BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1924, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

[Reuters Telegrams.]

FLOODS IN KOREA. TOKIO, July 22

Heavy rain has caused serious floods throughout Korea. There is a serious interruption of iiommunicat'ions, especially between Seoul and the Manchurian border.

BOLDING CONSUMERS TO

RANSOM

LONDON. July 21

Tlio standard grades of flour have risen Is in London to £-15 Os per ton, compared with £3i Os at the begin-

ning . . The “Daily Express’’ says: British flour consumers are being held to ransom hv an American ring, which hopes to gain the votes of the Western farmers, thus ensuring a Republican victory at the Presidential deetioki. Tty.'ro has been nothing equal to the present gamble since the loiter boom. Members of the Baltic Exchange say there is no panic in London. Imt the market is very nervous. Other English exports are of the opinion that the American syndicate will burn its lingers badly, as there is no reason to believe that there is a deficiency in the supply for the United Kingdom, even il there is a deficiency iu the Canadian and United States crop, the South American crop will make up the shortage

HITCII OVER LOAN. LONDON, July *2l. The “Daily Telegraph's’ Diplomatic correspondent says: JTacDonaH has informed the Allied Ministers that the bankers, particularly the Americans uere disinclined to take up theforty million loan for Germany, lieing dissatisfied with the guarantees. The Ministers were keenly disappointed. They had a conference with the Governor of the Bank of England and others, until a late hour. The hitch is undoubtedly serious. LIUITK RAILWAYS PROBLEM. LONDON, July 21. The question of the Ruhr Railways is proving a thorny one for tlio Allied Conference Sub-Conimittec. There is reason to believe it will lie referred back to the whole eonfrenew.

1)K VALERA SPEAKS. LONDON. July 22. Mr Enmonn De Valera, the Irish Republican Leader, was welcomed by five thousand people at the Dublin Mansion House. There was another five thousand people outside. Mr De Valera de.-larcd that they could take the oath of allegiance only to the Irish Republic. The real rebels were those against the Republic.

HOUSING REFORM. LONDON, July 21

The Government's score of defeats totals ten after the passage of two adverse votes in the committee stage on tlie Housing Bill in the House of Commons.

A Liberal amendment wa- passed by 201 to 155. Then a Labour amendment. which was accepted by the Government, was rejected liy 137 to 119. In both cases, however, Rt. Hon. Mr Wheatley accepted the decision of the House. Iu the course of the debate. Air Wheat ley, to everyone's surprise, announced that lie lias reached a virtual ngreemont with the Builders’ Union legarding the provision of skilled workers.

Tho Minister also outlined his scheme for a speeding np process > apprenticeship, hv the enlistment of Schools' evening classes, and also by the proniitioii of semi-skilled labourers.

INDIAN DEB ATI

[Reuters Tki.kcraus.]

(Received this day at 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, July 22. The Lords debated the Indian situation on the initiation of Lord Pool, who asked for n full Government statement of policy. He specially drew attention to the general (-(institutional situation and question of applying the report of the Lee commission, dealing with the acceleration of the Tndianisation of some services, the provincialisation of other services, and improvement of the financial conditions and security of tenure of European civil servants for Indian service, whose reeruiiiiieiit in Britain lias recently been becoming difficult.

Sir Sydney Olivier (Secretary to India) replying, declared that owing to. the magnitude of the issues involved it was impossible to pass judgment on the Lee recommendations within such a short period. Meantime, he sympathises with the claims of the civil service, and declared recruiting in Britain of certain services was tempnrarilv su-iiended under the recommendations (if the report, hut British recruiting of pivotal services were continued. Concerning the latter, ho did not fear being unable to get sufficient application- regard- constitutional reform. Sir Olivier declined to prejudge Ibe report of the committee, which at present was exhaustively exploring the situation.