BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1922, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

..BY TELEOKAPH—rER PRESS ASSOCIATION] UNITED STATES FLEET. , WASHINGTON, April 26. Senator Poindexter, a member of tbe Senate Naval Committee, lias announced that the entire American Fleet will assemble in Pacific waters this summer for a practice cruise. Ho indicated that the committee’s action depended on getting favourable ciougressioinal action and appropriations for a Pacific naval base.

ENGLISH TAXATION

LONDON, April 27

In consequence of the distress caused by the high taxation of foodstuffs, many

members of the House of Commons are inaugurating a campaign to reduce taxation.

A prominent Labour Commoner indicates that his party' will go further and fight for the total abolition of imposts in foodstuffs, notably tea and sugar duties.

Lobbyists are of opinion that the Government will not dare to reduce income tax without simultaneously taking 3d off tea and Id off sugar, which, with Is off the income tax would cost £50,000,000.

PETROL DISTILLERY FIRE. Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 26

Fifty-five brigades fought a fire at C'apel Leonard’s distillery at Hackney wick. Lorries were requisitioned to throw tons of sand on the blazing oil. The flames shot hundreds of feet in the air ns the oil tanks were involved. Neighbouring houses and factories were evacuated, the inhabitants fearing an explosion. The fire was eventually controlled, only the still house being gutted. Fifty tanks each of five thousand gallons, within the works, escaped.

A SPANISH FIRE. This Day at 8 a.m.) MADRID, April 26,

A fire broke out at Malaga, at one a.m., in buildings occupied by a number of Government departments. The upper stories, bousing subordinate officials, were cut off. Several families perished. The fire brigade was powerless. It is feared the conflagration will spread to the ground floor where munitions for the African Army were stored. The death roll is between 50 and 00. A number lost their lives by jumping from windows. The is still burning.

HUNGER STRIKING. .Received This Day at 8 a.m.) CAPETOWN, April 26 A hunger strike is reported amongst several' hundred prisoners awaiting trial at Johannesburg in connection with the recent revolutionary movement. The men allege indiscriminate arrests, excessive bail and bad gaol conditions.

TTOR ATIO BOTTOMLEV. LONDON, April 26. Horatio Bottomley lias been committed for trial in the A'ietory Ronds ease. When the Magistrate intimated lie would commit Bottomley for trial, the latter requested an adjournment to enable him to consider whether to call evidence or make a statement. The case was adjourned uneil Saturday. JAPANESE PLOT. SHANGHAI. April 26.

Despatches state General A\ u Pei has complete evidence that General Chang Eso Lin’s expedition against Pekin was a Japanese plot, designed to stir up strife in Shantung, thus furnishing the Japanese with a pretext for sending troops there, ostensibly to quell warfare, but really to maintain Japan’s bold on the province and the railway there.

BRITISH BILL PASSED. LONDON, April 26

In the House of Commons, Mr Young stated that Australia afforded great opportunities for settlement ii expenditure were confined to schemes definitely offering emigrants a proper livelihood.

Mr Hood favoured an extension of bov emigration.

Colonel Wedgewood said that Labourites could not he enthusiastic regarding the emigrating of the people to Australia, when they could be more cheaply enabled to take up small holdings in, Britain. Major Wood, replying to the debate admitted that the Rill for emigration was not a panacea for all their industrial ills, but it would ease the situation hy giving people opportunities for remaking their lives elsewhere. It would benefit home trade and commerce. The Rill was read a second time. LONDON. April 26.

In the House of Commons, McLean (Liberal Leader) said he hoped that free pasages to ex-servicemen would remain open for another ,'cai, and that the fraudulent emigration agents who were drawing fanciful pictures of conditions that really were not existing in the Dominions should he swept away. The removal of the land restrictions in Britain, he said, would mitigate the need for the present measure. Sir Newton Moore expressed his disappointment at the smallness of the first year’s expenditure. Mr Frederick Young said the Emigration Bill offered only a slight, immediate contribution towards a solution of unemployment. . Kventua ly, it the long view prevailed, it would piou „ great" factor in that connection.

PRESIDEN THARDING. NEW YORK, April 27. At Pleasant Point, Ohio, President J|j, r din«» attending ceremonies commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the*birth of General Grant m - speech said the nations of the world in their efforts to recover from the disastrous effects of the world war, need more of the spirit magnanimity «n which Grant welcomed Ins victoiy a the close of the civil war.

ANOTHER WORLD ELY. LONDON. April 27. The “Pall Mall Gazette” states notwithstanding Sir Ross Smith’s tragedy, plans are well advanced for another an flight round the world. The pilot will he a former R.A.F. officer, now em- . ployed hy the Air Ministry. A specially designed flying boat of huge dimensions is to be built. The route proposed is westwards, starting from Lisbon, thence to Azores, across North America, Honolulu, Manilla, Calcutta, and Cairo,