MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1924, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

(“Sydney Sun” Cables). MAIL VANS HEL+KUP. LONDON, February 23. The “Morning Post” says: “There k no doubt that if the mails had been ‘V driven to the docks under police protection, the “Kaiser-I-Hind s crew "■'oilld have been able to load them. What arc we to say of a Government which allows this deliberate insult to it* authority and prestige?” LONDON, February 237—Thero is much criticism of the authorities for allowing the dockers to hold up ’tie “Kaiser-I-Hind.” Eleven hundred bags of mails and a venvoy of sixteen vans, arriving at the Dock Road, found a hundred men blocking the roadway for half a mile from tin dock gates. The strikers told the drivers ‘that they had information about the vans’ movements since left the General Rost Office at Tilbury. Die police offered protection if the vans drove on, but it was impossible that they could proceed without killing pickets. The officer in charge oi the convoy went to a telephone, and when ho returned, the vans had turned round, and returned with the mails. It was pointed out that the case might havo been different if the mails had readied the dock area; lnit the vans were stopled on the King's highway. VIEWS ON IMPERIAL TRADING. LONDON. February 23. /■ The Chamber of Shipping at its annual conference, unanimously adopted a resolution that the shipping industry, while recognising the resolutions accepted by Ministers, are not binding on their successors, jointly with the Dominion representatives, were responsible. In the course of discussion on tho subject, it was pointed out that tho Chamber of Shipping had specially welcomed the decisions reached regarding taxation, and immunity from flap discrimination, and it recognised that pi eferenees would ho of great benefit, to the Dominions in developing markets and would encourage inter-Imperi-tf trade. The resolution refrained from expressing any opinion on the desirability of inter-imperial tariffs.

NEW BANK CHARGES. LONDON. February 23. The Associated Australasian Banks announce that from February 25, tho following will be the London selling rates:—Australian Drafts.—Alail transfers. 27.-- Gd per cent, premium; cable t-rans-krs 3-5* premium. New Zealand.—22s Gd. and oos per cent premium, respectively. The buying rale for sight bills on Australia and New Zealand will bo 15* per cent, discount 30 days, 26s 2d.

BRITAIN’S BIRTH RATE. LONDON, February 22. The birtlnate for 1923 in England and Wales., nineteen decimal seven per thousand of tlie population, is the lowest rate over recorded except for tlie wat years 1917-19. It is compensated by the fact that the death rate was cloven decimal six, and the infant mortality rate sixty-nine, both the lowest. recorded. The marriage, rate is fifteen decimal two.

ENGLISH TERMS FOR FRENCH DICTIONARY. PARIS, Feb. 23. The French Academy lias decided to recognise in a new edition of the dictionary a number of additional foreign word*, mostly English sporting terms, for v Inch there is no French equivalent. including football, and alpenstock. Tho words “nvant” and “arricre" may be used as nouns to correspond with the English tootball terms “forward" and “back.” The words baseball, basketball, and bobsleigh were rejected as English. BANKRUPT PEER. LONDON, Feb. 23. The "Daily Express” understands that the Peer, whose life policies wero auctioned, is Lord Armstrong, the great nephew of the famous founder of Armstrong Whitworth's. Tho present Peer resigned from the firm’s directorate in 1908, and made a deed of arrangement with his creditors, alien lii.i secured liabilities totalled £523,000 and his unsecured liabilities £132,000. Lord Armstrong was later associated with many unsuccessful ventures. At one time ho believed that Leinoine’s allaged diamond making secret was genuine. Lord Armstrong invested ill an early wireless syndicate, also a drug and drink cure enterprise, and in various mining and oil schemes. Last year lie closed the family seat in Northumberland, and went to live in a cotfage on the estate formerly occupied by his agent.

TRIBE HELD UP. . DELHI, Feb. 23. A party of Akali Jatha tribesmen some hundreds strong, fully armed, with spears and firearms and screened by six- thousand other A.kalis, proceeded to the Jaito Nabba State, from Balgari Farirdkot State in defiance of the Administrator's orders. They were met en route by the Administrator with a small party, who asked tho Akali to retire. The latter became agpressive, and tired, a bullet wounding uue villager. Then the Administrator ordered his force to fire (hive rounds of buckshot at the leaders, and three further rounds of controlled fire with service ammunition. The Jathas led by mounted Akali, increased their fire and delivered a determined attack, which was cheeked by ten dismounted cavalry. Two thousand Akalis then I'iok shelter. The remainder broke up. leaving one hundred behind, who were subsequently arrested. Tho casualties si far known are fourteen kills and thirtv-fonr wounded.

WIRELESS. LONDON, Fob. 20. Rt Hon Vernon Hartshorn (Postmas-ter-General), replying in the House of Commons to a question by Mr Becker, stated the Government has not granted fo the Marconi Company any monopoly or sole license in connection with the Imperial wireless chain. The committee recently set- up by tbe Government is considering tbe whole matter, and it has been asked to report as soon as possible. He feared that the arrangemonj s that have alreadv been made by certain of the Dominions will prevent the immediate adoption of the suggestion made by Mr Becker that the British Government. fn conjunction with the Dominion Governments, should consider making this enterprise for an Imperial chain to he shared equally by all tho Governments concerned. FTUME ANNEXATION. ROME. February 23. The King is confined to his room owing to influenza. Ho postponed his visit to Fiume for the occasion of the proclamation of the annexation of that ciU h v Italy.