MISELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1924, Page 1

MISELLANEOUS ITEMS.

BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSN'., COPYRIGHT. SPANISH FLOODS. MADRID, March 31. Torrential floods in Guadalquiver River, near Alagaba, have resulted in the collapse of a big bridge. There were 200 people on the bridge, watching the churning waters, when a motor omnibus pushed through the crowd, reaching the third arch. Then the bridge broke, throwing the onlookers, the passengers and the ’bus into the flooded river. Thirty dead have already been recovered. Fifty others wore injured. BRITISH LOAN OFFER. LONDON, March 31. The Government are offering the holders of five per cent war loan bonds to convert the holdings into a new 4; Yer cent issue, redeemable in 1939-44, the terms being £lO3 in the new stock for every £IOO worth of old. It is intended firstly, to convert up to £200,000,000.

THE QUEENSLAND LOAN

LONDON, March 31

The “Financial Times” says:—The terms of Mr Theodore’s settlement wil. surprise most people, Ijceause they do ir.it iu-olve any immediate cash consideration for either side, nor any reference to contentions arbitration, at the interests concerned are satisfied the settlement is such that it should remove all fear from investors’ minds The “Financial News” says:— “Ntither side recedes in the slightes degree from the position taken up al. along. The benefit is conferred as the result ot an undertaking to not re neat the Act which ono party to tin transaction still considers illegal. Ihe strikes us not only a somewhat uega live benefit, but as one raising rather - startling proposition in law.” FRENCH. MINISTRY. PARTS, March 31. In the French Chamber, M. Poincare, in a ministerial declaration, sail that his new Cabinet had been lonned in the spirit of Republican union l and national concord. The Cabinet were determined to pursue unflinchingly the late Government’s foreign policy. The Government were ready to seek, with friends, the elements of a definite solution of the various problems. Any power subsequently seeking to disturb the European order, and to recover lost provinces, would arouse universal indignation, and those who barred the road < 1 such a power would earn the approval of the whole world. France, he said, was not imperialistic, and it she were given the peace to which she was entitled, France would march with the right towards tho new sun, the rising of which, though long delayed, was awaited feverishly by tho world. At homo the new Government’s task would he that of a drastic financial reform.

POLISH. DISASTER. LONDON, March 31. Advices from "Warsaw state the Vistula River has flooded forty villages. Twenty persons arc dead. Damage has been done to the extent' el font millions sterling. Aeroplanes are seeking for survivors.

It wiia thawing snow that cotuc-'J the Vistula and its confluents to over--1b,,..-. The forty villages mere destroyed by the onriishing wall of water, with, il is feared, heavy loss-el tile.