MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1923, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

.CSTUALIAN AND N.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION. FASCIST! AND FREEMASONRY ROME, Feb FI. “That Freemasonry is inconsistent with Fascisti” is the burden of a resolution adopted at a meeting of the Faseisli“leaders, presided over.by Sentor Mussolini, who has ordered members _ to choose between the two, because tor the Fascisti there can lie only ono discipline. one hierarchy, and one obedience. GAS EXPLOSION. UNITED SERVICE TELEGRAMS LONDON, Fell IF “'Mil. re was a terrible roar as a shiet of Haute and two houses went up in a F cloud of dust,” is the graphic deserip- » tiou of a gas explosion in Liverpool which completely destroyed two houses and wrecked a third. Two men, a woman and a child were injured. r l he body of ti gas inspector was recovered. It is feared others are under the debris. The roofs of the destroyed houses were blown fifty yards away. A baby was blown out of :t woman s arms, and many persons nearby suffered from shock. An inmate of the central house reported a leakage of gas, and the inspector had inst arrived when tho explosion occurred.

SOUTH AFRICAN FINANCE. r _ CAPETOWN, Fob 14. w In the Assembly, tine Minister of Finance in giving a financial forecast saul the revenue had fallen far short of the Estimates. It is expected that the year would end with a deficit of £9OO- - to which had to be. added Die amounts taken from the loan sinking funds to cover the deficits in previous veals, making the total of over £L(XKi.OOO. At the same time he was optimistic regarding the future 'l he position generally was sound and trade improving. He confidently looked leeward to a general revival in trade, anti considered the Governient was not justified in placing any further substantial taxation upon tho people. 'S’-' only sound wav of making the finance balance was to face the position squarely. and reduce the expenditure that had grown-up in the boom tunes now departed. TRADE HUNTERS. LONDON, February F 5. Commenting on the contention of the Liverpool Shipowners’ Association report that inter-imperial trade would increase if the Dominions were as ready buy British manufactures as they are to' sell their own products, . the •‘Morning Post” says: “If Britain granted substantial preference to Dominion products, the Dominions would probably gladly reciprocate. It would be an integral part of such policy that inter-imperial migration be instituted on a great scale, so that English settlers in Dominions shall both sell their products on the English market, and receive payment therefore in English manufactures, whereby, alone, permanent and well paid employment could he provided in Britain, and whereby the vast territories of the Dominions could he developed. If England fails to increase her trade and settle English people in Australia speedily, then America will undoubtedly establish trade in the (Ymunotrwealth.”

OIL CONCESSIONS. TOKTO. Feb 14, Replying to an interpellation concerning the Japanese Government's attitude regarding the Soviet’s alleged grant of petroleum prospecting rights to an American oil company .in Saghalicn. Baron Kato replied that Japan would not recognise any agreement between Russia and any other country concerning concuss io its in Northern Saghalien so long as the Japanese occupy a portion of the Island. POLAR EXPLORATION. “ the TIMES ” SERVICE. (Received this dav nt 10 a.m.) CHRISTIANIA. Feb 16. A Stavanger merchant has received ;l letter from Omdal and Amundsen. A companion, was despatched by dog team, and the letter was dated Nov. It s-ivs Hie bad ice conditions make it doubtful whether the Maud is even yet on a regular drift across the Polar « Basin. Amundson anti Oindnl are both comfortable, and intend to attempt tho flight across the Pole at the end of June. On the basis of a. successful trial thc.v expect to cover the distance direct from Point- Barrow to Spitzbergen in 26 hours. RUSSIAN CROWN JEWELS. 1 ißeceived this day nt 10.30 NEW YORK, 1-eb 14. Another Russian Crown Jewels bubble was exploded when the United •states Treasury agents opened the crave of an American seaman, died abroad, and in whose coffin tt was reported that the Romnnoft gems had been smuggled here. The cemete was surrounded with guards while the coffin was opened, but nothing was found in it but the corpse