BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AND N Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION EMPIRE STUDENTS' CONFERENCE Tioceived this day at 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, Eeh. 19. The National Union of Students of the Univer-ities of England and Wales are promoting a eoiiterenee to synchronize with the Empire Exhibition at which it is Imped every university in the Empire will he represented. Each university will he allowed olio delegate and the cbiei .subject for disctis--iou will lie co-operation between the uiiicersities ol the United Kingdom and the Dominions, especially in relation to the exchange of visit.-. It i- exnected I lie conference will he held at Oxford or Cambridge. The union also appointed a hospitality committee to arrange generally lor the entertainment ol visiting Dominions students.

.FRENCH SHEEP REARING. (Received this dav at. 51.45 a.m.) PARIS, Eeh. 19. M. Xarrat.it, .Minister for Colonics; is conferring with Rouhaix and Tourroing wool manufacturers with reference to a scheme aiming to make France independent of wool supplies from Australia. New , Zealand and Africa, by growing wool in French colonies. The promoters, two years ago, inaugurated experiments in this direction by Lamerand, formerly a station owner in Australia, who se-

lectcd small Hocks from merino studio Australia and South Africa, and sent them to Madagascar and the high Volta region of Morocco. Reports from both these countries state the sheep arc acclimatising well and preparations are being made to extend sheep rearing over wider areas. Sarraiit, in congratulating the manufacturers on their foresight and enterprise. promised Governmental assistance in the acquisition of land and the provision of veterinary and transport facilities. He declared the time had come to introduce sheep into tin' colonies en masse, until they totalled at least one hundred million.

SOVIETISM IN CHINA. SUN VAT SEN'S EXPERIMENT. (Received this dav at 10 a.m.) HONGKONG. Fob. 19 The entire Chinese press reports that Dr Sun Vat Sen has decided to adopt the Soviet form of Government for the Kwangtuiig province, whereby lands and industries will Im nationalised .

The newspapers assert that the movement apparently follows a conference of Sun Vat Sen with the Moscow Soviet representative who promised a large sum in support of the experiment.

The reports declare the foreign colonies are not alarmed, recalling the Allied naval demonstrations on Gill December which forced Sun Vat Sen to abandon his threat to seize the Canton Customs.

1,01! I) KARQUHAR’S ESTATE. LONDON. Fob. 19

Lord Younger has authorised Bhr .Maxwell Hicks, head of the Conservative Party auditors, to state that, on Lord Earquhar’s death all party funds standing in their joint- names he reverted to Lord Younger. Lord Karquhar's estate, it ■ reported, docs not amount •“ lour hundred thousand. Trc result will lie .if Chancery proceedings are suee.esntul, •,hat many delegates, including Prince Arthur and other royalties, will net receive the full legacies.

DIRECT COMMUNTCATTON WITH BRITAIN. /Received this day at, ID a.m.) .LONDON, February Ad the nununi mooting of the Lour.c.n Ar|-itrahiisian Chamher ol' Cnmmercc Xi, .Ic'.sej h Cook was re-elected President. Retorting to the solid work achieved in promoting Australian, trade interests and the importance ol wirelees lie said that the day was noh far distant when direct ■communication between Britain ami Australia would he secured. SUBS TO JAP LOAN. LONDON, February 19. Subscriptions Lo the Japanese Loan amount to about forty-three millions sterling. THE LUXOR SQUABBLE.

GOYERNM ENT’S INTENTIONS

(“Sydney Sun" Cables). (Received this day al 10 a.in.) CAIRO,' February 19. In the event of Carter declining to restart work, the Government will reopen the tomb independently, despite the possibility of Carter’s appeal to the Courts. The intention of the Government. is to reopen the toinli to tourists within ten days.

THE FALL OF THE FRANC. TAXATION TO BE INCREASED. FAR IS. Feb. 18. The Chamber of Deputies adopted the Government's proposals to increase all taxation by twenty per cent. The Bourse Du Commerce lias been closed sine die by a decree by the I’refect of l’olice on the ground that quotations are resulting in. an exchange crisis calculated to lead to an abnormal increase in prices.

FRENCH FINANCE. (Received this day nt 11.-15 mm.) FARTS. Feh. 19. The taxation proposals were adopted. The Chamber embodied Clouse 11 which lias been hotly debated for nearly a. month. The Chamber thereafter got rapidly through the remaining clauses in the Government’s financial measures, the hill being passed this morning. Clauses 4to 32, baling with details of the increase in duties, delayed the voting on the bill, and has been blamed for the fall of the franc. \s French traders are now inlying sterling. heavily, it is hoped the franc wiH improve. _ The voting was 315 to Boknnowski reported the Budget taxation so far agreed to amounted to 4710 million francs. The sitting lasted from 5.30 last evening till 5.30 this morning.

SOFIA ANARCHISTS. (Received this dnv at 11-2> a.m ) LONDON. Feb. 19. The “Dailv Telegraph’s" Sofia correspondent states secret service officers surprised a group of anarchists meeting in a- private house in Sofia. When summoned to surremlet. 11 anarchists replied with shots am. bombs, killing several police am wounding others. Sustained firing la - nd to compel them to surrender, so the police set fire to the house lorn anarchists were burned to death three captured.

FISH HELD UP. LONDON. Feb. 19

Grimsby fish trade is held up owing to the strike of members of the . ■' 10,1 al Union of Railwaymen employed checking consignments to fish,. e result that the railway compam has issued a notice refusing to accept fish for delivery. A thousand men will l»e thrown out of work,

STRIKE EPISODES. [Reutkuk Tklkokams.] (Received this day at 12 noon). LONDON. February 19. Four hundred ton- of fi-li landed at Gimishy. must he destroyed unless the rnilwnymeii return to work. Telegram,! in that connection have heel) .sent to Messrs McDonald and Cramp, hr sides to the checkers, engine drivers

f.pd other ratings on the fish trains who refused to handle the fish if worked hv blackleg labour.

An ugly temper "a- manifested at iSuiithficld this morning, minor collisions taking place between the strikers ’ cl sidesmen while the clerks were helping to convey euicn.scs from the cold storage -beds to the market. Barrows were upset ami the carcases thrown on t" the ground. The -trike,s dispersed i- l-eii tile |-nib e arrived. Most other pests are at a standstill. Approximately three thousand men are working the Loudon dodo- this being one-fifth of lie norma! number. Thirl;.-l wo ships di-charging. Extensive picketing prevented linden- drawing more than a nivinl quantity of meat rioia the >■old store-. MISaIO.N AR) BEATEN. PEKING Feb. In. A telegram Irani Kashgar rcaortthnt the Rev. X\ rst-rew. ■< Swedish .Missionary, and an- coiivn-ri.-. wore

mohi-ed ia the -i ta.rkniio ami I, eaten am! dragged i u I fa-residence of a. Mussulman judge. Th ■ local authori-t.n-s acted tirinly. imprisoning the leaders and are prolivstiag to I he missions. The'situation is now normal. The outrage is the outcome ol a lortnight s street preaching by tt Mullah, ot 1 nrkisli origin.