BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1923, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. IMPORTANT DECLARATION. DOME, Aug. 2<i. The General Confederation of Labour adopted a resolution proclaiming its independence of Government parties, but declaring that the interests of the working classes were not opposed to any particular Government. Semi-official circles regard this decision as mosb important, as hitherto the Confederation was looked upon as a revolutionary orga nisalinn. WANT’S TO RETURN. LONDON. Aug. 2d. The “Daily Mail” Hague correspondent says that the Crown Prince of Germany, interviewed, declared; “The day- a ill come when i must return to the Fatherland. I only want to live there like an ordinary citizen with my family and in no way ini tease the present chaos in Germany. So 1 must wait for better times.” ATTEMPT TO WRECK TRAIN. LONDON. August 20. An attempt to wreck a train was dn covered at Lamesley, on the NorthEastern Railway, four miles south oi Newcastle, 12 hours after the Queen nad passed on a journey to Scotland. The driver of a later express reported the obstruction when he reached New castle. An investigation resulted it; the discovery that an iron shoe, j.-.eu for lifting heavy objects, had been placed across the rails with the -hoe gripping the inside of the rail. Fortunately the express engines caught a lever attached to the shoe, and threw <s obstacle clear. If the shoe had been fixed outside, it would have caused a derailment.

[alter, at a point half a mile tiom the first obstruction, it was discovered that a warning boird, placed across the rails, had been smashed to pieces hv a south-bound train.

IMPERIAL POLICY. ItONDuX, August 27. The ‘‘Morning Post” publishes an interview by its correspondent with Air W. F. Massey (New Zealand Premier' regardin'* the Imperial Conference, in which Mr Massey- emphasised the importance of diseu s sing Empire defence and Empire trade as co-related nroh loins, and he urged the necessity of the Prime Ministers of the Empire having direct access to the British Prime .Minister as president of the Empire Conference. The “Morning Post,” commenting, welcomes Mr Massey’s .iifirmation that New Zealand is willing to take her share in Imperial defence, and says: “Mr Massey states the ease for Empire preference with unanswerable logic. The demand for ibis is now irresistible, especially as a Conservative Government is in power in Britain, whose policy is not parochial, but imperial.”