MISCELLANEOUS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1925, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS.

Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.]

NAVAL POLICY

LONDON, December 1

In an article in Brassey’s Naval Annual, Lord Jellicoe calls the attention of the people of the Empire to the urgent need for co-operation, firstly in deciding upon, and secondly, in carrying out, a naval policy. Lord Jollieoe says heavy taxation and a serious decrease in trade and maintenance of numerous unemployeds has seriously crippled the finances of the Motlierland, and there is little doubt that if more help is not forthcoming from the Dominions, the Navy will slowly, but surely become inadequate for its work. He appeals to the Dominions to face the situation and assist the Afotherland, oacli portion of the Empire sharing the harden proportionate to its population. Lord Jellicoe, assuming that for the next few years sixty-nine millions sterling annually will be needed for the Imperial Navy, suggests that Australia, New Zealand. Canada, and South Africa’s white population should contribute in kind at the rate of seventeen shillings per head, the figures working out at Australia €4,800,000. Now Zealand €850,000, Canada C 7.200.000, South Africa €850,000, India €850,000. He contends that for these sums the Dominions could maintain at a later date, the following approximate naval strength, a.nd simultaneous building programme -Australia, ihvoo ten-thousand ton cruisers in

full commission and one similar cruiser i u reserve, one aircraft, carrier in full commission and auxiliary patrol vos-M-ls. New Zealand, two D class light cruisers in full comission. one D class light cruiser in reserve. Canada, could afford to extend her programme to an amount even exceeding considerably Australian naval forces and would doubtless provide one or two additional cruisers, six to nine submarines, possibly a.n aircraft carrier or naval airship. South Africa would probably maintain two ton-thouand ton cruisers or three smaller vessels. COTTON STRIKE ENDING. LONDON. December 1. A prolonged strike owing to a. reduction of wages involving all Bombay cotton operatives, numbering about fifteen hundred, which has dragged on since September is likely to end immediately, as the result of an announcement made to-day that the Government of India would suspend the excise duty on cotton goods manufactured in Tndia. The mill owners consequently restored the former wages and the operatives ore expected to resume forthwith. YOUNG KIDNAPPERS. LONDON, December I. When Thomas AYilliams. Geoffrey and Charles Arden were charged with conspiracy in defraud Douglas Aidon of moneys and securities, the prosecuting counsel told an extraordinary story, how the .Ardens, aided by A\ illiams, kidnapped their grand fa I her. who is 81 years of age, in a London street and drove him in a taxi cab to Gloucester calc, where he put his signature to eleven bills of Co.ooo each.

Counsel explained that there had been some discussion appointment received under the Lunacy Art which was done iu November. Knowing this the grandsons hatched the ingenious plot whereby they oliered to sell him a collection of pictures valued at fifty thousand sterling. AA hen out under Iho charge of ail aged coachman tliey iiultteed the latter to go to a bogus address and while he was absent they drove off the grandfather. The hearing was adjourned. A SLOOP TRAGEDY. LONDON, December 1. A breech twelve pounder gun exploded on hoard the sloop Harebell, engaged in exorcises in the Channel, killing Ahle-seameu Pearce and serious injuring another seamen and Lieut.-Com-mander Dcspard, whose log was broken and slightly injured three seamen. BRITISH CIOAI AfUNhSTS. PROTEST IN COMMONS. LONDON, December ‘2. Li the House of Commons, Air Ramsay Alar Donald moved a vote of censure uimn the institution of prosecutions against Communists as being a violation of the rights of freedom of speech. His Party, he said, were not Communists. It was opposed to tho Communists. It was not a question of the soundness or unsoundnoss of the Communists’ doctrines, hut one, of whether their prosecution was a- service or a disservice to tho State. A man had the right to press his belief that a revolution was inevitable for n transforaniiion of society. If, however, he sought to create a revolution, then let him take the consequences. The Communists had created a reflex public sympathy. Communism, instead of being set hack, had .scattered broadcast.

Sir \V. Jo.vnson links, in replying, said that there must lie some limits to liberty if liberty was to bo maintained. There was as much freedom in England to-day as before the war. The Communists were not prosecuted for the advocation of an alteration in the Constitution, but for attempting an alteration by violence, and by unconstitutional means. The Communists, he said, knew there was no hope ol altering the Constitution by means of the ballot, box. They sought by means of disorder to produce a revolution and civil war. No member of the Government had interefered with the prosecution one iota.

Mr Hogg, in replying, accepted the : sole responsibility for the prosecution. Tfo said the evidence showed a criminal conspiracy against the State. The penalty for the same offence in Moscow would have been death. Everyone in the country was entitled to free speech but it was against the law to attempt to stir up fellow citizens to revolt. LONDON, December 2. In the House of Commons. Captain Wcdgewood Heim moved a private bill providing that no person shall he convicted for expressing an opinion. The bill was read a first time. LABOUR M.P. SUSPENDED. LONDON, December 2. Tn the House of Commons, a Labourite, Mr Adamson, who persisted in ignoring the Deputy-Speaker’s ruling that he could not ask urgent questions, was, amid disorder, on Air Churchill’s motion, suspended by 260 votes to 91. There was an angry scene, which the suspension ended. DEATH BY ELECTROCUTION. PARIS, December 1. Professor Joniinek affirms that electrocution is only an apparent death as the. victims can be revived by artificial respiration if persisted in for two hours and a special apparatus is used.