BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1924, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

(BSTKALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. THE JAP EARTHQUAKE. TOKIO, January 10. Tokio railway which was interrupted by tlie eaithquako is now running on a single hue to Diabutso. ’The railway at Kamakura, which was displaced hv the earthquake in September has not' been moved hack four inches, barge fissures have been made in Kama Kura water supply to Yokohama and Hie ciiy is cut oil'. Vessels in the harbour aie supplying water to meet"* the immediate wants oi Yokonama. The. uain service is suspended and the panic stricken ] eople aio camping out in the streets. A dense fog hung over Yoke- \ Faina making the sun appear crimson. YoKoltama casualties were, three killed and t twelve vG.taded. seven houses totally collapsed, three partially, and cue warehouse, two schools and two faetoiies tell down. SHAKEN INTO THE SEA. TOKIO, Jan. I k Sendai, an important market in "V the city, was shaken into the sea. Hie extent of the damage is unavailable, but the populace is distraught, dreading a recurrence of the wide devastation. Professor Nakamura, an eminent earthquake authority. stales that earthquakes of lesser-intensity will be frequent in Japan during the spring. The professor regards the disturbances as of volcanic origin, similar to the eruption on the lire! of September when Enoshima exploded carrying the entire Island into the sea. STEERING TERMS. LONDON, January TO. 'Shipping men are keenly discussing the suggestion that the interests of the safety of navigation, particularly when tilt ship is in charge of a pilot fn narrow seas, the words of command, light or left, be substituted for starboard and port. Numerous recent accidents^ are tradeable in roufus;-.:n on the bridge in consequence of a misinterpretation of tl'.e order-or even the wrong oilier being given. It is pointed out that ivlien a big steamer is proceeding slowly, a few turns of the wheel in the w rong direction sets the bows swinging in a manner that cannot be quickly corrected, and inevitably means grounding or collision in narrow channels. such as the Mersey and Thames. JAPANESE POLITICS. TOKIO, Jan. 17. The fate of the new Kiyoura Ministry hangs upon the decision ol the Leaders of the Seigukai Party, taken yesterday, when they resolved to fight the Ministry to a finish, and to launch a motion of want of confidence, when the Diet resumes on January l!0. Viscount Takahaslii, a former Premier, in announcing this decision, said that the tendency to wipe out the ditfereneos between the Throne and the Ministry meant dragging the Throne through the mire of politics, with tlu: possibility of a dangerous upheaval. The history of Western lands, he said, was full of instances of political movements degenerating into social agitation, and thence into revolution. Japan had got no further than political agitation, hut a danger existed, and it would become worse unless the country were given political peace. He was resolved In resign his peerage and contest a scat in the Lowci House, in order to light for constitutionalism. When the want of confidence motion is presented; the Premier will probable prorogue Parliament until after the Royal wedding, and then . dissolve it. and appeal to the country. MORE QUAKES. TOKIO. Jan. TO. Fifty eartremors wore recorded in Tokio yesterday. A number of telephone girls are reported dead.