GERMAN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1923, Page 2

GERMAN ITEMS

AUSTRALIA?? AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. tr.yinsTollide. BERLIN, July 31. Two passenger trains collided near Hanover when twenty-seven persons were killed and many injured, twentylive seriously.

THE REPARATIONS. LONDON, Aug. 1

Tho Cabinet, at last meeting, lengthily discussed the French and Belgian replies. Brobably anothei meeting will be held hetore Mr Baldwin makes his statement to tho House' of Commons on Thursday.

A pessimistic view continues to be taken, and an opinion is growing that the British proposals should he tally disclosed. Thursday’s Ruhr debate is therefore awaited with the keenest interest.

Tho "Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent says: "It is generally recognised that M. Poincare’s attitude on the present basis of negotiations, holds no hope of an inter-Allied agreement. It is realised that the secrecy has not availed to convert the French Government io the' British viewpoint. On the contrary, it has prevented the moral support of world opinion, which publicity would have ensured. Therefore it is probable Mr Baldwin s state men. will be couched in more definite language than heretofore.”

FOOD POSITION WORSE

LONDON. July 31

'1 bo ‘‘Daily Chronicle’s'' correspondent at Cologne says that .the money situation has been relieved by the arrival of a supply of five million mark notes. The hanks are exercising great cure in the distribution of the funds in order to make the supply last.

The food position is going from bad to worse and whenever a vehicle with food arrives at the market, the dealers offer handfuls of money without inquiring the price. The people sit up all night along the roadsides waiting for the food carts, paying any price in order to obtain enough for one meal. I’ot a tees are being sold at two million marks ] er hundredweight, which Ls tlie average amount of a. fortnight’s wages.

GERMAN RAILWAY DISASTER. TERRIFIC IMPACT. BERLIN. July 31. The deaths in tlie railway collision near Hamburg are now estimated at 10.'), and there were a similar number injured. Tlie impact of the collision was terrific. An engine and 10 coaches were piled on top of each other as high as a house. Other coaches were overturned and dashed to pieces. Many of the injured remained pinned under the wreckage for hours before thev were extricate!. Identification of the* dead is difficult, owing to the mangled condition of the bodies.

HOW IT HAPPENED

LONDON, July 31

A Berlin message to "The Times” states that the financial stringency had a direct hearing on the railway accident. It was notified that the fares would he trebled to-morrow and many people, who had been spending a short holiday, hastened back to Berlin. Ibis necessitated running the Hainbiirg-Mu-nich express in two sections. The first stopped near Krosensen, owing to an engine defect. While it was station.u' the second section rushed up. In a dim morning light, the driver noticed a block on the line 200 yards ahead, and he jammed on the brakes, but the heavv train slid along on the rads, and crashed with terrific force into the roar of the standing express. The driver and Bremen miraculously escaped. 'Hie wreckage caught lire, hut troops and ambulances immediately rushed up to the scene, checked the lire ami rendered assistance to the in-, j u red.

CHICKENS 250,000 AIARKS APIECE

LONDON, July 31

Tim "Daily Chronicle's” Cologne correspondent’states: "Chickens here cost. 250,000 marks each. A pound of butter costs 100,000 marks. Prices generally are far above the capacity of the masses to pay.”

PRODUCTION AT MINI.MUAI

PARIS. July 31

Tho “Journal Imlustrialle” publishes an article by an expert just returned from the occupied territory, who stales the output from the Ruhr mines has been enormously reduced, and the factories are working short time. There were blnst 1 iinmcos in operation in January. The number in July was onlv 11. Taking one hundred as a basis figure representing the total production of the whole Ruhr in January last it had fallen by July to 16. The Ruhr is rapidly getting to a point where the machinery is only kept moving for the purpose of preventing rust.

BELGIAN PROPOSAL

LONDON. Aug. 1

The “Daily Telegraph" slates: “A feature of tho Belgian proposals is one that the Ruhr should he evacuated ill accordance with the Germans’ payments—a term by which France means actual payments ill eavli and kind, whereas to Belgium it means tho delivery of bonds or hills, provided thev are adequately endorsed by foreign hanks, ft is for the Belgians a question of guarantees and the commercialisation of lliGerman debt. They regard the matter from the viewpoint of tho financiers, while the Frnelt have the eyes of lawyers and politicians. ’

The “Daily Chronicle’’ says it doubts whether there is any chance of a joint reply to Germany )>v Britain, France, Belgium and Italy. It adds: "It is known that tho Brussels Note wouto have- been more conciliatory hut for French pressure,"

FRENCH CONFIDENCE. LONDON. Aug. 1. Count fsl. Auhiire ('French Ambassador at London), addressing a deputation of the Friends of France Society, said France was patient and calm, because slic know that justice was on her side. She had no uneasiness regarding Britain's real sentiments, ft was said that Britain was a nation of shopkeepers, lmi for those shopkeepers, honour and justice were the first articles kept in stock.