BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1922, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. POLAND’S NEW PREMIER* WARSAW, Dec 18* General Sikorski, the new Premier, - lias dismissed the Director of Police and other officials. He issued «, proclamation declaring his readiness defend land and order, demanding complete calm, and stating those responsible for the dastardly assassination will suffer the penalty of the law. Any attempt at revenge would ’ be sternly suppressed. PRINCE GEORGE. jNITED SERVICE TELEGRAMS. LONDON, Doc 18. Prince George this week undergdes an operation for appendicitis. AMERICA CUP. LONDON, Dec 18. , Sir Thomas Upton lias announced he again challenge's for the America Cup, probably in 1924. FRANCE’S NAVY. L’ARIS, Dec 18. In the Chamber, when discussing the naval estimates, the Minister of ino outlined the Government policy. He \ declared Britain, Ameren' and Japan had been building while France let her navv.dwindle. France needed a navy - to defend Iter coasts and colonies, She must build' ships and create an aerial fleet, lmt strict economy was essential: Forty-three million francs had been saved by reorganisation and reductions. Only eighty million would lie spent on the Navy this year, ninety t million being carried over to the nextfinancial year. Ho added that France uas the only naval power which had . fallen to the 1914 level.

RESTORING TRADE/ ■ LONDON, Dec 18. ,~"- Tho Federation of British Industries lias sent a manifesto to Mr Benar Law, suggesting that the Government could as-fit in the restoration of trade by the following means:—(l) The abolition of the corporation profits tax; (2) a stnntinl reduction in the income tax; \ v 3) some remission of indirect taxation ;; (4) an immediate reduction oi the Government expenditure(s) the reconsideration of the Geddes recommendations; (6) an immediate inquiry into the whole question of _ education with a view to'a reduction in the administration costs; (7) the abandonment, without delay of competition. "X the Government insitutions against private traders; (8). the .nmos.t attention to be given to the development of inter-imperial trade, which is so important. , The Federation proposes miottlj to make separate’ representations f-u- energetic action, before the foreign postwar tariffs become crystallized,..and to—seek for improved postal facilities, an unrestricted half-penny printed paper rate and for all Government purchases to give a maximum amount .ot employment to British labour. MADAME BERNHARDT. PARIS, Dee. 19. The famous French actress, Sarah Bernhardt, is dangerously ill, and she,, was not expected to live through Monday night. She had a sudden attacK of illness, when going to the df-ess rehearsal of a new play, in which she is appearing with M. Sacha Guitry. There was no time to advise the critics, who :>wived at the -theatre to find the doors closed. The rehearsal was called off owing to Madame Bernhard’s illness. . (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) fj, PARIS, Dee 19. It 'is now reported that (jMadanie Bernhardt’s illness is not considered serious ancl she is expected <o recover in a few days. POISON IN COCOA. LONDON, Dec 18 Owing to the discovery of one-for-tieth of a grain of arsenic per pound in cocoa ,a retail firm has been fined 40s. The Rowntree Company of lorit, who are the miuiufacturcrs, also were fined a sum of €4O for selling adulterated food. 'l’lie evidence showed that carbonate of potash had been used to make the cocoa more digestive, and r, contained a trace of arsenic. Rowntree Coy. were p thunderstruck' at the discovery, awM* they immediately sacrificed 300 tons cocoa, valued at between £IOO and £250 per ton. They have endeavoured also to collect supplies- distributed over a period of two months’ which were tainted with the carbonate used., A Home Office expert states thpt this is the first time in his experience that arsenic has got into food through carbonate of potash.