BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1923, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN- AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. WEATHER IN LONDON. LONDON, May 13 There was a slight snowfall in Loudon yesterday and hail, snow and thunder in the provinces. IMPORTANT CAPTURE. (Received this day at .3.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 14. A police raid in Liverpool resulted in the capture of large quantities of machine gun parts, revolvers and ammunition, and also the arrest of John Finn and William Horan, the latter hearing documents showing that he was a commander in the Irish Republican Army in Liverpool. ITALY’S DEFICIT REDUCED. (Received this dav at 3.30 a.m.) ROME, May 14. The Minister for Finance states that the .Mussolini Government has reduc’d Italy’s deficit from four milliards ro 1,137.1100,000 lire. The military expenditure was reduced to three milliards. including two hundred millions, and twenty-live millions for the Fascist Armv.

POSTAL AND RAIIWAYMEN STRIKE. TO WORK AS SOLDIERS. (Received this day at 8.3(1 a.m.) BRUSSELS, May 14, The strike of railwaymen and postal employees lias become so serious that the Government has decided to follow the example that M. Briand set France before the war. The Government lias issued orders for the mobilisation of the 1915 to 1922 classes, and the railwaymen who art thus called up, will he compelled to work the railways as soldiers. (Received this day at 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 14. The “Daily Chronicle’s” Brussels correspondent says the strike is more political than a trade union move. The National Union is merely a machine in the hands of the socialist politicians who are seeking to regain their lost authority. BLAGUE OF FLIES. (Received this day at 10.45 a.m.) BUCHAREST, May 14. A poisonous fly, named clumhatz, similar to the American buffalo gnat, is appearing in cloudlikc swarms along the Danube, and they have already been responsible for the death of 15,000 cattle. Several people who were hitten died from blood poisoning. The Danube has not experienced such a serious plague for two centuries.

KILLED BY TORNADO. (Received this dav at 9.25 a.m.) NEW YORK, -May 15. If. is reported that fifty people were killed and one hundred injured by a tornado near Big Springs, Texas. Communications have been destroyed, delaying the receipt of details. ANOTHER CHINESE OUTRAGE. (Received this dav at 9.15 a in.) I’EKING. -May 14. A Shanghai telegram says that pirates, travelling as passengers, attacked the officers ami crew ui the Chinese steamer Taishim en route from Hong Kong to Shanghai. They secured six thousand dollars worth of loot, after badly wounding the chief officer. Another message says that many Europeans weie included among the passengers who were robbed. CAPE CAPITAL. CAPETOWN, May 14. The Senate by 20 to II rejected a, motion abolishing the dual capital .system with Pretoria as the only capital.