BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1923, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. WOMEN’S CONGRESS. ROME, May 17 The Women’s Congress discussed whether women should join existing political parties or form their own. The general feeling was against the latter cuurso. The congress appointed a committee to consider the best method of increasing the number of women members of Parliament. THE BAGDAD RAILWAY. CONSTANTINOPLE, May Hi. It is reported that the Bagdad railway li.f's been bought by a group of English and Swiss hankers, headed by the Rothschilds. Jluguonin, managing director of the railway, stated definitely that the Rothschild group had bought the railway, but lie refused to give details. Asked what becomes of tile German and French interests. Huguenin said that would depend upon tho Allies. BETTER AND HIGHER .'JUDGE. GENEVA. May 10. Charged with poisoning his wife m order to obtain her insurance money, a man named Strumer ended a. ong speech in his own defence* with these words: “Mnv Almighty God kill me if I am guilty.” Then he fell senseless m the dock and eventually died. 'I he doctor attributed death to cerebral agitation. The Judge remarked: “The accused lias gone before a better and a higher Judge.’ . BRITISH DELEGATES. (Received this day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 17 Gerald Lenox Coningham and H. G. Marriott (of the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau), Doctors Guy Marshall and Edwin Butler will represent the British Government at the Pan Pacifi* Scientific Congress in Australia. EMIGRATION RATE. (Received this djiv at 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, May 17 Col. A. Buckley replying to a question. in the Commons, said the aveiago yearly rate of emigration measured by the excess of outward passengers to other countries within the Empire, was 1(30,200 in 1910-14. The corresponding figure for 1922 was /I,ioo.

EFFECTS OF PROHIBITION LAW. LONDON, May 17. Hon Mr McNeill announced that tho Ambassador iat Washington had been asked to prepare a report for .submission to Parliament on the effects of prohibition in the United States. IMPERIAL DEFENCE. LOCAL NAVIES ADVOCATED. (Received this dav at 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, May 17. Mr Archibald Hurd writing in the “Daily Telegraph,” says:

“A misconception apparently prevails overseas with reieretice to tho Admiralty's attitude on Imperial defence at the forthcoming Imperial Conference. It can fie stated emphatically that there is no intention of ignoring the piditieal, industrial, or social conditions of the overseas Dominions in the forlorn hope of reverting to the policy of the Dominions contributing to a single navy instead of building up its own forces. At the present stage of Imperial evolution that ideal was unobtainable. The problem must he approached from another angle and in full recognition of the advantage of cultivating the sea instinct. In every port of the Empire the aim must be rather to encourage the growth ol the existing naval forces i»l the Dominions in order that, the oversea peoples would come to realise that Ilicy are realty partners with Britain in the responsibilities and privileges of a Commonwealth or free peoples. South Africa had reached the primary stage of naval development, while New Zcalandlaiul has gone further, and Canada and Australia further still. These forces may not at. present represent great fighting power as they are still young, lint they arc evidence of the Dominions’ increasing naval consciousness and tiic foundations on which future progress must rest. .Britain’s guardian angel must have wept at several Commoners’ suggestion that no Government should consent to the British Fleet, or any great part of it, being sent to the Pacific. It is not only conceivable, hut it may- he inevitable in the circumstances which might arise at any moment, and so we must provide the necessary links of communication and not again lie too late.”

LORD CARNARVON’S ESTATE. (Received this dav at 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, May 17. Lord Carnarvon left £399,009 after bequests to relatives and servants, including five hundred sterling to Howard Carter. He bequeathed his racehorses and all personal estate and the Egyptian collection to his wife. He suggested that should she sell, she give the British Museum the first refusal for £20,000. THE KING’S GIFT. (Received this day at 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, May 17. Advices from Rome state King George and Queen Mary in connection with their visit contributed forty-live thousand lire to be equally distributed between tho puor, red cross, war orphans and maimed soldiers. BAN HITS’ R EQTJ KSTS. (Received this dav at 11.15 a.m.) PEKIN, May Ir. I'. Barube, a French'captive, was released on parole and lias arrived at Thao Chtiang with bandits’ further demands for the removal of Chinese troops. Barube is under a. promise to return to the bandits to-day.