FRANCE & REPARATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1923, Page 3

FRANCE & REPARATIONS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

MORE STRIKERS. LONDON, Feb 21

The “Daily Express” Dusseblorf correspondent says: While the railway strikers here have sought to enroll themselves for work, the liuinieip.*. workers struck as a protest awiinst the expulsion of tlie Chief Burgomaster who refused to obey military eiders. The bank clerks in Essen struck as a protest against the arrest <>f a manager of the R; ichsbnnk there A general one-day strike has been followed by the arrest of the Mayor. AH the shops in Essen have struck ms. a protest against the arrest of the Second Burgomaster and the President of the Chamber of Commerce. The Dormans are now refusing to -ell stamps to the French. They arc even refusing to deliver letters with a F rciiclilooking name on the envelope. As the result of the discovery of a ell-tilled armoury in Essen, General Degoucttc has issued ft proclamation suppressing the whole organisation of the Green Police, all through the ’Ruhr and substituting a special constabulary winch is wholly civilian. ugly incidents. RERUN. Fell ‘2O. A French officer thrashed a German blacksmith for refusing to work, where open ilii' blacksmith brained him and escaped on horseback. Townspeople of Gelsenkirchen have again refused to pay the line imposed |,y the French. The shops, when ordered to pay their share, put up their shutters and are not < losed. FOOD PRICES RISING. r.OXDON, Fell 21. The black spot on tin* whole situation ill the Ruhr is that there is a rapidly increasing cost ol living. Ihe working classes are in the direst poverty. Speculation in foodstuffs erainpnnt there. The recent rises made in the wages are not proportionate to the rise that has resulted in prices. The workmen in Krupps now earn ten t..oiisnn<l marks daily, which wage has a purchasing power of less than hall a crown. The storm centre still remains at Oelsinkirchen. where ft state of siege is rigidly enforced. All the resorts are closed from seven o'clock daily. The French General, commanding officially stated that if any private funds have been confiscated, his orders have been exceeded and all such private property will be returned. Seventeen million of marks, which wore removed from the railway station, have been returned to the railway authorities.

It lias transpired that fifty million marks of the sum collected by the French in Gelsenkirchen is composed of local obsolete emergency currency. german Parliament squabble BERLIN, Feb. 21. A free light occurred in the Prussian Parliament between Communists and Socialists over the question of placing a time limit on speeches. One member was thrown down the stairs. DUS.SELDORE STRUCK. {Received this dav at 11..'in a.m.) PARIS. Feb. 21. A general strike lias been proclaimed in Dtisseldorf. Shops and other establishments except cinemas and dancing halls are closed. Telegraphic communication with Paris is stopped, the wires being cut. The military have been reinforced. “Le Matin” learns Belgians occupied two important mines near Dorsten. producing annually two million tons, suitable for conversion into coke. > GERMAN ACTION. ' (Received this dav at- 11.30 a.in.') BERLIN, Feb. 21 The Minister of Railways has ordered all lighting at railway stations in the occupied area to be cut oft. Government sent a protest to Paris against the fine imposed on Gelsenkirchen municipality. AST 11 lAN FINANCE. BERLIN, Rob. 21. The financial reconstruction has already effected a saving of 29-13 milliards of kronen. The budget still shows a. deficit of 2350 milliards of kronen. FRENCH COMMENT. (Received this dav at 11.30 a m.' PARIS, Feb. 21. French comment on the Ruhr debate ill the Commons is to the eliect that France will not tolerate any intervention, whether by an individual country or League of Nations. Ire conviction is (irmly held that whatever the difficulties, Germany is bound to yield.