BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1922, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION,

, CAPETOWN, Dec 1. The nnnounceniont that tiie Commonwealth is imposing a dumping ciutv on South African maize has caused little surprise in commercial circles. South Africa. i s a bio to sell cheaper for export than locally, because maize enjoys a special railway into to coast ports for export, amounting in some cases to a reduction of o'er fifty per cent. The opinion is expressed in commercial circles in view of the dumping duty imposed hv the Union G< vernmeiit on Australian wheat and flour, that Australia, is quite justified in adopting a similar course.

COM PL IAI ENT AR Y DIN NE R. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 1. Coalition Peers and Commoners gave a dinner to Mr Chamberlain at the House of Commons. Lord BirKcnhead. presiding read a. striking tribute li'oin Sir A. Balfour. Responding to the toast Mr Chamberlain said i think the election restores all sections of the old Coalition to their perfect fuedom of action. Mr Lloyd George had satistied the obligations of comradeship anu honour to us and so have we to him Having fully discharged those obligations wci have now a freedom of c hi,ice regarding our future attitude in put lie affairs.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY. (Received this dav at s a.in.) j LONDON, Dec 1. j The “Daily Chronicle's” Berlin lor- ; respondent interviewed T' hitchoi in, | who stated the Russians’ policy is that I the Turks must he masters of their onn I territory. Their own waters must •ot I he controlled by the League if Nations ' or an international combination. The Straits must bo completely close 1 to i all warships, except Turkish. LORD HAIG SPEAKS OUT. LONDON. Dee. 2. Lord Haig, speaking at Manchester, said that he had received a telegram from a Dominion Governor, asking foi £IOOO to help ex-soldiers who had emigrated. He was not going to advise emigration, until lie knew that tilings were right. "I want to hear of letters ; coming to our people from our colonies f saying: ‘There is. plenty of work. \oii will lie all right if you come to ns.’ i have letters from places like Queensland, and from some other Dominions, stating that many of our gallant men who have gone out there, arc now starving. I am not going to be so unfriendly to our unemployed ex-soldiers here as to advise them to emigrate, until I know that things are all right. I am not going to tell them to leave here until the Dominions set their own house in order.”

i SIR J. COOK’S REPLY. ! LONDON, Dec. 2. The Australian High Commissioner, Sir Joseph Cook, in an interview, referred to Lord Haig’s speech. He said —“This is the most serious and most damaging attack yet made on emigration arrangements, especially in view < f the speaker's authority.” Sir .1. C’ook quoted returns showing thal in the last quarter of this year, over 1,250 ex-service men had gouts or were going to Australia. All were requisitioned by various governments, who would undertake to place them, and a large proportion were nominated by Australians, who would lie responsible for their welfare. OIL PROFITS. LONDON, December 2.

The lAiiglo-Pcrsian Oil Company’s profit for the past year totalled £3.130 000. There is a dividend of 20 per cent recommended, and £1.739.17.3 is being carried forward. NO STATE HELP. LONDON, December 2. ATi- Bonar Law. Sir Joynton Hicks, Mr Barlow and Mr Brute met (lie Executive of the Miners’ Federation at Downing Street. An official statement says that Messrs Smith and Hodges described the hardships arising from the low wages mid then asked the Government to take ameliorative measures, Mr Bniiiir Law replied that, while fully recognising the miners’ hardships lie saw no need for alleviating them b,v Government aid. rile Federation Executive will assemble again on Wednesday to consider what action shall be taken.

GERMAN AFFAIRS. LONDON, Dec. I. According to tlu, “Daily Chronicle's” Berlin correspondent, the Prussia t (,'overnment is supplementing tim proposed gluttony tax by prohibiting socalled tea dances, which are tit * | rcsunt rage in Berlin ami other cities; Live o'clock tea is conspicuous by its absence. Money is made by the sale of much stronger beverages at exorbitant prices. The Home Office is considering the prohibition of the sale of .-pi/its at night time. The measures arc inspired for political rather than economical reasons. Government lieheves that extravagance is making n had impression on foreign visitors, ’111(1 German working classes. Rail.sty lares, postage and telegraphic rates have been again increased.

CHINESE ROYAL WEDDING. PEKING. Dec 1. Emperor Huang Tung and Princess Kuo Chin Si were married to-day. Seated on a. Dragon lied in the Palace of the Forbidden City, carlv tins morning, the 17-yenr old Emperor and the 10-vear old bride exchanged golden clips, solemnising their marriage This simple ceremony was preceded hv an elaborata ritual, the feasting continuing for a week. Before d-iwi a long procession took tile hrkle 1' ’oni her father's house to the Palaco, llions: nils of people lining the streets. Two thousand Mandarins and foreign guests wit. iiessed th ocefemony. The Empress entered the Palace, never to leave it again, unless the Monarchy is n stored. REFUSAL TO PAY. lON DON, Do.- 2. Glasgow reports state that rile wholesale cloth merchants in I ondan nro now refusing to pay higher prices, which the manufacturers are asking, for the new season’s cloths. Ihe merchants say the tailors will not pay these enhanced prices, which the manufacturers maintain are ntcossma.le'l by the dearer raw material. Consequently the manufacturers’ travellers are roturning to Glasgow' without having sold a single piece of cloth. EXTRAORDINARY SCENES. (Received this day at 0.30 a.m.' l LONDON, December 3. There wore extraordinary scenes in the vicinity of Glenfare Hall, once occupied by Sir Edward Ilarland, the Belfast shipbuilder of I.oitriim. Hundreds of people brought vehicles and stole everything moveable inside and outside including furniture left by tho owners. The stewards were powerless to stop it,