BRITISH AND FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1922, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.

CRIMINAL LAW

LONDON, July 19.

Mr Macquisiten has given notice to move in committee in the Commons, a new clause in the Criminal Law Amendment Bill enacting that every female aged sixteen*or under shall wear her hair either loose or plaited, but hanging down her back. Offenders wearing their hair up, shall be liable to penalties, and if convicted thrice, shall bo confined in a borstal institution until sixteen. THE MANDATES. LONDON, July 19. At the Council of the League of Nations, Lord Balfour reported that the British and United States Government’s had reached a complete agreement regarding the mandate of Rri j tain for Palestine, but this agrebmetit, lie said, did not apply to Mesopotamia. The Governments were in complete agreement regarding the British Mandate over East Africa.

EIGHT HOUR DAY ON FARMS. LONDON, July 19. The Council of the League of Nations, after hearing Mr Albert Thomas and M. Yiviani (France) decided to refer to tiie Permanent International Court of Justice a point raised by France . concerning an international Labour Conference to deal with such matters as an eight hour day in agriculture.

LORDS “REFORM.” LONDON, July 18. Only one hundred peers, representing tlie Chamber’s working minority, were persent when Lord Peel submitted the Government’s House of Lords’ Reform resolutions (cabled on July 11) Lord Peel claimed that a Coalition Government was the one best able to deal with the subject, because it needed what lias been described as the Coalition’s “besetting sin,” the gift of compromise.” The present membership of the House of Lords was unwieldy, he said, and in view of the pdpular demand ftlr its reform, an opportunity now offered “to mak<s the outlook of the direct actionists and the opponens of Parliamentary institutions even more hopeless than it was at present.” A repeal of the Parliamentary Act and a reopening of discord between the two Houses would immediately raise the question of a referendum, he said, which again might weaken their Parliament’s responsibility, and disturb the country unnecessarily. Lord Peel claimed that these resloutions continued historic links with the past, and strengthened the House of Lords by the inclusion of a popular element ,and gave a chance to all citizens to find a seat in their Chamber.

Lord. Selborne contended the resolution ignored the Bryce Commission’s recommendations regarding the power, of the House of Lords. He pointed out that a powerful, unscrupulous Government j under the resolutions combined with the Parliament Act, might introduce prohibition, (night suspend the Habeas Corpus Act, might nationalise the land, the railways, the ships and the banks; might abolish the whole industrial and commercial system; and might establish a republic within two vears.

Lord Lansdowne described the scheme as half baked and most unsatisfactory. It would bring a solution of the Lords problem no nearer. Lord Willoughby de Broke said *ho believed the hereditary principle was the only sane principle upon which to found any sane instituton, whether a monarchy or a House of Lords, or a pack of bounds. The debate was adjourned.

WHISKY STICKS. PARIS, July 18. The American tourists are buying tip hollow walking sticks, capable of holding a pint of whisky in a metal case inside. The difference from ordinary canes is difficult to detect.

AEROPLANE SMASH. REUTER’S TELEGRAMS. PARIS, July 18. Four Englishmen returning from Strasburg to Paris were killed in an aeroplane crash.

LENIN REPORTED DEAD. STOCKHOLM, July 18. It in reported from Riga that Lenin was murdered on the 3rd, while travellink to Caucasus, by a member of the Radical Party who are now in pow -r in Moscow, and that his body was thrown into the Don. It is believed Lenin was poisoned. BLAKE’S PROGRESS. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON. July 19. Blake has arrived at Karachi this morning.