BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

[Rkutkrh Tt:r.i:orams.] shortage; of clkugy. (Received this day at 11.0 a. 111.) BOX DON. May S.

The Bishop of Durham, at the convocation of York, proposed that ordination to a Deacoiiate he permissible Jit twenty-one instead of twenty-three, so a.s to facilitate the ordination of poor candiates. Me said there was a serious decline in the quality of candidates and the intellectual penury of many clergy was too terrible to contemplate. Whether it was due to the new cult of celibacy, birth control, or to poverty making the. people averse to mariiage. the old recruiting area for clergy was now barren of supplies, and the shortage of candidates was threatening to bring an immense calamity on the Kngle.li religion.

FRAXCO-TTRK TKNSIOX. iKcceivod this day at 1 I M~i a.m.) LONDON. May 8.

The “Daily F.xpress” states serious tension exists between the French and Turks on the Syrian frontier, where the Turks have an army corps undci Furred Din Pasha. French bombing operations in Syria are more than a primitive expedition against brigands. Two French aeroplanes have been shot down hy Turks. French casualties in the: recent week are e.-limated at four hundred.

The report of the Bavarian General, Von Lossow, formerly an attache at Constantinople, attending the Council of War being held by fiermun instructors training the Turkish army, says to meet the threat the French have only three divisions of Syrians. Weygand is urging reinforcements to he sent, which M. Poincare and General Foch oppose, preferring to evacuate Syria. This would he a menace to Palestine. The French have not yet ratified the Treaty of Lausanne.

CONTROL OF MR FLKKT. (“Sydney Sun” Cables). (Iteccived tnis dav tit f'.g’o a.m 1 LONDON. May 8

Lord Chelmsford has sent a. letter tu the Navy League's annual meeting announcing that the Admiralty and Air Ministry would shortly terminate, by mutual agreement, the dispute in regard to the control of tbe air arm. It is understood that 7l> per cent, of the air oliicers will l.e navy men. Hie League regards the move as in the right direction, but adopted resolutions that the control of the Meet's air arm should be in tile bands of the Admiralty.

The League also expressed prolound regret at the Government's Singapore deei.-iou against the advice of naval experts, thereby imperilling the security ot the Kmpire.

POHTl't! I'FSK PLANK CBASIIKS BKLIII. May S. The Portuguese aeropla.fe is reported to have crashed tit I’ipar. Joahpur. The airmen are uninjured. SOnil AFRICAN POLITICS. CAPETOWN. May it. Much surprise was caused hy the niinuuuccmcul that Sir |*rederick Moot - , a former Premier of Natal, has gone over to the Nationalists.

Charles Malan. a i mminent Nationalist leader, spreakiug of the Strand, said he would give a pledge on behalf of the lenders of his party that secession would only come with the lull concurrence of the English and Dutch speaking sections of the people. Addressing a meeting at \ ietoria West. General Hortzng denied that any undertaking ever had been given that secession propaganda should cea-e. Ihe only nude! t.'king that (luting the period of the i o-opetat ion of the Nationalist and Labour Parties that no step's would he taken in parliament to gel a Bepuhlie.

RUSSIAN TRIAL. [Rkitkiis Tki.i-t.iia.ms.] (Received this day at I I a.m.) MOSCOW. May 8. The trial has been concluded on six-t.-cii indiistrialisls who were charged with economic espionage, corruption and unfair practice-. Iwo were sentenced In death and a number of others to a. long term of imprisonment. All the accused were connected with the textile trust. The prosecutor described the proceedings as an ellnrt to prevent private capital conquering the wholesale trade.

PRESS 1.l RERTI ES. (Received this day at 10. le a.m.) LONDON', May 8. The newspaper Society passed a resolution that in then opinion tin- Ihll before Parliament, relating In reporting divorce and other cases, i- unjustifiable. ill considered, and an unwise interference with I lie .stabilised liberties of the pie-- ; that if lb- Hill pawl'd and trials concerning the white slave traffic, dope evil and others In which sex questions arise, will not be reported, ilie. Hill will thus play into the hands „f the guilty parties, whose chief desire was to keep tln-ir nu-«-(luiii'i out ol tin* lin'S-*.

EMPIRE RATE OK EXCHANGE. (Received this day at 10 L> a.mA LONDON. May 8. The Bradford ChandxT ol t'l.mincrcc will propose at the annual meeting of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce on the 21st, that as tin present rate of exchange between Great Britain. Australia. New Zealand. South Africa and vice versa is a great handicap on the trade of those countries, all governments concerned should seriously consider . the matte! with n view to establishing a more favourable rate. The chamber will also urge that ihe recommendation of the Imperial Conference on this subject he adopted without delay.