BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

[“The Times” Service.]

Tun coai, i:\ynitv. •Received' this day at 8 n.m.; LONDON. April 24. At the opening of the miner’s case at the coal inquiry. Herbert Smith asserted the owners were making handsome profits even after the payment of huge royalties. Among the latter yearly rcceipicnts were Lords Durham £38,000, Diinraveil £(>1,000, the Duke of •i:iin i I ton and the Marquis of Bute £IIS,IKK) each, the Duke of Northumberland £82.000 and Lord Trodegear £84,000. The coal owners in replying to Mr Shiiiwcll’s price criticism, declare that the figures for a few individuals may lie an unsound basis. The Federation was determined to give the public tho facts .so therefore it was decided to compile a full statement of the average profits with a chartered accountant's certification. LABOR- CRITICISED. .Received tliis dnv ,<t H a.rnA LONDON, April 2i. Speaking nfc Llandudno, Tfr Lloyd George said—J asked why wo put the Labour Party in power. Tt was a horrible choice, Wo had to choose between the thoroughly muddle-headed Dioliards ami fairly intelligent Socialists. The last Government lowered Britain’s prestige throughout the world and we could not vote lor a Government which made the appalling settlement of the American debt. The Liberals therefore chose to support a fairly intelligent party. Mr AfacDonald says he is going to remain in office for two or throe years, carrying out Labour ideals, but lie must know that is humbug, a,s Labour ideas include the overthrow of the existing system of private enterprise and destruction of the system of private properly, substituting communal property.

RHINE ARMY'S GREETINGS. LONDON, April 24. General Goilley, in a message to Sir .'Joseph Cook, and Sir dailies Allen, sent the British Rhine Army’s- Amato greetings to.nil Anzne comrades. BOCNDAR V C(.)N[■'Kit I'NOE BREAKS VP. LONDON. 'April 24. The Irish Boundary Conference broke un without an agreement being reached. A SO 1,0-R USSTAN C O N F E R KNCE. LONDON, April 24. The Anglo-Soviet Conference has established committees, firstly, to investigate the debts claims and counterclaims, the means of restoring Russian credit to Britain; secondly, to draft a treaty of commerce and navigation; thirdly, to examine and repott upon the question of territorial waters. 'l'lie CnnfereiK e adjourned until the Committees arc ready to report OBITUARY. DELHI. April 24. Obituary Bahadur of Narsiugah.

BOR DON CAMP' MURDER. LONDON, April 24

At the inquest on Hall, the bank manager at Bordott Camp who was shot, a verdict of wilful murder against Lance-Corporal Goldenbcrg. Ihe T oroner recommended more protect ion lor people working in circumstances similar to Hall’s.

LIONEL AIONCETON'S BEQ PESTS. LONDON. April 21. The ei,poser. Lionel .Monekton left £7<.'.017. The heij nests inelnile ten thousand to his widow. Gertie Millar. A thousand to the Royal Acndeint of Music, to found a Monekton scholarship. FRENCH PROFESSOR'S PETITION. PARIS. April 2d. M. Poincare, in replying to M. Teliiteherin. says the French Government ill transmitting the Soviet Government's petition from French savants asking for clemency to their Rn-.iaii comrades, did not intend to interfere with Russian internal affairs and adds the Soviet Government is perfectly free to disregard the considerations of humanity.

M. Poincare denies the allegation that those condemned at Kiel!' had collaborated with the .French secret scrvice.

SHIPYARD WORKERS RF.SFMT

LONDON. April 23. There is a general resumption by the Southampton Shipyarders. and the lock-out- notices have been withdrawn everywhere.

There is a general resumption ■>>' the Southampton Shipyarders. and the lock-out notices have been withdrawn everywhere. SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTIONS. LONDON. April 23. The Nationalists have opened their election campaign. General Hertzog and Doctor Molau. leader of the Cape Nationalists, spoke at Vryheul ami Capetown respectively. The Republican and secession issues, figured pi imminently in both speeches. General Hertzog declared that the Republican hoge.v had been killed and was never on the Nationalists pio gramme. He assured his heaieis that sovereign independence had been secured and it had been admitted by General Smuts that they should use that independence and act independently of the ln\y Council perhaps in the election of a Governor-General. |)r Maian declared the Nationalists stood for Sovereign independence, which did not necessarily imply secession from the Crown. So did the Canadian Government- and General Smuts. If it did implv secession front the Government and' State of Great Britain, constitutionally however close the gelations might otherwise remain, then the Nationalist Party were the secessionists; but so also was General Smuts himself, unless he was deliberately deceiving South Africa.