BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1922, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

VU6TRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION LONG SEA FLIGHT. LISBON, March 30. A Portuguese seaplane lias departed on a flight to Bio Janiero, stopping at Hie Canaries, St Vincent, Fernando and Noronhd. ‘colonial OFFICE NEGLECT. LONDON, March 30. It is common knowledge in official circles that the Australian representatives in London arc l receiving treatment by certain officials of the Colonial Office which is greatly resented. “I do not know whether he is a fool or-somebody else,’’ said one agent general, commenting on an official, but he certainly is most unsuitable to deal with the representatives of the ' Dominions. • Sir James Allen, High Commissionjer for New Zealand, goes beyond the criticisms of officialdom arid opens the wider question of the British Ministerial attitude towards Dominion representatives in the following statement under his own name:—“lt will he most disastrous if it comes about that the British Ministers should find themselves so occupied with other matters that they cannot give some attention to the Dominion needs. The present position is not satisfactory. I am most willing to" make every excuse for the extraordinary conditions prevailing now. After all, the British Empire can only hang together by mutual goodwill, which must be shown by everybody.” Sir James Allen says hie is determined to press the matter to the utmost limits. If a remedy is riot otherwise achievable, no surprise will be caused if the matter is specially inferred personally to Mr Lloyd George. A ROYAL ECONOMY. 1 LONDON, March 30. , i As a measure of economy the King has consented to paying off the Royal yacht Alexander.

UNSUITABLE IMMIGRANTS, j LONDON, March 30. Sir J. Allen (N.Z. Hjigh Commis’i sioner) refers to the reports about the unfit people going to New Zealand. Sir J. Allen says that such people are not dispatched through his office, except one or two unavoidable cases. He adds: “The High Commissioners are j now tightening up the medical exami- ; nations, which throughout the . conn- 1 try are now almost completed. ,T j A RAILWAY JOB. ! LONDON, March 30. j Mr Barwell (South Australian Pro- I inicr) has received 150 applications for j the position of Railway Commissioner, j This is an exceptionally large number j It is due to the British railways dis- ! pensing with many of their depart- i mental heads, following upon the j groupings and amalgamations. HOUSING PROBLEM. j LONDON, March 30. Some arresting facts concerning the j 'housing costs in Britain were revealed by Sir Kingsley Wood, who declared that since it has been made clear that j the Government is not now in the mark- ] et for an unlimited number of houses. | the costs per house has been reduced J by 'hi If. Tenders, he states, are now j being received for houses at the price | of under £4OO sterling per house. These j are the lowest yet received and yes-j terday week £383 sterling was tendered j for a house of three rooms, a bedroom, | parlour and kitchen. It was expected j he said, that tenders would he still j lower when building becomes an econo-' mic proposition for the private builder, j Last year £I2OO sterling was asked for ■ the present £3BB type. j LABOUR VICTORY. j LONDON, March 31. } The East Leicester by-election has I been held to till the vacancy for tho seat formerly held by Sir Gordon Hewart, who has been appointed Lord. Chief Justice. | The election resulted : j Mr Banton (Labour) 14,002 , Mr Marlow -(Coalition-Liberal) 8,710 j Mr Allen (Independent-Lib.) ... 3,8251 LONDON, March 31. j The new Labour member for East j Leicester. Mr Banton. is a prominent | local' employer. He is described as something of a dreamer. His pet scheme is that all workmen in the factories should down tools in tile summer time, and proceed out to the countryside, with their wives and their families, and should work tlieie at the harvests, returning to the workshops in the autumn. J 1 PEERESSES IN PARLIAMENT. LONDON, March 30. Lord Donougmore moved a motion in the Hmiso v of Lords that the House agree with the report of the Committee of privileges regarding 'the eligibility of Viscountess Rhondda to sit in j the House of Peers j Lord Birkenhead moved an amend- j ment to remit the case to the Com- , mittee in order that some points be j rediscussed It was a question whether j the Act of Parliament, by proper legal interpretation, had made it necessary for their lordships to sa y Peeresses must lie admitted. Th e amend- j inent was agreed to without division.

JAP NAVAL TRAITOR. j I Received This Dnv at 9.40 a.in.) | TOKIO, March 30. j Tsuruo Hamaguchi, a retired Lieut. : of the Japanese Navy, was sentenced to two years penal servitude for attempting to sell secre naval plans to a former American naval attache in Tokio, Capt. Watson. JAPANESE SCANDAL. ißeceived This Day at 0.40 a.m.) TOKIO, March 31. Ten persons, including two members of the Diet, six municipal officials and two directors of Tokio Gas Company were sentenced to imprisonment varying from two months to two years, in connection with the recent scandals in the management of public utilities. Nineteen others were fined. STEAMER LINE, {J?‘‘reived This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 31. The Hamburg-American line has decided to make Zeebrugge a regular port of call for their passenger steamers.