BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS,

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS,

LATEST GABLE NEWS

[Reuters Tei.f.oka.ms.] JAPANESE ELECTIONS. ■Received this day at 8 a.m.; TOKIO, May 10. Japanese election day was ushered in with violence. Riots are reported all over the country. There was one political murdc-r. Cjfuugs emulating the American Kit Klu.x Klaii, garbed in while robes raided the head-quarters of various candidates, heating the watchers. Numerous gang lights occurred and gendarmes were summoned. Aiiti-Anicriean finding was intensified when the newspapers printed dispatches indicating lfie House of Representatives had declined to accept l'lg) as (he date for exclusion. Early returns indicate the Government i-> losing, even members of the ( ahinei admitting that their chances ol obtaining a majority are most remote. One element in the Cabinet is known to he urging Cabinet's resignation il the election goes adversely. Other members, especially the Home Minister, Mizulin, is insisting upon the retention of power at least until June Ibth. w hen the Diet meets. Tin* interim could he utilised in an attempt to enlist sufficient members now belonging to the enemy parties to join the Government lorces, and give Kivoura a majority. It is believed the Mizuno fad ion will prevail unless the opposition of the majority is overwhelming, in which event, the Cabinet will resign probably before the Diet meets.

CAPE ELECTIONS. PRETORIA. May !!. r I lie Union Assembly has dissolved. The elections will he held on June 17th. A DASTARDLY MERITED. LONDON, May 11. Thomas O’Meara, a cattle dealer of Wingvgap, Limerick, was found on the roadside with the body riddled with bullets, and hands tied behind his hack. A DEATH SENTENCE. LONDON, May 11. In connection with the Bradford murder (cabled on Fell. 27th'i Wardell was sentenced to death. V TR \ INS COLLIDE. MELBOURNE. May I An electric train (ravelling 15 miles an hour, crashed into a goods train awaiting to enter Royal Park station, completely wrecking the vail anil derailing six trucks. The guard had a miraculous escape from death, being Hung the full length of tl U* Villi and buried beneath the wreckage, but only suffered abrasions and shock. Tin driver of the electric train nlso (scaped. though his van was partially wrecked. No passengers were seriously in j tired.

ATTACK ON FARMER. SYDNEY. May 8. Frederick Stephen Wells, a farmer was admitted to the Gonlbiirn Hospital suffering from injuries to his head alleged to ho vc been inflicted by a tomahawk and iron bar. The details are meagre. A man named Clement Robert l.ukliuiii, aged twenty-six. and a girl. Mercy Hockey, aged sixteen, were arrested in connection with the allair and charged with assaulting Wells. They were both remanded.

E.S. AND JAPAN. DANGER (»F CONFLICT. (Received this day at I I .Jo a.in.T Lit (NDON. May 0.

United States prohibition n! .lapnnoso immigration reduces Japan to the level of other (Iriclitals and might almost be construed as a slur on Japan's operation of tho migration agreement, which lias 1". ell rigid!,'- observed. It i-- idle to ignore the possibility of an ultimate Japo-Aiiioricjin coullict in the Pacific. Britain with her cherished friendship for Japan and indissoluble tics with I'nited States, will probably bo confronted uith the supreme responsibility of averting an incalculable disaster. She is watching every lorn of tbe most tremendous problem cool rooting tbe world in uhieli the latest .American action marks a significant stage of development . WATERLOG BRIDGE CLOSED. .’Received this day r.t H a.m.l LONDON. May IS. Waterloo Bridge, over uhieli nine thousand vehicles pass daily. Mill be closed from Sunday at midnight. The announcement came as a surprise though it was kiioMO that the centre arch Mas defective and subsiding. Divers are investigating. It is hoped 1" reopen it for light traffic shortly if ihc present siengtlieiiing foundations are successful. Thereof ter. extensive |e. construction "ill lie necessary.

A CORRECT DESCRIPTION

.'Received this day at P./W a.m.) LONDON, January 11. Sir .1. Allen’s description of tbe position of Camilla cabled on the fjtli.. is quite true. Mr Wade (Agent-General of British Colombia) said ill an interview. fast geiieraitons ol Canadians were Empire loyalists who lett the I uitod States after the American revolution. To-day •generation is growing up -‘m ho knew not Joseph.’ Without the main, spring of loyally ol those ot half a century ago. the British contract in Canada, is becoming less and American inlluciice is growing daily. American emigration to Canada in tin past twenty years has been greatei than British. Since the war Americans have established twelve hundred Canadian branch factories, obtaining the benefit of all the preferential arrangements. If tlds peaceful penetration continues without a great awakening from Britain. Canada will soon have nothing left but a ilag and a sentiment.

MINERS’ BILL. LONDON. May 11. Th ( . Executive of the Miners’ Fedcra lion met the Miners’ lets am discussed George Hall’s Nationally tion of Mines and Mineral'’ Bill. D was decided t > wait upon Mr Mae Donald and reipiest the Government! support fnr tin*

BIRTH CONTROi

(Received this dnv at 10.10 a.m.) LONDON. May 11. A deputation including 11. G. Wells and Mrs Bertrand Rus-ell asked Mi Wheat ly to remove the embargagainst giving information relating t> the methods of birth control at maternit v centres. Mr Wheat lev replied that a distinction imi't be drawn be. tween allowing access to knnuledgi and us actual distribution. Nobody would serioitsly maintain that access to knowledge should be forbidden, but public opinion w:i' not definite enough to allow the State or municipal undertakings to do more than indicate where the knowledge was obtainable.

heirloom silver. (Received this day at 11. In a.m.) LONDON. May 11. Earl Dudley is offering at auction r ton and a-ha'lf of family silver..and a library of twenty thousand volumefrom Himlcv flu!!, his Dudley sent,