MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1924, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

[IIECTEiia Telegrams.] A FRENCH REVELATION. PARIS, December 17. In the course of a discussion in the Chamlier on a clause in the Amnesty Law concerning Malvy and Caillaux, Malvy made a revelation in regard to the late Freach Government’s connection with the “ Defeatist” newspaper, “Bonnet Rouge.” whose director. Almeyreda died in prison. .Malvy said ho did nothing with regard to the “ Boiinet Rouge ” which was known to and approved by the Governmnt of the'day. lie was now released from a promise ho made to Yiviani. lie paid Alinoyreda subsidies after a discussion by tlie Council of Ministers, presided over by M. Poincare, which considered it better, in the interest of tho national defence, to take under its wing a paper which influenced a certain part of the population. Malvy added that Vivian gave him twenty thousand francs for Almevreda, made up of tell ■thousand each from Millerand, then Minister of War, and Deleasse, Foreign Minister. REASON FOR REGISTRATION. LONDON. December Ifi. The “ Daily Telegraph’s ” Dublin correspondent reports that the Free State Government has issued a statement pointing out that it was the Free States’ duty, as a member of the League of Nations, to register the Treaty made with England, and a failure to do so would mean the Free State’s repudiation of the Covenant. The Dublin correspondent of the “ Daily Express ” says that some quarters there regard the British action as a move to prevent any appeal to the League of Nations on the boundary question.

NEW .TAP MINr.STF.iI. TO Kit) Decemher 17. Tiuines Matsudaira, Vice-Minister of Foreign Adairs, lias been appointed Ambassador to Washington. SINGAPORE BASE. FIRST LORD'S STATEMENT. LONDON, December I<l. The Hon. W. C‘. Bridgman (First Lord of'the Admiralty) in a speech at a luncheon in London, when referring to the Singapore Rase, declared that nothing could ho further from the truth than that the scheme is aggressive. “We desired to retain,” he said. “ valuable friendship with the United States and Japan. I am sure the American and Japanese statesmen did nut regard tho provision of the base as any kind of aggressive policy, but as a policy of defence, lending to greater efficiency and economy in the navy. It is simply a measure of insurance. There was no cloud on the horizon as far as we could see at the present time, hut nobody could foretell the future; so we must be prepared for any unexpected turn in events.”

WAR ECHO. LONDON, December Kb The latest volume <*-!' the Official History of War discloses that General Towusliemi. 011 the authority ol the War Office, offered the Turkish Commander one million pounds sterling, and also offered to surrender bis guns, if the Kut Garrison were allowed freedom on parole. The Turk declined this. ,and also declined a later oiler ol two millions, shorty after which hunger compelled an unconditional .surrender. Will El. ICSS ON LIFEBOATS LONDON, Dec. 17. Largely as the outcome "f the Trcvessa disaster, a special lilehoat with a wireless plant has been perfected, and a proportion of such lifeboats will he required to he ini ailed in every passenger ship after July next. ’! he apparatus, including a petrol engine, is contained in a box lour leet high and feel septate. A special I eat are it. a ,!lrcetion indicator with a range "! one hundred miles. ART TREASURES FOR DOMINIONS LONDON. Dee. Kb Sir Hubert Witt, trustee of the Nation I Gallery ppeakiltg tit the Author’s Club dinner, said: “We have 110 power to load works of art to the Dominions, but I think nothing is better calculated to hind peoples together than shut*-

ing our best treasures. The Dominions at present are poor in works ot art.” He suggested that Parliament be ashed to grant the necessary powers. AMNESTY GRANTED. PAULS. December 17. The Article of the Amnesty -Law specifically mentioning C.iillniix and Malvv was passed by 11-17 to 190 votes. DOMINION PRODUCTS. LONDON December 17. Mr Baldwin in the Commons announced that a million sterling would he allocated annually to the developing schemes for marketing the Dominions’ prodme. ALBANIAN REVOLT. ROME, December 17. The Servians state that Albanian rebels and Wrongel' 1 veterans, equipped with field guns and headed by the exPremier, Login carried out an attack on North .Albania. A similar revolt occurred in the south. The insurgents seized Scutari and surrounded the garrison, the Government troops flying panic stiieken. INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE IS. LONDON. Dee. 17. The newspapers suggest the British letter to the League of Nations with reference to the Irish Treaty has raised a delicate question affecting the Dominions within the League. They l>eliove the League will now he forced to take a ruling on the interpretation ol Article IS. HIGH COMMISSIONERS STATUS. .Received this day at 9.2-5 n.mO LONDON. Dec. 17. Mr Larkin (Canada) explains that the Hon L. C. M. S. Amery’s pronouncement is the result of Mr MacKeuzie King’s (Canadian Premier) efforts. At least at the Imperial Conferenee, the late Mr Ronar Law in 101(!, restricted the remission of taxation on the official incomes of the High Commissioners. The now remissions apply to all expenditure, whether personal or official, relating to licenses, motor ears, guns, man-servants or private residences, during the period of their High Connnissionership. Canada objected to Liberia and the Balkan States enjoying diplomatic privileges not conceded to the Dominions, hut the extension of these privileges to the Bolshevist Minister i:i London, induced a vigorous protest resulting in the Hon Amery’s (Colonial •Seeretarv) pronouncement. The “Daily. Telegraph” and the “Morning Post” Isitli commend lion Amery’s statement, regarding the High' Commissioners’ posts, intororetinrr it as meaning that thev will now *- .. i - af•

he formally regarded as Ministers ot the Empire, each representing a nation within the Empire. By virtue of its Imperial status, the United Kingdom is"the headquarters of that Empire, deriving its position, apart from other considerations, from the circumstances that it is the scat of the Kings Government. His Mnjestv is also head of every Government in the Empire and should the Royal Standard he hoisted in nny one of the capitals of the Dominions there would the headquarters of the Dominions ho as long as the King remained in that place. The new arrangement, moreover, formally recognises the right of the Dominions to he consulted in all matters of international policy by His Majesty a Minsters. ,