BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 December 1924, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Reuters Telecrams.] FRANCE'S POPULATION. LONDON. Nov. 7. Despite her booming trade anil lack of unemployment Frame seems still unable to surmount the stagnation, if not decline, of her native population (the “Daily Chronicle” observes). The official figures show that for the second quarter of 1924 the surplus of births over deaths was 10,090 less than in tho same quarter of 192:1. As a matter of fact, adding the two first quarters of 1924 together, the surplus for the two was only IKioo. Vet between 1913 anil 1921 the population of France (including Alsace-Lorraine) went , down by over two millions; so that to recover the dei'line even in 20 years, the surplus of births over deaths would have to average over 100.099 a year. For the purnose of labour |xnver Franco makes up to a great extent by attracting foreigners, of whom about two millions are now living on her soil. Very few of them, however, take up French citizenship, partly because they do not want to incur for themselves or their children liability to French military serviee. and partly for either reasons. Even if they did. their incorporation in the French nation, must seriously modify the racial heritage, to which it owes so mui'h of its elistinct quality. Italians. Spaniards and Poles are now the most numerous immigrants. Meanwhile the French birth-rate remains much the same as the English; it is the high French death-rate that makes the difference. CONFERENCE OFF. LONDON, December 29. None of the Dominions has officially replied to the British official cablegram in reference to the Geneva protocol, but press tetlgrams from Australia, Canada and South Africa indicate the Premiers there will be unable to attorn! a London conference in March owing to local Parliamentary conditions. The Colonial office points out that while Britain still prefers a personal „ e'oiifori'iii'o to a cable consultation, the matter is entirely one for the Dominions to decide. Britain did not propose a conference. It merely sought the Dominion’s opinion regarding such a meeting.

IRISH All MV. LONDON, December 30. It is officially announced in Dublin that t"e> oflii'ers of the Free State Army have been suspended ami twenty live lum-tommissioueil oflii'ers and sixteen men and also several civil servants have been dismissed. It is believed, that this is the result of a conspiracy against the Government. following on measures taken to suppress the recent mutiny. TROTSKY’S FATE. LONDON. December 9. It is re*) eirteel from Aloscow via Berlin that Al. Trotsky is a prisoner ill the' Kremlin in e'oiiscqiicm'O of his ■riiii'isms of the Bolshevist ndminis-, t ration. 11U AIA XA TB OCIO USN ESS. YOUNG Glltl/S TERRIBLE FATE. (Received this day at 8.30 a.i11.) LONDON, December 30. A shocking outrage is reported from Belfast. A girl, aged seventeen, was converted into a human, torch. Aliss Lily-white was out walking when tlirco men in a motor car seized and beat her, poured petrol over her anil then deliberately si't (ire to her clothes. The men esi-apeil and the girl was sent to the: hospital liesperatoly injured. BRITAIN AND FRANCE. STATEMENT BY AL HElllllOT. (Revived this day at 5.30 a.m.) PARIS, December 30. Al. llerriot, addressing the Senatorial Foreign Affairs Committee on An-glo-French relations, referred to the mutual undertakings which both were striving to establish on international questions. the Mediterranean, the Alieblle East, and the Far East. Mr Austen Chamberlain has expressed gratification at the attitude ol the French diplomacy in connection with Egyptian affairs. Britain was pursuing a policy of reciprocal good offices in .Morocco. The Russian fleet must he handed over since the Soviet Government hail keen recognised. JAP HOSPITAL DISASTER. TOKIO, December 30. Nineteen bodies have so lar been rc-e-overeil from tbe hospital fire, seventeen being still missing . DISEASE CAUSES PANIC. DELHI, December 30. A strange disease which turns . the hoelies yellow has broken out in the Herat area of Perso-Afglinn frontier whore the greatest panic prevails. Two liuiulreel people have died in ten days anil the local doctors are mystified. .Medical aid is being rushed from India. BOILER-TROUBLE ON DEVON. LONDON, December 29. A report from Dakar states that the sie*am<*r Devon, on her’wav to Australia from Newport, experienced serious boiler trouble. She will he elelayi'il for probably three months in being repaired.