BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS,

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1926, Page 3

BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS,

[Reuter Telegrams.] BRITISH EDUCATION. LT BERAI, A.M KXDMKXT DEFEATED LONDON, Eeh. 9. In flic Commons Sir John Simon moved the Liberal amendment to the Address-in-Reply. condemning the substitution of a, block grant for the percentage grant for education. Sir John said it would be an inducement to the local authorities to carry out their minimum obligation to the children, thereby retarding progress and efficiency. Education should not he made the Cinderella of the service, because the Chancellor was embarrassed. Lord Eustace Percy pointed out that £2,709,009 in eSit-ess of the year 1923 was being spent this year. The percentage system was objectionable, be-

cause the authorities had not the con trol of the expenditure which it wa now intended to base nil tile estimate instead of on retrospective perccii tage instalments. The House of Commons negatived tin Liberal amendment by 284 to 135 am tfits address was agreed to. BRITAIN’S SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, February 9. The progress of the sugar beet in-

° diistry in Britain under Governmcni 1 support was reported on by the Hon, Walter Guineas. r In the House of Commons Hon. W. Guineas stated that the approximate 1 acreage for growth was now 128,000 " acres and this was almost sufficient to 1 keep fifteen factories, built, or shortly 1 to he completed, at full capacity. Two ' new factory schemes were being considered and for these separate acreage arrangements would he required. The gross subsidy paid to this industry during the last financial year was £509,000 while it s estimated one million and a quarter will he paid during the current year and two and a-lialf million the next year. CRAVE TROUBLE. , Wfl.l. STRIKE EVENTUATE IN ALA V? (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) LONDON. February 9. Kir W. Jo.vnson-1 licks (Home Secretary) in a speech at Ipswich, said there might he very grave trouble in tin country in the course of another two or three months. The responsibility rested with the Government to deal with the position if it. arose, not in the wav of strike breaking, but to see that the lives of the i>enple were not imperilled, and that lootl was available and commerce as far as possible, proceeded. The Government, said Sir William, bad certain arrangements, hut lie had noticed the London Labour Party decided not to have anything to do with the Government s plans. Let them beware ior Ihe State is more powerful than any other' section of the community- He appealed to tile men ami : women of all parties to help the com- : inanity in a time of dire iiecessitv, if i it arose, in the 'shape of anything in the nature of a general strike beginning in Alay.

SAIALLPOX IN ENGLAND. LONDON, Eel*. 10. Smallpox is spreading in the North of England. There are thirty eases at South Shields ami sixty at Ashington. It I'n.s been suggested that the places of amusement in the infected towns should be closed and the people affected isolated in their homes, with relief from the Poor Law Guardians in lieu of wages. BRITISH GOAL REPORT. SO AIK OK THE PROPOSALS. (Received this day at 11.0 a.rn.) LONDON, Feb. 10. The “Daily Express” says concrete suggestions in the report of the Coal Commission include:— A proposal that careful consideration should lie given l>v the Government to

State acquisition by the purchase of all mining royalties. No tangible ease is made out for an increase in the working hours of the men underground as the present hours at the coal face are long enough. The electrical power development scheme should he linked up with the ! extensions of mining. I The Commission docs not offer any plan to meet the position when the present subsidy ends, but is, apparently, in favour of a modified subsidy being continued. The existing day rate paid to pit workers does not admit of any reduction in the pit. Grouping for better organisation ot the industry should bo made imperative. Many mine owners pay insufficient attention to the bye-products industries. Wages .should be on a national basis, with local adjustments in the piece work rates. Unprofitable pits must be (dosed, but a modified subsidy might be given to pits on the border line of profit making. The “Daily Express" says Mr Baldwin is favourable to a continuation of a limited subvention after May, but the Hon. Winston Churchill, Earl of Birkenhead and Sir W. JoynstouHicks, oppose such a course.

H ELTCOI’TER. EX PER IM ENTS. / LONDON, Feb. 10. Brennan says lie is unaware that the Air Ministry has decided to abandon experiments with bis helicopter. So far as be is aware the authorities are considering the whole position, but no definite decision has been reached. It is estimated that upwards ot £OO,OOO lias been expended upon experiments, but it is generally believed the Air Ministry will concentrate in future on De La Cierva’s autogyro. KILLED ANT) MTSSING. AX INTERESTING COMPARISON. (Received this dav at 1.1.0 a.m.) PARIS. Eeb. 10.

Interesting war statistics, drawn up bv an ex-president of the French Statistical Society, reveal that the killed and missing of the chief belligerents, in proportion to population were as follows:—France one in twenty-eight. Germany one in thirty-five, Austria one in fifty, Britain one in sixty-six, Italy one in seventy-nine, Russia one in one hundred and seven, America one in two thousand.

INDIAN NAVAL DEFENCE

UNIT TO BE RECONSTRUCTED

DELHI. Fob. 10.

The Viceroy (Sir. E. L. Wood! has announced the decision of His Majesty's Government to reconstruct the Royal Indian Marine as a combatant L roe to enable India, ultimately, to undertake her own naval defence.