BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

LATEST CABLE NEWS

WEMBLEY EXHIBITION. STATEMENT BY' CHAIRMAN. ("Sydney Sun” Cables). LONDON, October (i. Lord Stevenson, Chairman of the Empire Exhibition Committee, describes as sheer nonsense, the statement by the lay Express’’ that the :ieiit it will lie in the vicinity of live or si:: million sterling. "(t. is impossible,” says Lord Stevenson, “to estimate Wembley’s loss before the assets ale realised. Would we sell the Exhibition as it stands for a million ! Emphatically, No! As an instance of its value, the Stadium cost bail' a million. That value lias probably increased as it. is the World’s greatest sports ground within easy reach o ftlie World's greatest city. A vast majority of the Wembley exhibitors testify to its success and desire a eontinuar.ee. Its goodwill is one of our gieatest assets and it would i.c insane folly to close.” A high official said that between three and three and a. half millions have iheen expended on Wembley, making an excess over receipts of one and a hair million. The total sum guaranteed was C 1.800,000 including the British Government's £'ooo,ooo. Assuming the Exhibition is clcscd in 1921, about forty per tent of the guarantees will he tailed up after the assets are realised.

WEMBLEY CLOSING CEREMONY LONDON, October 5.

Whether the exhibition reopens in 1925 or not, arrangements are being made for a closing ceremony on November Ist, in the form of a thanksgiving service, which will rival the opening ceremony for magnificence.

LABOR PARTY’S FEND. LONDON. October (!

Mr MacDonald has opened the Independent Labor Party's sp.eeial effort fund in view of the general election with a donation of £ll)o. ItKPLY TO GERMANY. (Received this day at 11.25 a.m.) PARIS, 0< toher (i. France has sent a note to Germany stating she dues not object to tbo principle of Germany’s admission to the League of Nations or even Council. subject to German submission to all tbo rules, without exception, laid down in til*.* Covenant. It is believed the Anglo-Belgian Governments will similarly reply. ~! APANES ES lit EA ( T 1 ON ARI ES. TDK 10, October l>. Threw members of the Reactionary Society 'forcibly entered: the Foreign Office for a demonstration against the Japanese policy towards China, distri'buting handbills setting forth their views regarding the country’s proper policy. They entered the Minister’s room which was empty, but enrnimtered' other officials wlm were roughly treated. The ruffians wen* finally arrested. NEW ZEALAND’S POSITION.

(Received this day at 12..T0 p.m.) LONDON. October 5.

Sir .f. Allen informed the* Australian Press Association that New Zealand was not committed to the protocol until it was ratified by Parliament. He understood theppo tion to be this. He had merely agreed to recommend the protocol to the consideration of his Gonient. If and when the Government instructed' him to sign, be would do so, but even then it would be subject to ratification by the New Zealand Parliament. The next step would lie to submit tlie pro I "to! (o a \\ erhl f.'onlereliee w Ini b might devil!:.- to supplement it by the d> .til in'ment ' lie nit:. "bull must be read with the protocol. This final stage would he ratification both of protocol and disarmament by the nations represented at the "World's Conference. Tf the Conference failed the protocol would necessarily be ineffective.

WOOL BALIOB. LONDON. October (I,

At the wool sales 10.911 hales were submitted comprising largely scoured merinos and slipes. There was a slow sale, prices were five per centum under last week's. Greasy crossbreds and l>est greasy merinos were in good demand on Home and American account at steady prices.

Q L* E K'X SI.AND I .O A N. LONDON, October 0. The “Morning post” com men ting on the Queensland loan, says the confidence of investors in Queensland is indicated by the fai t that the underwriters terms represent eight shillings per cent better than the conversion loan of April. -It is denied that the present notation has infringed the interstate agreement, in reference, to internal Australian loans, this transaction being entirely outside the agreement.

THE GOVERNMENT'S STAND, LONDON, October 0

.Mr Spoor, Chief Whip, alter today’s Cabinet meeting, made a .statement to the effect that the Government was determined to oppose both the [Tnionists’ closure motions in the Campbell ea.se and the Liberal amendment thereto. Mr Spoor added : “Our view is that there is 110 essential difference between them.” A VICTIM OF THE WAR. fßeceived this day at 11.25 a.m.) PARIS. October 5. Owing to the fact that he had a German name, M. Mcerek, a resident „f the Aisne district was denounced as a snv early in the war, and an excitable gendarme, without inquiring, shot him dead. The League of Rights of Man look up the ease after the war. and proved. Meerck’s innocence, anil then persuaded the Government to give his widow, who was starving, a grant of C 250 and 025 a year.

SI 11P BUT r.D IX Cl RFT FUNS. (Received this day at 11.25 a.m.) LONDON. October 6. “Lloyd’s Register” shipbuilding returns for the quarter ended 00th Sept, show 1,108,000 tons were being constructed in great Britain and Ireland, a decrease of 18,000 compared with the quarter ended. 00th .Tune, hut an increase of 107.000 compared with a year ago. Tonnage commenced during the quarter amounted to 2)2.000 tons, compared with 3io,fioo lur the previous ouarter. The tonnage launched totalled 3,000.000 tons, only four thousand toils less than the .lime quarter, which was the highest during the last 2!} years. The total merchant tonnage building abroad was 1.112,000 an increase of twelve thousand compared with 30th June and includes Germany 11-8,000, France 137,000, Italy 132,000 and Holland 85,000. There were 278 thousand tons commenced abroad and 192,000 launched during tli quarter, an increase of J 5 000 198,000 and 28,000 respectively. The total world tonnage is 2,;>51,00, which is 865,000 below the highest pre-war record. Motor tonnage building in the world is 938,000 compared with 1,021,000 steam tonnage.