BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1923, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. A GREAT AIRSHIP. NEW YORK. Sept. 12. What is considered the first large scale test of helium for dirigibles was finished to-day, and was a total success when ‘Z.R.L’ the largest Ameri can airship completed a twelve-hour trial cruise, the vessel responding perfectly to all demands, and maintaining a forty-knots speed. Bhe took heights ranging from two thousand to six thousand feet. The vessel cost fifteen hundred thousand dollars. She took nearly two years to build, and was made by American workmen under the direction of a German technician. Her dimensions are (!80 x 78 feet.

Her cruising range is five thousand miles. Her maximum speed is fifty knots. She has six .‘IOO h.p. engines. .'.n outstanding feature of the to-t was the perfect adaptability of helium for dirigible purposes, making the vessel proof against a eonllagration from an explosion. The experts consider the "Z.P ’

to be admirably suited for military purposes, and they consider the vessel the first important step in the development of practically a new aerial in-

strument for military purposes, contrasting its safely features with Ihe 11-fatod “1138” and "Roma.”

BRITAIN’S UNEMPLOYED

INCREASED WAGES AND PRO DFCTION ADVOCATED.

(Received this day at 10 a.m.) LONDON, Kept. 12. I lie lit Hon C. A. .McCurdy, in the first ol a series of articles in the "Daily Chronicle” on unemployment, says that there are one million three hundred thousand unemployed in Britain, excluding farm labourers, domestics, youths and girls, lie declares: "Nobody seems to be bothering about the matter. The Government is providing a few more doles, but no constructive proposal is offered.” Air McCurdy comparse with tlni'ranees policy of assisting rehabilitaD°n ol manulaciure sand points out that, in the United Slates, tbe working man is gelling double the British wages, not by working longer hours, but beetiu.se industrial organisation is far ahead of that of the British. Tf Britain is to maintain her position as a manufacturing nation she must increase her productive capacity and industrial efficiency within the generation. "\Yo ought to raise the British workers’ standard of life to that of the American standard and our policy should lie a pound a day for the British worker with the assurance 'bat we should get value for it. T:ial alone would mean doubling the homo market. A\ e must raise wages and reduce the cost of production. Without increased wages no great industry ever increased production." THE BRITISH EMPIRE. -MORE POPULATION NEEDED. (Received this dav at 10 a.m.) LONDON, Kept. 12. The British Association Congress has opened at Liverpool. Sir Ernest Ru'bcrlord in tbe presidential address dealt with Iho electrical structure of Mattel'.

A leal tire oi the meeting; is the number of important papers dealing with phases of atomic structure, arising out of investigations conducted bv Sir E. Rutherford. Doctor Cornish. President; of the geographical section, discussed I lie geographical position of the British Empire and declared that a siiong reinltireemenl of British population was needed in. Australia and New Zealand in order to maintain ib- doctrine ot a white Australia.. Tbe chief sour-c available we■> the Me*rop'>!it.in population. Hie British should take about two centuries or six generations to provide portions of an Empire possessing; temperate climates with siiliiricnt British stock to ensure a continuance of their British characters. Unless the British race increased il would, be impossible to ensure the internal peace or the external security of the Empire and t beret ore the birth rate in Britain should lie maintained above tbe death rale—at least until tbe British copulation in tbe Dominions exceeds that ol the Mother country. The maintenance ol tbe race will t bon ro-f with our people overseas. SOVIET AND BRITAIN. (Received this dav at 10 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, Sept. 12. The "Ekst rnhhulct.” states that Hie Soviet intends summoning a constitutional National Assembly and asking Britain whether she will then recognise Hie Government de jure. A condition will be made that the Assembly acknowledges the Soviet’s policy.