BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1925, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

UTfiTH ALIAN ASO N.Z. ’.AHI.K ABHOOIATION. THE PROTOCOL. LONDON, January 21. Cabinet discussed the Geneva Proto- s col. As the proposed Empire Confer- *" dice thereanent has been at.-an Lined, Cabinet itself will deal with the natter of consulting the Dominions by telegraph. THE GENEVA PROTOCOL. MR BRUCE’S DENIAL. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) MELBOURNE. January 23. Mr Bruce denies that Cabinet finally decided to recommend the rejection of the Geneva Protocol. Final consideration has not been given the matter ns the Ministers have been too busy to consider it fully. The matter is to he discussed exhaustively at a later date. JAPANESE NEWS. TOKYO, Ja mi ivy 21 A lire started in thfe evening during a performance at one of the hugest theatres in Akasaka district, Tokyo. Apparently there were no casn.ilities although fifteen hundred were during the performance. It is believed some were injured during the rush ro get out of the building which was totally destroyed. The Government has released totalling six million yen. Acco.-dmg to a statement by the Finance Department it is understood this will he the first series of similar releases diir' (he current year.

GOLD. LONDON. Jan. 20. Gold is quoted at 87s 2d per ounce, fine; against 87s Id per ounce (nominal) the previous day. ' martial law precautions. LONDON, -Lin- 21. The “Times” Riga- .correspondent states the Soviet Government appeals apprehensive regarding future events, it lias ins. prepared two forms of mar- y Hal law applicable in any case of emergency in order to preserve the revolutionary order among the people. Inc first or milder form applies should an> counter-revolutionary activity arise. The second will he introduced during the war or open internal disorder,

IN MOROCCO. LONDON. Jan. 21. The “Times" Tangier correspondent reports that Spanish forces in Morocco It avc begun an offensive against the revolting Anjera tribesmen. Three Spanish warships operating in the Straits, comment'd bombarding coastal villages, aeroplanes co-operating. Simultaneously Spa nisli troops die. advancing with the object of assaulting Alcazar Soquir, a Spanish coastal town, which the tribesmen captured at the beginning of their revolt. BIG EARTHQUAKE. FORTY TOWNS WIPED OUT. COPENHAGEN, January 21. The Russian newspaper “ Isvestia ” states that an earthquake has destroyed forty trans-Caucasian towns, and that two hundred people were killed.

OPIUM TRAFFIC. . GENEVA, January 21. Lord Cecil made a vigorous reply to Mr Porter, the American delegate’s 1 * attack at the Opium Conference on Britain’s attitude regarding opium. He said that the .Conference was at a critical stage. Britain desired to cut ofF the supplies of Government opium from countries, but it also was necessary to deal with smuggled opium. Seizures in Hong Kong showed that one syndicate had smuggled more than the total Government imports in one year. Lord Cecil protested against the way in which .fir Porter had swept aside the British case, without dealing with argument''. His allegation that Britain is / actuated by sordid financial motives was deeply wounding. If the charge had been made against himself in his private capacity. lie would have left the room, hut lie did not advise Britain to take such a course. Lord Cecil said lie regretted voting against the American motion, but he urged a return to a policy of collaboration, with recrimination. The Dutch and French representatives supported Lord Cecil’s protest. DREADNOUGHT MONARCH. LONDON. Jan. 21. In accordance with the Washington Treaty the dieadonught Monarch has been towed out into the Atlantic and bombarded bv the Fleet and by air- icraft. It is understood that the Hood and the Repulse bad to remain to complete the sinking. The “Daily Mail” says: Tt took nine hours to sink the Monarch, because the ship had been reconstructed internally in accordance with the results of previous experiments, whereby it has open discovered that a vessel may be blown to pieces, but will he unsinkable by shell lire, mines, or torpedoes.