BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

CHINESE STEAMER SUNK.

[Reuter Telegrams.] PEKIN, January 11

The steamer Empress of Asia collided with the coaster Tungsliing in the river near Shanghai. The Tungshing broke in half and sank in four and a-half mins. The Asia saved many lives. Between five and ten Chinese passengers and the crow of the Tungshing were drowned. The Asia proceeded to Amoco uver after minor repairs. VESUVIUS ERUPTION. PROF ESSO ItS ST UDYIXG PHENOAIEXA. Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] ROME. Jan. 12. The Vesuvius eruption is unditninislietl. Professor Afalnndra, principal of the A'csuvius Observatory, accompanied by a Cambridge Proessor, descended the crater to study the phenomena. FRENCH POLITICS. Paris, Jan. 10. The French Parliament will reassemble on Tuesday, when political interest will centre on the Chamber’s finance committee, which will not only consider the Government’s proposals, hut a joint rival scheme by the Left Bloc (parties, which it i»s reported) will take the form of the Socialist Capital Levy. A Congress of the Socialist Party is sitting to decide again on the question of whether to participate in a Government formed with the other Left Bloc Parties. Such a Government could only he formed if the Bloc made a united assault on the present Ministry over M. Briand and Senator Doumcr’s financial proposals. The .Mandates Commission of the Congress, which met before the Congress sat, to count the votes of the various provincial federations, ascertained that 1769’ have voted against participation in such a Government, and 1206 for participation. These figures compare with 2201 against, and G 59 for. that were cast at a similar congress in August last.

PACIFIST PROPAGANDA. SOCIALISTS TNAUGURATE CAMPAIGN. BRUSSELS, Jan. 10. At the inauguration of a Socialist campaign of pacifist propaganda at riialeoi, AL A'amlcvolde, the Foreign .Minister, after referring to the almost world-wide elfurvoscenco at present. and to the prevalence of Bnlsliegi-! 'propaganda at 'certain points, where. Soviet Russia claimed a position as the outpost and protectress of all oppressed races, declared that Socialist Democracy would lie underrating its own immense force if it imagined that there was no alternative hut the persistence of capitalist domination or uni versa I Bolshevism. Al. Yandervclde said lie doubted whether if in Egypt, India. China or Equatorial Africa, there are possible and necessary any transitions between the present regime, and a regime of the enfranchisement of the coloured peoples.

NOVA SCOTIA MINERS’ STRIKE. HALIFAX, Jan. 10. Sir Andrew Rue Duncan, as a Royal Commission, has reported, following on a two-months’ investigation of the coal mining industries of Nova Scotia, and of the causes which lead to tiie recent strike of many months, during which rioting and the raiding d store- 1 occurred. He finds that the British Empire .Steel Corporation's operators ol the mines were justified in demanding a wage cut of ten per cent, in 1924, hut he did not justify the '•uf in 1.932, J hi: '-'"iiiinbsioii rerun imolded a system of open accountings bet ween the operators and the men, and a revision of the wage settle at sixmonths periods, and made other recommendations concerning the management. The causes of the recurrence of unrest among the miners were found to induce the company’s opposition to United Afitie AVorkers’ Union activities, the Communists, and friction within the Union. The Commission recommended the company to acknowledge and co-operate with the United ATine Workers’ International Union.

COMPOSER AND THE AfOAHES

BERLIN, Jan. 11

Strauss has [inaugurated a new phase in film history hy conducting the music at the first film presen ta* tion of hfj opera “Rosenkavalier” at Dresden Opera House. Representatives of the social and intellectual life of the district were present. EVACUATION OF THE RHINE. BERLIN, Jan. 10. A British navy flotilla, consisting of shallow draught oil-engMicd boats! armed with six-pounders, which have lieen used in patrolling the British Rhine zone, have left for home aTte seven years' service. PRINCE OF PEACE. MRs RE,SANT’S PROPHECY.

LONDON, Jan. 10.

The “Daily Sketch” says: Thousands of delegates from the Theosophi--1:11 Society’s brandies in thirty-five countries, including seventy-one from Australia and New Zealand are now assembled at Adyar in India, awaiting tlie coming of a new Messiah. Mrs Annie llesant the President of the I'lieosophien! Society, declared that great beings ruling the world, including a King of the World, have revealed to her that a new Prince of Peate is hastening bis coming for the pus-pose of preventing another war, and will inaugurate a religion uniting all tlie religions over the whole world. A young Hindu. Krishna Marti whom .Mrs Resant has been training tor many years as a prophet, will be the vehicle by which the -Messiah or word teacher will ( .<>me. Krishna Marti is lending his body to this spiritual entity, as. according to an old Christian tradition. Jesus lent his body to Christ. Seven apostles out nl twelve, who are To accompany the new Messiah on a preaching mission, have already been selected, and they include Airs Besaut. the Reverend Oscar Kellerstrom. of the Australian •‘Liberal Catholic Church.” and Bishops Lcadboater and Wedgwood of the “Liberal Catholic Church.” and also a Buddhist and a Hindu woman.