BRITISH POLITICS. BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1924, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. A KUO I’LAX.IS SKCTfETS. PAULS, Fell. 11. The aeroplane arrests made on I'tibiiiary 9th are now shown not to he due to i'eoroign espionage, hut to an organised effort by foreign uempalne constructors to steal the secrets ot their French competitors. For some months. .French linns have known that their latest improvements were being stolen, hut they only discovered the source of the leakage when a draftsman employed at the Nicuport Works v.as recently asked to sell he firm's secrets’. The draftsman pretended to agree, hut. instead, he told the firm. Thus a French engineer, named I hivat, employed at the .Briquet Works, was arrested with the woman Kurtz, his Russian sweetheart, who has been a typist at the Brequet Works. The arrests are likely to lead to the expulsion of many foreign undesirables, especially Russians. CHINESE DOCK COY’S PRIZE. PEKIN, Feb. 11. The Kailaii Mining Coy’s chartered steamer. Kwahwu, with a cargo ol between five and -ix thousand tons of coal grounded on the Ninepins, near Hong Kong, during a fog. The llong Kong Whampoa Dock Company despatched a salvage tug to the collier’s assistaine, hut on arriving at the scene of the stranding, the iugmnster found the Kwahwu abandoned. He thereupon hoisted the dock company’s flag on the Kwahwu which has since been refloated, towed to Kowloon and beached. The dock company clai-m the Kwahwu as a prize. THE JAP LOAN. LONDON, Feb. 11. Underwriting is proceeding of the Japanese loan of twenty-five million sterling at six per cent, stock issued at 87J and redeemable 1929-59. IRTSH M.P. RELEASED. LONDON. Feh. 11. Cahir ITealy, the member for Tyrone in the Imperial Parliament, has been released from internment on condition that lie does not reside in certain parts of County Feermangh.

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THE FN lON IST PARTY

CONFIDENCE IN MR BALDWIN

LONDON, Feb. 11. Over five humlered members, including a considerable number of defeated candidates and two hundred Peers. attended a meeting of tho Unionist Party at the Hotel Cecil this afternoon to decide the leadership and the future policy of the party. Air Baldwin was accorded a warm reception and briefly stated the party’s policy. Mr Balfour moved, and Mr J. E. P. Rawlinson seconded, a resolution of confidence in Mr Baldwin as leader, which Mr Austen Chemborlnin supported. The resolution was unanimously carried. THE UNIONIST MEETING. MR BALDWIN'S SPEECH. ■'A • .... • [ R KUT ER S Tk t. EO It A MS. ] ißeceived this day at S a.m.) LONDON. Fob. 17. Mr Baldwin's speech at the Unionist meeting', outlining the future Conservative policy, dwelt emphatically on the maintenance of Imperial preference and Imperial development. He said—"Wo -land fast and unhesitatingly by everything that was decided at the Imperial Conference, fighting, if necessary to the end—for the sake of our people and our Empire, realising the r - necessity of securing only expanding markets wherein we have an opportunity of holding our own.” Mr Baldwin announced his intention of conferring with the agricultural interests to devise a prateieal policy for assisting the industry. He declared that the great enemies of the future were not the Lilierals who were moribund, but the Labour Party, which was very much alive. y - Me urged tlie party, in consultation with experts, to examine, in a modern light, a number of pressing problems, like housing, education, the relationship of master and man and to prepare a social policy for the next eleclion.

WIRELESS COMMITTEE APPOINTED. LONDON, February 11. Tlie Postmaster-General (lit. Hon. Hartshorn) has appointed Mr Slciser, ai. Robert Donald. Professor Eceles, Sir llritnimoml Eraser, and Mr T. Brown as a Postal Officials’ Committee to advise him on the Imperial wirdless service. A member of the Committee says that a settlement of tlie Imperial wireless matters is particularly urgent in view of the serious breakdowns jn the Marconi negotiations. The Committee will also consider tho early building of a powerful Government Station.