BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

INDIAN BUDGET PASSED

(“Sydney Sun” Cables)

(Received this day at 11.25 a.m.) DELHI, April 2. i A momentous and stormy session of the Bengal Legislative Council concluded' with the passing of the budget minus many of its important demands -as a result of the tactics of the Nationalists Party, whose bickerings led to C. lb Das, a Nationalist, declaring his party would take no further part in the debate and for the second time tins session the Nationalists left the Chamber in a body. THE FRANC SWINDLERS. j (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) •LONON, April 2. The man swindled out of two thousand sterling through speculating in francs (cabled yesterday) is described as a hard-headed New Zealand business mail. He was caught bv the story that the operators owned a private wireiss plant enabling them to anticipate the movement of the franc on the Loudon market. He was burned into the last plunge hv one of the swinders paying a hurried call while the victim was at the break last- table, and convincing [ him that it was the last chance of the slump coming. EFFECT OF STRIKE. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, April 2. The London County Council announces that the tramway strike has inerease (lthe wages lull by £.104,000, making a. deficit of £325,009 on the year’s working inevitable. tidal wave.

ROME, April 1. A tidal wave preceded the Stroinboli eruption. AoYLUM ATTENDANT'S STRIKE. LONDON, March 29. One hundred attendants at the Lottorskennv Asylum struck work. Tm lunatics, who were attempting to scale the wall, were captured by strike pickets and handed over to the civic guard who were patrolling the asylum. RUSSIA’S LATEST SLOGAN. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, April 2. A Riga correspondent says ‘‘Every man a soldier,” seems to he the latest slogan of the Soviet Government, whose plans for the reorganisation of the Red Army include the issue of a new uniform cap, similar to the British. Officers will wear double breasted tunics to distinguish them from the men vho wear single breasted tunics. It is also proposed to create a special body of Army Inspectors whose duty will be the supervision of all military training. It is not proposed at present to expand the regular army, but to increase the efficiency of the territorial reserve, also to develop chemical warfare and other technical forces. The newspaper “Investin'’ says workmen’s clubs, reading rooms and similar establishments must he provided with riffles, revolvers and machine

guns ranges, so that every citizen may daily spend their leisure cultivating the love of shooting. THE WEMBLEY STRIKE, 50 PER, CENT WORKING. LONDON, April 2. It is estimated fifty per cent of the men are working at Wembley. THE EVICTIONS BILL. LONDON, April 2. In the Commons .Mr Asquith said the Liberals would vote against the Eviction Bill unless the first clause was deleted. SHIP AFIRE IN RED SEA. 1200 PILGRIMS ABOARD.

(Received this day at 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, April 2.

A message from Port Sudan states that twelve "'hundred pilgrims, bound for Jeddah, are aboard the British steamer Erangestan, from Bombay, which, is oil lire in the Red Sea and making for Port Sudan where she is expected to arrive to-morrow at daybreak, accompanied by the Clan Maeiver. The steamer Rangistau is proceeding Irina Port Sudan immediately to assist the

Erangestan. It was first wirelessed that the cotton cargo was on lire in the between deck of number two hold and that the "outlier was calm and. that there was no immediate danger. Later the shi] wirelessed that the lire was spreading seriously, hut every ellort was being made to control it.

The latest message from Port Sudai states the Captain of the Erangestan reports that the situation lias become most serious and it may be necessary to abandon the ship.

EIGHT-HOUR DAY BILL. (Received this day at l().2-> a.m.) LONDON, April 2. In the House of Commons, replying to a question, Mr Shaw said lie hoped to introduce an Eight Hour day Bill shortly whether or not foreign countries took similar steps. The Bill will covet the textile workers. EIRE IN PICTURE TITRATEE. TWENTY-SIX DEAD. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) MEXICO CITY, April 1. Twenty-six are dead and over fiftyfive, injured as it ronsequeiince of (t fire and panic in a picture theatre in Tnetibava, a suburb of this city. The majority of the victims were trampled down in the lush for the exits or were electrocuted by a "ire hanging in the main aisle which was short circuited, falling on the audience.