BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1925, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

IDBTBALIAN AND N.Z. 1 ABLE ASSOCIATION. BACKED BY PRESIDENT. LONDON, January 20. The Washington correspondent of vho ‘'Times” in discussing the American comment on the Paris agreement nays: “The dominating fact is that President E. Coolidge emphatically approves of what has been done and intends to staudbeliind it.” AFGHAN-SOVIET TREATY. LONDON, January 20. The Riga corrospdndent of tho “Times” states that telegrams from Aloseow advise that negotiations relating to the Afghan (Soviet Treaty liava been opened at lvabu.l. WOOL SALES. LONDON, January 20. The wool sales opened at about 7jper cent, dejline for merinos. WORLD’S SHIPPING 'TONNAGE. •. LONDON January 20. Lloyds Register annual summary of ship-building shows that 924 mercantile vosels were launched in tho world during 1921, the tonnage of all being 2,147.000, whereof Great Britain and Ireland launched 1,409.000, Germany 193,000, United States 139,000, Japan 72,000, Holland 63.000. The net increase as compared with 1923 is about 601,000 which is entirely due to the increase of 794,000 in Britain and Ireland. setting off the decrease of 179,000 abroad, including 164,000 in Germany. The tonnage decreased by nearly s_ j\ .900,000 compared ,wi',tli the .record • year of 1919 when 7,145,000 were launched. The output of Britain and Ireland included 211,000 tons for owners residing abroad. The tonnage being constructed in the world on December 31st was 2,470.000, an increase of 26,000, compared with the twelve months before. The decrease of 93,000 in Britain and Ireland is set off by an ip crease of 214.000 tons abroad. The world’s gross’ tonnage in Juno 1924 amounted to 57,530,000 as com- J pared with 42.514,000 in June 1919. Tbe former includes 17,154,000 oil fuel fitted steamers.

Six million tons of shipping were I laid up in the world in July 1924, over two-tlurds being in the United States; but the Unifed Kingdom figures, which were then 700,000 are now reduced to 5(0.000 tons. NAVAL ARMAMENTS. BRITAIN’S PLANS. LONDON, January 21. The “Daily Express” says: “The British Admiralty is pressing the Government to lay down four new crui- . '.or:; Hiis year, including three' omitted . * by the Labour Government from the previrni.s C< .nservativc" .Government's " programme of eight, during 1924. Of these the Labour Administration laid down five only. The Admiralty is also asking for the restoration of a programme of auxiliary craft that was completely scrapped by the Labour Govern incut. It includes three .submarines. two gunboats, an aircraft carrier, and a minelayer.

HUGE APPROPRIATIONS. LONDON, January 2d. The late Mr Wilson’s niece, giving evidence in the Dank of England case (_ in which deceased’s relatives claim a large sum from the Bank on ueeomtof the alleged forgeries of Anderson, gave evidence. She said that-whop she left her uncle’s room, Anderson shut the door. Her uncle’s eyesight was of the weakest. He could not read print or writing. A chartered accountant gate evidence that Anderson’s alleged misappropriations of securities, plus ii iciest amounted to £‘01,537.

A LOVE TRAGEDY. LONDON, January 20, The “Daily Express’s” Berlin correspondent states a wealthy mannfsoLurer named Oohuysen ended an idicit love affair by driving n motor-'ay villi his wife and two daughters full speed into the river Wall. All were drowned, except one daughter, aged eight. A girl with whom Ophuyscn promised to go to America, endeavoured to commit suicide when she heard of the tragedy. She was arrested.

SC HINT I FIG EXPEDITION. LONDON, January MO. The “Daily Telegraph,”, commenting on Saint George’s expedition appeal, says that nine thousand is little enough to ask Britain and the Southern Dorninioiis for an exploration of such interest ami importance. The expeditioners already have done great work of high scientific value, hut the Pacific still offers baffling riddles. The Scientific Expeditionary Re- ' search Association are appealing for £9OOO. without which St. George’s expedition will have to curtail its tour excluding the Faster. Austral and ; Conk Islands. ' J CHINESE FIGHTING. PEKIN, January 20. No further fi—htiug was reported to-day. Ohinsieh Yuan’s forces are concentrating on a line from Wusih to Kiangyin. sixty miles from Shanghai.-' ■ A train was derailed on each side of . "Wusih, rendering sixteen locomotives and hundreds of coaches immobile. Chin.seih Upail’s forces are already short of food, and are looting largely around Wusih, the gates o! which are closed. While the foreigners in Shanghai do not entertain any fears in connection with til- situation, a need is felt for a larger force of troops for the pro- J* motion of the settlement:. The position won Id he much safer if the defeated troops were not allowed to come within the borders of the settlement, and suggestions have been made tor a line of defence ten or fifteen miles outside. This would require a force of several thousands, whereas at present only about 300 defenders are available inchifling KSOO volunteers who mostly are business men. QU E ENSI -A NR FIN A NCR. LONDON. January 20. The “ Financial News ” says: A rumour is current that preparations, are already afoot for a Queensland conversion loan of .£l2 000,000.