MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1923, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. ANOTHER BIG SHOCK. TOKIO, Sept. 26. Another severe earthquake occurred in the Hiroshima district on Monday, doing considerable damage around tlie city of Kuro. Two wards of Tokio City yesterday •suffered from the food and typhoons, during thousands of the refugees into the open fields. The rice crops were also damaged ill many prefectures. One class of Japanese is especially hard hit as the result of the first earthquake, namely, the professional and clerical men, who are out of employment, without any prospects of finding any for many months. There is plenty of work [or ordinary labourers in clearing the debris and in reconstruction.

The Government who are facing me problem of carrying the unemployed, have advised them to leave the i ;ty, but there is nowhere they can go. The approach of cold weather and a great lack of clothing will bring the prospects of much suffering to the poolclasses. The Government continues gloat efforts to prevent profiteering. It is opening ]5 public markets in Yokohama, where everything will be sold at cost. INSURANCE TO BE RAID. OSAKA, Sept. 27. The Tokio Chamber of Commerce is forming a company to take over the exist in" fire insurance companies, and , ? .,v the losses. The Government will subscribe 64 per cent, of the capital. The Rice Exchange reports that ilio crop in Japan this year is 10 nor cent, in excess ot Isi*t year. TUI': LAST AKTICLK* LONDON, Sept. 27. Mr Idovd George’s last article deals with M. l’oincaro’s difficulty in conciliating conflicting opinions in Franco in connection with the Ruhr, and the danger tu France on tins account. CHURCH CONGRESS. LONDON. Sept. 26. The Dean of Worcester, lecturing before the Church Congress on “ The Christian Ideal and the Nations,” said that there had come into being a world united as an economic unit, but not united as a moral unit. Hence the rivalry, jealousy, hostile tariffs, and armaments. At the conclusion of the war, the peacemakers, hy insisting upon the principal of self-determination, had multipilied nationalities. Consequently they had increased the friction, and started new nations on their career with a spirit of hate seething in them. The tariff and other trade impediments prevented a return to economic prosperity. II the people of Europe did not realise that they were brethren and all members of one'family, and unless they lived as such, they were doomed.

At the Anglican Congress, Lord Hugh Cecil, dealing with the League of Nat ons, said that it was a peacemaker, not a judge. Its function was to keep the peace by promoting negotiations and offering arbitration. He believed that war had just been avoided by the efforts of the League. Christianity, in order to avoid war, should see that sentiment and passion wore disciplined according to Christian law. Ho did not: belittle nationalism as a passion. It would he a mistake if wo endeavoured to eradicate that passion, instead of controlling it. There was nothing more striking than the contrast between the care taken to control sex passion and the lack of care in regard to the passion of national selfishness. Nationalist sentiment, even when legitimately indulged, might cause war. The League, in time, would become stronger, hut he dreaded the cause of peace becoming based solely on materialistic considerations.

NATIONAL STRIKE THREATENED. (Received this dav at 0.-15 a m.) LONDON, Sept. 27. A national strike is threatened in consequence of a proposal by shipowners to reduce the wages of coal trimmers by twenty-two and a-lialf per cent. Shipowners offer to accent arbitration by a Court of Enquiry. Tlie employees refuse, and they arc supported hv the National Union of Railwaymen. Transporters’ Union, and Transporters’ Federation. IS IT FATE? (Received this day at 0.45 a.m.) LONDON. Sept. 37. “The Daily Express" states Aubrey Herbert, a deceased member of the House of Commons, was present when his half-brother, Lord Cnrnavon, opened Tutankhamen’s tomb. Herbert was deeply impressed with the solemnity of the occasion and remarked to a bystander: “Something dreadful is going to happen to our family.'’ Lord Carnarvon died within a few weeks and now Herbert has died at the age of 45. AFGHAN FEARS. DELHI. Sept. 27. According to Turkestan advices. Russian troops there have been greatlv increased during the past few months, on the pretext of dialing with the revolution in Bokhara. Red troops are now ostimated at seventy to eighty thousand. Afghans are becoming anxious regarding the Bolshevik s intention.*.. Manv Bolshevik parties are intriguing in Afghanistan, and there are fearf of a possible Bolshevik attempt to invade the country with a large portion of the Bed Army now gathering in Turkestan.