MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1923, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. AIR FORCES. LONDON, -March !). The Aii' Force estimates are twelve millions compared with £10,895.000 in 1922-23. The increase is due to the decision to increase the number of Home defence squadrons, and .-,n increase for experimental research work. The total includes live millions for services in the Middle East. .MR BALFOUR EXPLAINS. LONDON, Mart!) 9. Sir Arthur Balfour in the Lords called attention to misunderstandings arising from his note of August last dealing with international indebtedness. He had not taken part in subsequent controversies, thinking that as time passed and changes occurred, the matter might be allowed to rest, but as tlie American Ambassador hud declared the Balfour note misleading and had requested bis Government explicitly to removed the impression that the Note caused, he thought it continued silence would be misunderstood. Tbe passage Air Harvey complained of. stated that United States insisted that though the Allies were to spend the money, America was only prepared to lend on Britain’s security. Sir A. Balfour said b could not find anything that had lut-scd was misleading or obscure. Britain bad suggested that a she hitherto had borne the burden of financing the Allies. thnl America, which had iml entered the war should relieve Britain of the duty of further linancing the Allies. If United States had adopted the plan there would have been no American loan to Britain, and many controversies woulfl have been avoided, bm l oiled States refused to lend, except to Britain, throwing a double burden upon us, which we were still carrying, it I'nitcd States opinion adhered to tiltview that war-time deals between partners must be regarded as separate, isolated undertakings. America’s incontestable rights, could not have bum enforced in a manner less lik'-lv to impair tiie bappv A light-.Mnerien u relations than they bad been recently.

•100 GERMAN WIVES. LONDON. March 10. Since the armistice 100 British soldiers on the Rhine have married Gerinaii wives. A BOV’S SUICIDE. LONDON. March 1.0. Benjamin Bourne, the 14-year-old apprentice of a Leicester chemist, committed suicide under amazing dramatic circumstances. Bourne was reprimanded for taking a bottle of sweets. He went home, and then attended church, whence he proceeded to force any entry into the shop. Later on a policeman heard someone moaning, and found Bourne dead. The boy took prussic acid. The poison bottle and an empty glass stood nearby. The boy had written a will, beginning: “Satan and God are m> witnesses!” He also w rote to the coroner ; ‘•[ am going to kill myself, because L am not lit to live. You will sav “Killed during temporary insanity. He then wrote a, time-table: ‘ll.lO. just taken out poison: 11.15 poured it cut: taken it! !” \ verdict was returned than the dt - ceased was not responsible for his actions. FRENCH NAVY. BARIS. .March 9. M. Raiberti lias tabled a Navy Bill. The first part, lie said, dealing with the High Fleet, was based on the Washington Treaty, which the Chamber was now asked to ratify, for tbe tonnage not fixed in the Washington Treaty, the bill proposes a total of 300,000 tons for the light vessels and 05.000 tons for the submarines. A bill for the construction of the large vessels to lie built between 1925 and 1930 will be submitted shortly.

EGYPTIAN APPEAL REJECTED. LONDON, March 9. The English Privy Council lias refused leave to Zagltlul Dasha, the leader of the Egyptian Nationalist movement, to appeal against a decision ol the Gibraltar Supreme Court, miner which he is now kept a political prisoner. The constitutional issue was whether British law applies to Gibraltar, or whether its laws have remained the la’ws of the British garrison. Znehlul’s counsel oontentled that English law applied to Gibraltar, and that Zagblul Pasha could riot he detained. TORPEDO EXPLOSION. LONDON. March 9. A torpedo exploded aboard the cruiser Coventry at Gibraltar. 'I here were six victims, three of whom are dead. 1 lie cause of the explosion is not stated. RUSSIAN BELIEF. LONDON. March 9. Afr Mitchell, London Secretary to the American Relief Administration in Rustna- states that- the mass feeding which they are carrying on in Russia will he continued till the next harvest. The conditions and prices have so much improved that it will he unnecessary to continue the operations, at any rate after April. Last summer the American Adinin-istratioii fed 11,000.000 people daily, ft has equipped 11,000 hospitals At present 3,000.000 adults and children arc being fed daily. BRITAIN’S BUDG’ET. LONDON, March 10. Mr S. Baldwin (Chancellor of the Exchequer) in Parliamentary papers, states that the United Kingdom’s total war pension expenditure from August 1914, to March "Slst-., 1923, will amount to £470.000.000. The pensions will leave also an estimated capital liability thereafter of £832,000.000.

The papers show that the votes for the British Mandated Territories as from April 1919. to March, 1923. totalled 153 millions. Other expenditure resulting from Britain’s participation in the war included that on unemployment totalling four hundred millions; housing 225 millions; the liquidation of railway and canal agreements, 203 millions; for tho Ministries of Munitions and Shipping 36J- millions; for the bread subsidy, 100 mllions; to meet the coal mine deficiencies. 48 millons; for relief works’ loans, 33 mllions, and for the occupation of Constantinople 20 millions. BRITISH BUDGET. LONDON, March 10. The '“Evening Standard” believes the total estimates will eventually be reduced to 790 millions, compared with 903 millions in 1922-3. It understands the income tax and beer duty will he given preference in tax reductions.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. OVERSEAS MIGRATION. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 12. A deputation of members of the House of Commons and poor law guardians and educationalists, waited on Mr Ormsby Gore regarding the question of training for Empire employment migration. They suggested inclusion jn the national education curriculum of practical instruction in agriculture. provision for training at farm camps and a far-reaching organisation for the promotion of group settlement by families with stringent safeguards protecting child emigrants. Mr Ormsby Gore undertook that the Department would consider the suggestions but suggested that migrants should not be trained till they arrived, overseas. GERMAN TREASON COUP. (Received this dav at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON. March 11. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Berlin correspondent reports the Bavarian Governments handling of the treason plot has provided Germany with a first class mystery. The country tit present only knows what Cabinet wants it to believe. C.'app appeared to be the last word in political burlesque, but the theatrical leaders of most recent coup d’etat have gone one better. Any monarchical conspiracy with the present Government stamps out hears no significance. Leading people in Bavaria are comfortable in the knowledge that they already have a monarchy, in fad though not in name.

DAVIS CUl* ENTRANT. DELHI. March 11. Much interest is being taken in Ceylon's decision to enter fur the Davis Cup next year, for which efforts are being made to raise twenty-live thousand rupees to cover expenses. Press comments point out tho collection of •such a sum is doubtful, as the All Lidia Tennis Association made strenuous efforts during the last two Years throughout the whole of India to raise a. guarantee fund lor the expenses of India's team with only moderate success. THE PRINCE'S SUCCESS. ."Received this dav at 9..‘iff a. ii l LONDON. March’ l'l. I be Prince of Wales dramatic victory after riding Just an Idea to second place after lie lost his whip, aroused a storm ol cheers. I In* I'riuee quietlv retired to a corner of the field, changed into a lounge suit, and left to fulfil an evening engagement.

CHINA AND JAPAN. (Received this dav at a u> 1 PICK JN. March R). China to-day requested Japan to fix a date for the discussion oi ihe return of Port, Arthur and abrogation oi L’l demands of the Treaty of ]9|s. which is characterised as the greatest obstacle to cordial relations between the twn countries. The Chinese Parliament in January passed a resolution asking Government to demand the abrogation. WHEAT SALKS. LONDON. March 11. Wheat cargoes arc dull and little alteration in quotation'. Parrels arc in poor request at recent prices. A WEI)l)INC GIFT. LONDON, March 12. The Duke of York lias receive,l a wedding gilt of £2500 sterling. films offered one fifth to each of tic Mayors of London. Olasgov. ('aidiii', 1 ore and Belfast to entertain children on bis wedding dav. ACTION APPROVED. LONDON, March 11. Cabinet has approved of General Godley's Payot agreement. WAR FIGURES. HUGE NUMBERS. (Received this dav ••it 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 11. Mr Baldwin (Chancellor of the Exchequer) in his Budget reveals far tic first time the total war expi editin' •. and casualties. WAR EXPENDITURE. 'Hie expenditure to March, 1919 was 9590 millions : In: 'hiding loans to Allies, and Dominions. 2078 millions) ENLISTMENTS. Enlistments were: United Kingdom —— O.tili.o Dominions ! ,905.1:00 India 1.978,000 KILLED. The killed numbered United Kingdom 74,.090 Dominions I 10,09 I India 01.000 All the expenditure was rail d by taxation in Britain,- txt apt loans of 1300 millions. TRANSPORT FOUNDER*. ATHENS. -V ai; ! i 11. The transport Alexandre. L.uiiui i s Piraeus with men on leave, foundemt in a storm and 159 were drown."!. I A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK. LONDON. March 11. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Constantii: oi lie correspondent says there a general feeling of satisfaction in Allied circles at the tone of the Ang.ua note, wdiii !i marks a definin'', promising stop j, : ;' e dir iti :n of an early pemo. ITALIAN S-IT OUR DAY. Received this day at 11.30 a.m) ROME. March 11. Cabinet has adoped a decree establishing the eight hours dav. with the exception of Mercantile Mariners, to prevent competition by foreign vessels. The decree limits overtime to twelve hours’ weekly, for which ten per cent of wago must he MILAN COURT SENTENCE. ROME. Ala roll 11. U Milan, the Court sentenced three im ,„ to two vears’ imprisonment foi administering castor oil to Cummmn-" IN THE ARCTIC. LONDON. March 10.

\dvices from Christiania state owing to the sun's rays, radio commuincation with the Maud is more difficult and reports are less regular. 1 he Maud reported that on March 6th there was bright weather and temperature of do degrees centri, grade below Reeling point, the position 74 north 1-0-3 east showing the drift since December 14th. of ninety-nine kilometres nort i and fifty-four degrees west, which is much slower and more northerly than autumn. closely approximates the j.'.ams drift in 1893. Amflndson has { r o ne to Nome to ascertain the position of the Maud and also to regulate watches. The condition of the expedition is excellent. He expects to start on his flight to the Pole at the middle of June. The aeroplane is supplied with ski.