SVJISELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 April 1924, Page 1

SVJISELLANEOUS ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z- CABLE ASSOCIATION. BIRTH CONTROL. LONDON, April 9. A frank discussion on “Birth Control” was an outstanding feature of the “Copec” Conference. Rev Studdort Kennedy, better known as “Woodbine AVillie,” said: “The present conduct of this business is a damnable scandal. It is playing the very devil with the nation. If you wish celibacy within the marriage bond between people who adore each other, for God’s sake be careful. Is the population of China in accordance with the law of God?

Airs AVise, in moving a resolution urging tlie. Churches to investigate the question thoroughly, said the information now given was in an undesirable form. The fault lay with the church people, who were too pure minded.

Doctor Charles Gray, supporting this resolution, said that within a decade the vast majority of women would employ birth control. Cries of “Shame.” Several clergy present spoke strongly against birth control. The resolution was carried. LONDON, April 9. AL the “Copec” Conference a sensation was caused during a debate on a motion declaring it- fundamental to Christianity to regard every person ns of equal value in God’s sight, when Mr Arthur Black asserted: “I don’t believe that twenty illegitimates born to the women who have been recently before the London Courts are worth as much in the sight of the Lord as Dean Inge’s daughter. I do not believe that children conceived in sin, wickedness, and iniquity are as valuable in the Lord’s sight as children horn in god-fearing Christian homes.”

The Conference cried dowii Air Black, who refused to substitute “invaluable” for “equal.” One coloured delegate cried: “We stick by equality.” The Conference' gave a mighty shout of “Yes.”

PACIFIC CABLE. LONDON, April 8. The annual report of the Pacific Cable Board shows the traffic for the year ended 31st. March last was about ten millions. The paying words were over a million above the previous year, and was a record. The week-end telegrams represented thirty-five per cent, of the total international traffic, which was an increase of fifty per cent, on 1922. Approximately two million paying words were carried between Australia and New Zealand, and between those Dominions and the Pacific Islands, or 1.50 thousand fewer than in 1922. The report makes special reference to the improved facilities which will especially benefit Australia and New Zealand. The receipts for the year exceeded the expenditure by £256,298, and the surplus of receipts is £169,603. The actual receipts for traffic, however, were 12,313 below 1922. The explanation for the anomalous position of receipts showing a decrease while the traffic was greater is that the money is transferred to the board I v the collecting administration after the year in which it is earned lias closed.

FALSE PRETENCES

WELLINGTON, April 9

William Bradley, a. bush man, aged 51 years, was charged at the Magistrate's Court on eleven 'charges of false pretences. He pleaded guilty to three such offences at Gisborne, and seventy-three at Auckland, for which he was sentenced io throe years’ imprisonment. Accused obtained in Wellington £7O in goods and £132 in money, lie was committed for trial.

MR MASSEY’S REDDY. AYESTPORT, April 9. The Prime Minister yesterday replied as follows to Mr Holland s telegram of flic same day re Hie Taxation Commission: “Replying to your telegram of even date, you seem unable to realise that the members of the Taxation Commission have been appointed because they are thoroughly familiar with the subject with which they are being called upon to deal, and not because they belong to any particular class. Evidence will he welcomed from representative citizens of an v section of the community ahUto express an intelligent opinion on the complicated and difficult question of direct taxation. I hope your object is not to encourage dissent and resentment, as you express it, on the part of any section of the public. It must he evident to you that il 1 accepted your suggestion and made the commission representative of all shades of political sentiment throughout the Dominion, it would he impossible for its members to arrive at any recommendation of value to the country.”