BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1925, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

LATESTfcABLE NEWS

IUHTISALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.

GERMAN SHIPBUILDING

LONDON, March 27,

The recent placing of shipping contracts with Germany was discussed at a conference of the Shipbuilders’ Union, Air Barr, Director of Vickers, wlio presided, pointed out that Germany’s lower wages and longer hours largelyexplained things. Personally, he suspected that a German sidy was also a factor. Britain, wlio made a sacrifice to place Germaify on her feet, was really suffering unfair competition. It was not a matter of~M_ seeking reduced wages or longer hours, lint more elasticity and the removal ol discrepancies, notably in the industries that really were parasitic, which were keeping up the cost of living. There had not been any return oil their capital for two years. The present need was a round table effort to dissipate antagonism and suspicion, and restore Britain’s shipbuilding supremacy. The proceedings were adjourned. is believed the Unions vJK special tribunal. PARIS SENSATION. MANY CASUALTIES. PARIS, March 29. The appointment of Professor Georges Sea lie, the principal Secretary to the f Alinsitry of Justice, and ail ardent So- i

cialist, to the Chair of International Law at tbe Paris University, has led to fierce encounters between the students in the Latin Quarter, which wore attended by a long casualty list. The Royalist students, re-inforced by other anti-Government students, resented the Socialist’s nomination as an act of political favouritism. They took possession of the lecture room, with the object of preventing the new Professor from delivering the first lecture. They erected barricades. Later they came in collision with a body of youthful Radicals, Socialists and other Government, supporters outside the Sorbonne. The police intervened during the course of the hostilities, in which a body of Communists joined in as Free Lances. The students were scattered, but they re-formed a quarter of a mile away, in the Place St. Alichiel, where they reengaged them. The police were then reinforced, and the students then dispersed. leaving 20 wounded, and 33 prisoners. Fifty-six gendarmes were wounded, some seriously. THE CASUALTIES. PARIS, Abireli 29. According to tlio latest reports as to the rioting in the Latin quarter, 70 pulii emeu were more or less seriously hurt. One was taken to the. hospital with a fractured arm. There were 3G arrests, lint only li were detained.,. BRITISH -MINERS’ CLAIMS.

LONDON, -March 29.

Air Cook, the miners’ leader at Bulwell said:—“AVc have now prepared the necessary machinery to establish by might, what tie have failed to secure by reason. The Tories and Liberals have shown a united front in order 1.0 defeat the miners’ claims which is an object lesson to the workers. The Baldwin plan for peace and industry is merely peace for profit-making and there is plenty of money for armaments but there is little for a living for tbe miners. Four hundred idle pits and one hundred and twenty thousand unemployed miners bear witness to tho ravages of the capitalists. \Vc are determined to ensure that the industry shall serve mankind, instead of making slaves of human beings."

.MOLASSES ALCOHOL PROJECT. LONDON, AI arch 30.

The "Financial Times” in a special article upon the JjSsitish capital in American tails plans in connection "ith perwlSneiil works for the manufacture- of electrical equipment for New South Wales. It says that another field in which capital is being introduced is the manufacture of power alcohol from molasses, which the Queensland Government is assisting financially with the surplus sugar cane available. An enormous amount of power spirit, it says, could be produced, which should stimulate the sugar planters to still further increase the area under cultivation, and foster the local production of internal combustion engines, designed to use alcohol fuel.

EVICTIONS TN RUSSIA. LONDON, March. 39.

“The Times’s” Riga correspondent advises that the Moscow Soviet authorities have commenced evicting the former land owners. Hitherto he states the authorities have evicted mostly old men, women anil children. Many of them are inevitably doomed to perish, since their iiiipmletai'inii origin debars them from obtaining a livelihood to which the Bolshevist law theoretically entitles all cit izens.

The Soviet' press, lie adds, gloats over their present distress.

.MESOPOTAMIA COSTS. LONDON, March 30. The “Daily Express” Baghdad special correspondent had a special interview "till King Faisal, who was attired in the uniform of a British Field Marshal. The King, discussing the possibility of Mesopotamia assuming full responsibility for the defence of the country, said that if necessary, conscription would he introduced, but the consequences would he grave if Britain withdrew her troops at present. He said; “We are striving in every way to reduce the charge on Britain. There has keen a. steady decrease in Britain’s expenditure in Mesopotamia since 1919.” King Faisal expressed a hope that the Anglo-Persian Oil Coy. will soon pay royalties on their concessions which will add to the country’s revenue.”

EARL BALFOUR’S VISIT. LONDON, March 29. The “Daily .Mail’s” .Jerusalem correspondent states Karl Balfour attended the Anglican Church Service there, hut he did not read the lessons, the Bishop fearing unpleasant incidents. The Choir threatened to strike before the service. »