MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1924, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

KEY TO MEDITERRANEAN

BRITAIN’S MISTAKE

TANGIER NOW A RIVAL

(“Sydney Sun'’ Cables)

(Received this day at 9. In a.m.)

LONDON. Feb. II

“Gibraltar j s obsolete, Tangier now holds the key to the Straits. - ' writes Sir G. Wnid I’riee in the Daily .Mail.”

lie say-; 'lb i-tliiig uttli gum. this impregnable lortre: glim

grand, gigantic and grote-que. like a strange sea monster stranded on the shores of Spain with which every Englishman i- familiar -dominates the ocean highway Irom east to west. According to the geography hooks thi« was true until the seventh, hut the ellect nt the Tangier eon yell t 101 lis to reduce Gibraltar to the level ol a museum piece or a colonial tower of London, dignified, but not dangerous. So exactly if 1(1 years afterwards Bri-

tain pay- for cue ol the greatest blunders in her Imperial histojv. That blunder was tic abandonment ol Tangier m llisl. Tangier now ranks with Singapore, Sue/, and Panama, as one ol the controlling points ol the world’s traflie. Once liriti-h. as is Gibraltar, we did not lose it by a sale or a light we just !• •11 it a valueless instead of one of the world’s .strategic strongholds. If we had held on .to Tangier it would have been the richest British colony, heavy with valuable minerals, rich with generous crops and temperate in climate. Only lour days -team from England ii Is located at the most important cross roads of commerce. The Djiiildiug of a deep sen harbour at Tangier will confront. Gibraltar with a rival better lilted hy nature to use modern weapon-. which have made, the rock an obsolete citadel. Submarines based at Tangier could completely close the Straits, Big gun- could command the whole channel and aeroplanes, taking I)If from the plains behind the town, could keep Gibraltar—thirty miledistant -under a continual rain of bomb.-. So far tts any document can, the convent ion provides that Tangier shall he demilitarized, hut in the event, of a war. after its endowment with a modern harbour and railway equipment, it oilers a strong temptation to some belligerent power to overturn a happy family and secure the key to the Mediterranean.” MARRIAGE IN RUSSIA. MOSCOW, l-’eb. 11. The paper “I’ravila” publishes a detailed report of a I’an-H ussiau congress of Chiefs of Provincial Women's sections, which several hundred women delegates attended. A large number of delegates protested against, the compulsory registration marriage-, do hiring that legalised marriage limh-r the Soviet was as unnecessary and as undesirable, as was Hie old eeeie-iasl leal marriage. They said that compol —iry registration of marriages tended to inspire the masses with the idea that there were legal and illegal relations hehwj'en men ii.ml women whereas (here should be no dilfereiiec between these two forms of conjugal partnership. Finally, the regi-t ration marriage v. as useless in a C'omiinmi-L State, as it resulted in restraining and -l ult dying the natural sexual liiiTin.irioii- "1 women. The III: *;ol*ity of the speakers opell- !\ Invnuie-d five love mill ihe lull toleration of polygamy. After a prolonged ilisciis-ioi! Die coiigres- decided to recommend marriage regi-Iration.1ration. a- the time was not vet ripe for the more communal forms of conjugal re! P-iDti?. A> INSOLVENT TORltßeceived this day at 10.10 a.r.:.t LONDON Not ’ ' Interesting revolutions ft.v Lord Loughborough's iiisolveiuv were made at the investigation. The oitieini receiver said that bis father paid eleven tliou.suml sterling ot his debts in 1910. and nine thousand in Ipa ] The present liabilities were live thousand, of which £2.300 i- owing to' money-lenders and the balance to tradesmen. The wlie !>:i ill all ox pen a*- ol Li ,1 Lomdihorough's household in H\di' Park terrace. The Hosslyn Trustees allowed him £29 (icily. l ord Loughborough attributed his insolvency to extravagance in betting and gambling. Ills father's solicitor aimi'ninod that tradesmen would he paid in lull. Ihe solictor explained that Lord Loughborough's father had paid seven thousand owing to money-lender- in 1921 on condition that they would not again lend. They immediately broke the conditions, therefore the lather "il. not pay the moneylenders now.

AKB TAB DEFENCE OK i.nMHi.V. j AN I NTII rC'ATK SCI IKM K. j (Received (his day tit IbO a.m.) BOX DON. Keb. 11. The “Daily Chronicle's” aeronautical correspondent describes a great scheme to make .London the most perfect air defended city in the world. He says land lor a ring of aerodromes encircling London has been purchased ami armament linns are devising a large number ol high speed aeroplanes fitted with device- lor night Hying, combined with inovemcni. m the dark with precision, which ha- bulletin been imnpssible. so that the del cnee may no longer depend upon -eari-h----liglus and auti-aircrnlt guns. No devices will be suspended high in the air. A wonderful control chain will also ho created, including a huge map of the London defence electrically connected with a scries of great sound locating machines. Lamps on the map will flash up when the attackers are over any section of the map. am! tiny trails of'light will pass across the map indicating the movements o| hostile sq uiulroiis. PREPARING FOR NEXT WAR. PR p'SSI AXIS ATT OX OF FRANCE. (“Svdnev Sun" Cables). ,Received this day at 0.0 a.m.) LONDON. Feh. 1-1. The “Daily Chronicle's” Paris correspondent. states France, whose public men are continually preaching peace anil goodwill among nations, has a Government which is systematical y preparing for the next war. Despite all precautions, like the new hnancm measures. M. Poincare has sum.ittn t„ „ Parliamentary Commission ot the a rim-, a scheme for the organisation ot the whole nation in the event of a new war. Cnder the proposed bii. etei civilian in every occupation and ot everv mm will ho automatically enrolled for civilian services. The Dill aims at the organisation ot all inatona an resources indispensable for the successful prosecution of a great w in. tis even proposed to have u < ll " ’ hear-al to demonstrate that e t one is ready in his place m the natal, military or civilian lme ol deft • At. Poincare, says the loin-i dent ,seems bent upon the 1 lUssiam sation of France.