AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1924, Page 2

AMERICAN ITEMS.

OUTBREAK OF CRIME. -, [uv Tia.Ktnt.u’ir —run rnuss association.] c NEW YORK, March 3. What the newspapers characterise as another outbreak of violent crimes lias occurred here in the past '-’4 hours, when several hold ups, three robberies, jtiiid one case of stabbing were reported to the police. Many thousands of dollars were stolen. I lie police and several persons wore injured by the <les- , peradoes, who resented any unwilling- , ness to surrender money. Drug addicts looted a ehemi-t s. injuring the proprietor, and besides emptying the till, took several bottles ot heroin and cocaine. Two men, dressed in women’s clothes were arrested, following several holdups. ’Two of the robberies are attributed to Negroes. : HOUSE OF COMMONS. NAURU PHOSPHATES. uv Tia.KOii.U'H —i'IIKSS ASSN., COI'YaICHT. LONDON, March 3. in the House of Commons. .Mr Mitchell Thompson moved to reduce a vote proposed at £IOO,OOO, by £BO,OOO. ! on the ground that £‘20.000 "ill he suificient lor the purchasing of maehin- ' cry and for other development work on Nauru, Ocean Island. He said that he ' wished to elicit the intormalioii that > £’.()(;,(!()() was actually Britain’s .share of the phosphate profits, that the > lie-use of Comm,ms was being asked to • put that sum back into the business, bill il Was first necessary to know something about Hie prospects as a commoreial undertaking. Air J. H. Thomas (Colonial Secretary) in. reply, said that the Labour ; Government was in a way respousiijc ‘ lor the vote. 'The reason for the tou--1 tract was that phosphates were vital to ’ world. 'The Empire contract bad proved to lie not all bad. Alter the "ar America, owing to economic etr-eiijiislmu-os, was able to dump .surplus supplies into Britain. The result was phut Britain "'as not able to lake her quota of tlic. Nauru sn;q !y ; hut Australia and New Zealand were able to take ail of it. ’The island was admin isle red iindei' a mandate, and Britain r.;,l no right to assume that Australia wiuld abuse hei trust. It she did. there would he ;,n appeal to tie.’ League of Nations. 'Then: were net profits o' £ifM,37l for the year 1.921 -22. so flint me eontri'et was a f.aiil.v good business deal. CHINESE LABOURERS. LONDON, March 4. j The | louse of Commons adopted the Nanni vote after rejecting the motion joi a reduction. Major Daniels asked what were Britain’s liabilities. Mere the people oi this country going to get actual hone fits out of the undertaking? During the first two years not one pound ot tlm phosphates had come to Britain, yet sl'c lia-i subscribed 42 per cent, of the capital that was used to assist Australia and New Zealand to get their .supplies. Air AY. Black criticised the conditions ns ir. Chinese labour in Nauru, lie had teen informed that at one port there vein oTO Chinamen and only two women. Did the House consider il satisfactory and proper that hundreds and even thousands of labourers should be without their wives? Hu did not charge the Secretary for the Colonies w'th the .slightest responsibility for Has. hut the Secretary should examine me matter ami see il the nation’s hands were clean. i Air Bovver said that Air Thomas should satisfy himself that all the iu- . formation regarding Nauru had boon . fully sifted. Mr G. Joyce-said that in view of the , conditions of labour at Home, all the • talk about Dm Chinese, who could look i after themselves, was sickly sentimentality. Captain Berkeley said that if was the clear duty of the Government to investigate Air Black’s a,! legations. The Government should also examine - tiie housing of tile Chinese and the e health and education of the native t population. Colonel John AYard said that he resented the accusations that were being c made against Australia’s administration. Similar accusations v ere made l and refuted at the League of Nation*, j in ] 9p2. The whole League Council l came to the conclusion tlml they were unjustified. „ Captain Berkeley: “I cere s* no ’ accusation against Australia. AVe have drawn attention to the manner wherein ' the contracts iveio made with China.” Mr Thomas, replying, explained that jj '.he original capital was new lO'eivmg j ~i { per cent, interest. The money lnonj turned in the amendment was surp-las ■ profit, it would be used for tt steamer I to convey the labourers’ supplies, the I .building plant, and a light railway, and In purehr.se !be royally rights of theDe mon company which held the Nauru , pad si redly been paid to the Public , coiiccs-ion. He said mat £148.000 Trustee as a set-off against the repara\y!..if ■■ ~s ;ai(! about the Cain- . .sc would iie tiimmiiuicated to the Australian Government, but it must not be ’ taken that lie accepted the statements jjci urate. Piovi . ’ 'would he made jo- wives. Int i Chinamen, with j reasons of their own. did nut desire to j bung them. As an appeal could l-e j londe* to the League of Nations, ho .! cou'Hl quite legitimately ignyre the whole matter, hut the relationship be.lt 'een the Dominions and Britain was J such that they need not treat each f otl'cr as enemies. lie certainly did not j propose to do it. If there was any j complaint, Australia would he ms ready ] to consider it as Britain, it, wouhl he , ot h itt that sense that a eommitniI cation would he made to Australia. The vote was agreed to.