BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1923, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. IMPERIAL INSTITUTE. LONDON, March 7 A committee composed of High Commissioners, arc completing an enquirq into the Imperial Institute’s future, which is dependent on their findings resulting in increased activity or closing down. Australia’s support is hike warm, and Now Zealand is enthusiastic. Sir J. Allen interviewed, said the Institute was starving for want of money. The Dominion would support the great Imperial ideal of splendid unifying influence, in addition to practical' uses. In these days when the Dominions arc feeling their strength and have tendency to act on their own it is most important to keep alive such Imperial strength which would tend to hold us together. A NEW INVENTION. BUDAPEST, March 7 A voting Hungarian engineer named Deszoffy, lias invented apparatus for extracting electric current from the air, at a small expense. The chief feature of the device is a mast similar to those used in wireless telegraphy. Electric energy gained from the air varies according to the height of the mast. Dczsoffy claims to he able to reach JOJJOOvolls at a height of 900 feet. Several houses are fitted with the apparatus. It is observed the current is strongest at noon and weakest at midnight. Government is placing a. workshop at the disposal of the inventor. REWARD OFFERED. CAIRO, March 7. Authorities are offering a reward of £IO.OOO sterling for apprehension of the criminals concerned in bombing outrages, also a thousand to the captor of any future aggressor. PAINTER DEAD. LONDON, March 7. Obituary.—. Tames Shannon, the painter.

CUP FINAL. LONDON, March 7 Fifty thousand applications have already been received tor thirty-five thousand seats at the Cup final at Remblv.

INFANT STATISTICS. LONDON, -March 7 Infant mortality in Britain in 1922 was 77 per thousand, the lowest ever recorded. Despite the lower birthrate Britain’s natural increase in L--amounted to 5,293.558, which is thn t > four thousand over the average of live years. () UEE X Al/KXA NDR A. LONDON, March 6. All the papers give prominence to the Diamond Jubilee to-day of QueenAlexandra’s arrival in England. RANKING AM ALG AMATION. LONDON, March 6. Lloyd’s Bank Ltd., and Glyn, Mills. Currie and Company have taken over the Army Agencies held by Cox and Co., and Holt and Co. DISARMAMENT NEEDED. LONDON, March 7. AR Philip Snowden, Labourite, gave notice in the House ot Commons of a motion that the Government, at the earliest possible moment should use its influence to summon an international conference, to which all States inside or outside the League of Nations should be invited, with a view to considering the extension of the principles of the Washington Naval Treaty to all nonsignatories. L\BOUR. M.P’S. AND ROYALTY. LONDON, March 8. Three Labour M.P.’s Messrs dynes Thomas and Snowden, are dining at the palace with their Majesties this evening.

IN THE COMMONS. (Received this dav at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 8

In the Commons the debate on Dr Salter’s private members’ motion urgjn«r Government to proceed without delay with the Bill introduced in 1919, constituting a Commission to inquire into k»ral minimum rates of wages took place. He said: “We are getting back to the level of wages in 1914” principle, of a minimum wage, which was in acute operation in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere. Mr Boyd Carpenter replying said the national minimum wage was tried ana proved a failure, and had been turned down by the Trade Unions’ Congress. Boards of Trade were already tulhlling the functions which members opposite had asked for. Mr Henderson said the Labour 1 arty was not asking for a fiat rate for a national minimum wage, hut for minimum time rates, a very different thing. The motion was negatived by 18i to 176.

A LABOR CONFERENCE. LONDON, March 8. The Labour Party decided to invite representatives of Trade Unions and Socialist Parties in France. Belgium, and ftnlv to come to London to discuss United Parliamentary tactics in reference to Ruhr, and .security of reparations. This is intended to be the precursor of a larger international confei-

' ' EGYPTIAN DECISIONS. (Received this day nt 9.30 CAIRO. March Sr. w General Alienin' lias issued a proclamation that persons found guitv court-marital of possessing explosives «ill be liable to the death PC The y new Zaghlulist committee announces it will continue within the