AMERICAN CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1925, Page 2

AMERICAN CABLE NEWS.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.]

CAN ADI A N PAIILI AM ENT. OTTAWA, November G

The Premier Mr Mackenzie King announces tlmt the Canadian Parliament will be called together on December 10th, provided that the legal requirements in connection with the election returns are met. All the Ministers defeated at the election have resigned, with the exception ,of Mr Graham, tlie Minister of Railways and Canals, who has consented to continue in office for a short period. All tlie resignations have been accepted.

DROUGHT IN u.s.a. NEW YORK, Nov. G. The United States is now suffering from its second year of the drought that was first cabled on November 13th. 1921, which, although touching certain parts of the country lightly, has done, and is continuing to do, serious damage. There is a stringent deficiency of moisture over the most part of the country. It had been expected that last winter's rains would bring desired relief, but these failed to eventuate and tbe spring and summer and the present autumn have also proved 5 disappointing with the exec] tion of a few districts, where recent rain has afforded much rclicF. Tbe area which has -suffered worst is a bolt extending southwards from Missouri to Texas and eastward through Southern Illinois, Indiana. Ohio, and Virginia, and thence southward to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The only sections having a normal rainfall are New England, California, Idaho, Montana and Utah. One observer describes the drought conditions as follows: Tbe .situation in many parts of the drought stricken regions can only be called sensational. The lack of water to supply powoiL companies lm.s made it necessary to restrict tko cotton mills’ operations. In some parts of the southern states, the shortage of water for live stock has been extreme. Municipalities have been obliged to put into effect rigid restrictions on the use of water for domestic purposes, and in many tbe problem of securing drinking water has readied a point involving genuine hardship. Disastrous consequences to the maize crops have keen prevented only by a singularly fortunate distribution of a small rainfall in the maisorrowing area, but nevertheless, the official forecasts show that there is a 75 million bushel diminution in the crop.

PROHIBITION IN u.S.A. NEW YORK, Nov- 7

Representative Hudson, Chairman of the Congressional Committee which is investigating the enforcement of the Volstead Law. through one thousand questionaires sent out to Federal and State officials, special welfare organisations, and leaders of industrial and eomingreial life, outlined findings, of the committee before a meeting of the Anti-Saloon League at Chicago. He said that legal distribution of whisky had diminished, there now lieing twenty-three States where the physicians cannot legally prescribe liquor. There was. however, a leakage of approximately six million gallons of denatured alcohol into bootleg channels. The production of alcohol, lie said, had grown tremendously since the advent of prohibition, the increase lieing from one hundred million gallons in 1920 to 136 million gallons in 1924. The great weakness of the enforcement of tho Eighteenth Amendment had been tho lack of adequate penalties, the fines imposed operating virtually like a license law.

The questionaires, he said, almost unanimously regarded the benefits of nroliihition as including: (1) A decrease of pnuperaey; (2) an increase of home ownership; (3) an increase of life insurance. There was a divergent opinion regarding the death rate from alcohol, but the questionaires believe that a million lives have been saved in uhi:h prohibition was a large contributing factor. The Canadian license vending system was declared to be unsatisfactory.

Air binds: n. concluding, said: ‘‘The popular will which bad compelled a remarkahlv rapid ratification of t.bn Eighteenth Amendment- is probably less spoken to-day. but it is stronger than ever that prohibition is the ultimate method of dealing with the liquor traffic.

AMERICAN DEBTORS. AVASHTNOTON, November 6. President Coolidgo has authorised the announcement that good progress is being made with the Italian debt negotiations, and there is every indication that a settlement ran be readied. President Coolidgo is especially pleased with the complete candour which has characterised the negotiations. This announcement has follow- 1 ed a White House conference with Treasurer Mellon and Senator Smoot. .Meanwhile, the Roumanian Debt s Commission of seven members, beaded by M. Nicholas Pitnlesco, has arrived at New York and is proceeding to AA'ashington immediately.

STARTING ON A PACIFIC ISLAND. HONOLULU. Nov. 6. A passenger on the Aorangi has sent a cable to Sir Eric Hutson, Governor of Fiji, urging that relief be sent to a white man and 25 natives who are faced with starvation on Hill Island, two days’ journey from Fiji. The men have been marooned on the island two years, the owners of the island having gone into bankruptcy. The Aorangi landed emergency supplies for the marooned meiF