and 118 per cent, on the cheapest wines. M. Gervais advocates a general revision of tariffs from a proportional point of view. The French conference decided upon a propaganda campaign in Allied and neutral countries in favour of French wines. It was declared that the French people would regard the prohibition of imports of wines as a declaration of an economic war. One of the measures suggested is an agreement between France and other countries exporting wines and spirits for mutual tariff concessions.

UNDER-SECRETARY FOR INDIA

LONDON, March 21

Earl Winter clown will succeed Lord Lytton as Under-Secretary of State for India.

IS LLOYD GEORGE TO GO. LONDON, March 21

Rt. Hon. Mr Worthington Evans speaking at the Wandsworth Constitutional Club, said he hoped that the health of Mr Lloyd George would permit him to continue to lead the Coalition. Tf the doctors forced a retirement, or made him take a prolonged holiday he (Evans) hoped the Coalition would continue, and that the Libera] members of the Cabinet would continue to assist and advise. He fl dded: “Perhaps the Coalition will continue under a different leader.”

SCOTTISH LABOURITES POLITICS LONDON, March 21.

The Scottish Labour newspaper “Forward” explains the circumstances under which Mr Andrew Fisher (ex-Aus tralian Premier) had his candidature rejected by the Labour Party at Kilmarnock.

Mr Fisher declared himself a Socialist (says the “Forward”) and he amazed the delegates by the answers which he gave to their questions. He was asked if the £500,000 was paid to the Royal Family every year, and would it not be better if it were expended on relief of the unemployed P Mr Fisher replied that Royalties “were worth every penny they got.” Replying to other questions, he disagreed with the advocates of disarmament, and said he thought that there was a case for the strengthening of the British Navy. Mr Fisher also disapproved of th« nationalisation of the coal mines.