BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

'UKTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. FRANCO-JAP RELATIONS. TO KID, May 8. M. Merlin lias arrived and he was welcomed by the Government and municipal officials, (diners of the Embassy and leaders of tho French colony. To-morrow he will bo received in audience by the Regent who will attend the Imperial lunch given in his honur. Many morning papers editorially welcome the visit as an opportunity for cementing the friendship in economic relations between France and Japan. JAP TRAIN COLi.rsrnx. TO KlO. May 8. Late last night a train in which the President Takaha-hi Seiyukai. proceedin;r to Tokio from Aommii. v.-ns wrecked near Sendai. Four were killed and several injured. Takalmshi ami party "ere uninjured. The accident was caused by a misplaced switch causing the train to collide with a freight train. CANADA AND EMPIRE.

LONDON. May 8. Remarks by Sir Janies Allen tbit the position of C,-Hindi is a delicate '•li" havo aroused intense interest. ‘ 'I tie time lv’s '•erne P'r | laaii speaking by all who have the h—t interests of lhi' Empire at heart." said Sir .lames Allen. “It seems to me that llmre are very serious problems ahead lor the Empire, especially regarding Camilla, where the Western farmers are in a state of unrest now that the Imperial Conference's proposals ate

likely to lie turned down. Mr McKenzie King's position i- much more deli-

cate. I do not think there is any possibility of Canada seceding from the Empii'u. All the same we must recognise her position as tho neighbour of a great English-speaking people, and tlm” attraction that that neighbour offers. That is why I think the posirPm delicate. Britain should realise her relation to the Dominions, recognising that her action in refusing to accept the Imperial Conference proposals may give a serious blow to Empire unity."

OVER SUI’I'LY OF SHIPPING TONNAGE. LONDON. May S. 'file annual report ol the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company (White Star Line) with loleionce to the Australian service, says it proves disappointing. Conditions affecting ex) oils from Australia have been unsatisfaeforv and this ha- been accentuated by an Oversupply of tonnage, due to the lack of co-operation among steamshio companies engaged in trade. The company bad a profit balance of three hundred mid seventy-four thousand sterliii"'. after eel tain deduction*.

MEAT PRESERVING. LONDON, May 8. I’rolOsor Chapman, before tin- Ministry of Health’s foods Preservation Committee. Sir Horace Mlmro. presiding. outline;' ill" principles o! Bullot meat preserving process. The Committee was interested, and closely questioned IVofe-or Chapman I rum all aspects of the question. It umlerst„,;,| that llic Mini-try officials would carry out P -i- on a trial cargo of Build! i rented meal. I rout the "Arg\l--liire." ‘at riving at the end ot Hie month, and it re.,nested Profe-or ( hapman in the meantime to supply a more detailed report on the process.

EMPIRE WIRELESS. LONDON, Mac 8. It is understood that Cabinet has reached a decision on Empire wireless. hut the time and method of announcing such decision will he leit to Cabinet's Wirele-s Committee. It i- understood .hat the decision adopts the main lines ot the Donald report. AMU NS DEN’S PROG RAMM E. LONDON, May 8.

The “Daily Mail’s" Rome correspondent states that Amunsden and all his companions will tlv in the seaplane in dune from Pisa to Spitzbergen. The planes are constructed of a new alloc. that is not affected by long immersion in the sea. and is able to stand severe buffeting by the waves. The aviators will practice for a month at Spiti'.hergen and then set out over the Pole for Alaska, a distance of 17-jO miles, which is beyond a -ingle machine's capacity without rovietualling. Each machine will carry sufficient petrol for sixteen hours, and one will transfer petrol to the others, leaving sufficient for ther return journey to Spitsbergen. The other two will continue northwards, apd descend Pit"

eight hours. One will then bo abandoned after transferring the fuel to the remaining machine, which ivitk- four men aboard, will attempt to reach Alaska in a ten hours flight.

EX-SERVICE MEN. LONDON, -May 8. The Government has issued the report of the Committe appointed to consider tho claims of professional exranker officers to he treated on the same footing ns if they had been given permanent commissions, although they were only given temporary commissions. The report concludes that their claim was not made out, hut the Committee fully appreciate the hardships suffered and the value of the services rendered Jiy the claimants; hut stated that these were now such as to justify them now revising the conditions under which they served. The report recommends the Government, however, to make a fresh appeal to employers to give sympathetic consideration to

the claims of ex-olfieers to suitable employment. It recommends that exrankers who failed to qualify for the soldier’s pension he allowed to .submit their claims to the \Yar Office for such pension.

COAT, INQUIRY'S FINDING. PROFIT'S INADEQUATE TO MEET INCREASE. LONDON, .May 0. The report of the court of enquiry into coal miner-’ wages, states the profits of the industry are inadequate to meet the increases, but miners’ claims for .reorganisation involve a. political with which the court was not competent to deal, ft suggests a resumpeion of negotiations with a view to a modification of the .11)21 wages agreement.