BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1922, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. BRITISH LABOUR, DEMANDS GENERAL ELECTION. LONDON, October 10. An emergency meeting of the Joint .Labour Council has passed a resolution demanding the Government's immediate resignation, and a general election, as tlie only clear step for insuring a rigorous reconsideration of-the position, not only in the Near Eiast but in all the Home and foreign problems. The resolution declares that there is not a shadow of justification for war with Turkey, now that all the substantial matters have been referred to a conference. The Council condemns the Government’s publicity bureau. for giving out to tins press communications that have '6een keeping the country in a state of uncertainty and alarm.

WAGES CUT ACCEPTED. LONDON, Oct 10. The traimvayman’s ballot, on the new national wages agreement resulted in 23,436 for acceptance and 10,531 against. The agreement entails a reduction of 4s weekly till February. GENERAL ELECTION PREDICTED LONDON, Oct 11. Tho “Daily Chrnielo” predicts a general election in Britain before Christmas. The political situation is electric. It is expected Air Lloyd George’s next speech to the Loncashire Coalitionists will be a vigorous counterattack upon the critics of the Government’s Near East policy. Hci particularly will answer the accusations that the British Government sought, war. Mr Austin Chamberlain is expected to deal with home affairs. The. Unionist members of the Cabinet met a t Downing Street this afternoon. Mr Balfour cancelled a public engagement in order to be present. Sir G. Younger akio met the Coalition whips and the leading Unionist agents .

Some predict that Mr Lloyd George will resign, and will leave the Unionists to carry on the Government until ! a general election is held, but it is certain Mr Lloyd George has no intention of retiring from political life. A RUNNING RECORD. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 10. Hatfield, at Middlesbro, established an officially timed new record for five hundred metres, beating the previous time of six minutes 51 3-5 secs by 5 2-5 secs. JOY RIDE RESULT. (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) PARIS, Oct. 11. Leseeo, the well known aviator, promised his family a joy ride and took up his father, wife, two children and mother-in-law. As they returned to Lebourgct aerodrome the machine tilted and crashed to the aerodrome. The whole family was sent to the hospital with fractured hones and limbs. None are dead. A FAITH HEALER. (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) CAPETOWN, Oct. 11 Unprecedented scenes in connection with Hickson’s faith healing mission are' reported among the natives of Ivamvaal. On one occasion near Pietersburg - a missioner found hincxsTf confronted by an enormous crowd of over 10,000 natives. The sick were placed in long lines of 100 each. He laid hands on over 7,000. At the conclusion of the mission as Christians were singing' Nunc Dimittis, the heathens threw away their charmamulets. Numerous cures arc reported. A tremendous impression was made. The opinion is expressed that the result may la? a movement for which no branch of the Christian Church is prepared.

ELECTION FORECASTED. (Received this day at 9.30 a. n.) LONDON, Oet. 11. ; The “Daily Chronicle” says:—“lt is as certain as things can be that there will he an election this side of Christinas. The only doubt is whether an election can take place before a meeting of Parliament in November. The Prime Minister is in a lighting mood. Hon Chamberlain has arranged his Birmingham meeting in support of Hon Lloyd George. It is imped lie will deal faithfully with the Conservatives,

who are trying to break up the Coalition. Hon Chamberlain is giving loyal support to Hon Lloyd George. Reports from the constituencies show that not a few Conservative associations are threatening to revolt as a prelude to the annual Unionist conference rn November. Hon Llovd George’s friends in the Coalition favour an early general election. Some think Lloyd George should retire, and allow Hon Chamberlain to form a Cabinet, but it understood Lloyd George would advise the King to dissolve Parliament. In sneli circumstances Sir R. Horne has postponed his visit to the United States to discuss the funding of war debts, and Hon' Amery has postponed his visit to Canada.” The “Westminster Gazette” declares Hop Lloyd George is more anxious about the revolt in coalition ranks than about the attacks of the Opposition. All movements, beside these signs indicates a revival of the struggle, which excited the threatened resignation earlier in the year. The Premier is still determined to remain master in his own house, and will not tolerate hostile criticism, to which he is being subjected by Tory critics, and will demand an assurance that he will not ho stabbed in the back by the Tories at the forthcoming annual meetings. There must be no talk of a vote of censure or any attack in the House of Commons on his Near Eastern policy. Hon Llovd George is very angry, and will display his anger in some dramatic way. He may make a sudden appeal to the country, dragging the Coalition with him willy-nilly before the Tories have time to escape from the ruins. Alternativelv lie might retire in disgust, for a time in which to meditate upon some plan of action, which is sure to be distasteful to some one of bis present colleagues.

HINT TO AMERICA.

LONDON, October 11. Advices from Washington state despatches from Paris contain . more than a hint of the intention to invito United States to participate in the Near East Conference, provided the Administration is assured of the support of the country. Tt is believed it would be willing to send a representative on the understanding that he participates only in a discussion on the freedom of the Straits. His presence not implying an 'obligation of United States t<i share in administrative mea-