CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1922, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

AFRICAN AFFAIRS.

AUSTItALIAi. AND N.Z. CABIM ASSOCIATION. CAPE COMMISSION. 1 TO ENQUIRE INTO INDUSTRIAL MATTERS. CAPETOWN, March 28. In the Assembly Mr Smuts announced that Government bad completed tfrangements for the appointment of the promised Commission to inquire into the industrial issue arising from the strikes. The terms reference included the effect and extent of the status quo agreement of 1918. Referring to the class of work performed by the native labor and necessity for a continuance, variation, or nbolitkmt thereof, and desirability of establishing another system for regulating the ratio of European to native labour in the sjtnes: the methods to be adopted by the industry' to effect economies and promote efficiency, to secure maximum of employment of Eurfopean labour, possibility of Classifying tlie mines in two grades, employing a different ratio of European and native labour, and different working conditions. Also to inquire into the recent coal dispute. The personnel of the Commission is Justice Sir William Solomon (Chairman), Sir 'Robelrt Kofze, (Government Mining Engineer) Sir Carruthere Beattie (principal of the University of Capetown). Through the assistance of the British Government, the Union Government is also able to secure the appointment of William Brace 'Labour Advisor to the British Ministry of Labour), whose knowledge of Labour and mining conditions will he of the greatest value. The Commission will commence' its sittings almost immediately.

U3QIEST ON THE RAND. CAPETOWN, March 29

On the Rand, although the revolu tion is over, there is still a considerable amount of unrest, and shots were fired at the police on Saturday. It is not generally known, moreover that early during the revolution, three of flie South African Mounted Riflemen deserted with their arms and ammunition.

Jllr Crawford, the general secretary of the Rand Workers’ Industrial Federation, in commenting on the Chamber of Mines’ new conditions concerning the recognition of the unions, accuses the Chamber of extremism. This extremism, he declares, bids fair to destroy the esteem in which the Chamber had been held by tHe public and by its own employees. The conditions now laid down make a Trade Union as the recognised type of organisation which lie points out is not trade unionism at all. Mr Crawford warns the Chamber that when the pendulum swings back, the Federation may decide not to reepgnise the Chamber. The Johannesburg Industrial Federation has now r issued a circular to its affiliated unions stating that the appointment of the Augmented Execu- ■ tive was unconstitutional. The Federution itelf had no connection with the whole business, axcept that it- had been forced to recognise the Augmented Executive, which, after all,

was only a Central Strike Committee. The circular adds that individuals responsile for unconstitutional actions which led to the disaster will be expelled from the Federation.

MAN WITHOUT A STATE. CAPETOWN, Feb. 10.

An important enemy property case :as been decided in the Appeal Court. A man named Pauly sued the Custodian > of Enemy Property in the Transvaal supreme Court for the return of C 9.000 and a number of mining shares ■‘ormerly in the National Bank of South Africa in London and transmitted by the British Custodian to the Union Custodian. The Transvaal court dismissed the case, but Pauly has now won on appeal. The Appeal Court unanimously decided that according to German law Pauly, having permanently resided outside (Germany for more than 10 years, had lest his German nationality and had become stateless. The court ordered the custodian to release Pauly’s assets. Pauly became a naturalised Dutchman in 1920.

Prime of Wales.

ARRIVAL in STRAITS SETTLE-' ments. lUSTRAI.IAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. DELHI, Maitek 28. The Prince of Wales arrived at Kua~ lalumpar, after motoring through 30 miles- of rwfcber plantations. Pteople turned out in a blistering heat for many miles. Numbers of soldiers who fought with the Prim* fct-SdHUf also present. A procession, headed by the Prince, was cheered by the populace. Indians predominated for the first part of the journey, and then Chinese, who were clothed in expensive silks and they sat down in tpws bowing politely as th© Royal car parsed. The Prince proceeds in the Renown to Singapore on Thursday.