BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1926, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

(Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] SAILORS’ HARDSHIPS. VANCOUVER, February ID. Regarding the Taisliin Maru’s rescue a message states the men aboard had nothing to cat for twenty days, and no water for live days. Then they caught rats and made soup of them. Finally they ate the ship’s eat. ARTIFICIAL WOOL. LONDON, February IT Theodore Taylor, a woollen manufacturer at Bat ley. expresses the opinion that artificial wool is misnamed, and says it is as distinct from wool as cotton, to which it is chemically allied. “ All wool,” lie says, “ even shoddys, is superior to the artificial fibres, which are colder to the touch and heavier in proportion to their warmth, while the artificial fibre creases and stretches.” It could usefully and judicially he mingled with wool, cotton and flax, hut he hoped, for the sake of shareholders, that the business would not he overdone. GERMANY'S AIR PLANS. BERLIN. Fch. If). Germany is re-organising her widelyextending air lines, serving forty-two routes. In April, passengers leaving Berlin at two in the morning will arrive at Moscow the same afternoon via Danzig, Konigsberg, Kovno and Smolensk. Eventually it is expected that, by living at night, passengers from London will reach Peking in four days. FRANC DROPS. PARTS. Feb. 20. A new low record of tlie franc. Bit! to the pound was registered. It is attributed to the confused parliamentary situation. It is very doubtful if the new Taxation Bill will l>e adopted by the end of the month. A grave conflict between the two Chambers is looming, the Senate Finance Committee having drastically altered the Chamber's decisions.

BIJ'TLSH PAPER MAKING DEAL. LONDON. Feb. 21. The Tnvcresk Paper Coy. Ltd., lias secured control of the German Koholvt Company, one of the world’s largest organisations for producing high, grade chemical pulp. THE GREEK DICTATORSHIP. ATHENS, Feb. 20. General Pangalos has issued a. de ereo instituting a. military court of five officers to try At. Papanastassiou and others for conspiracy to upset his Government. PRINCE CAROL’S BREAK. VIENNA, February 20. It is reported from Bucharest that n reconciliation between the King of Rotimania and Prince Carol may bo expected shortly. THE DEATH SENTENCE. LONDON, February 20. The “Daily Express” understands that the authorities have received a cable from Triliitseh Lincoln, the father of Lincoln (who is under sentence of death for the murder of a brewery traveller). Lincoln senior, who is at present in the Far East, requests in his cable the postponement of the execution until his arrival. The “ Daily Express ” adds that it is most improbable that the cable will in any way affect the execution, which is fixed for the 2nd of March, while, il says, the admission of the condemned man’s father would itself be a matter lor consideration.

BRITISH .MINKBS. LONDON. Fob. 20. The Trade ('nion Congress and lho Federation have discussed Lord Loudonderry’s recent proposals, and have dccared that they will adliere to their decision of July last when any crisis arises menacing Lhe miners’ standard of living. They add that they will oppose, the reduction in wages, also longer hours 'and district settlements. CORNKD BEEF FOR SALT PORK. LONDON, Fob. 20. An age-long tradition in the Navy has gone overboard bv the Admiralty’s announcement that salt pork has been removed from the scale of rations at all stations. Coincident therewith, the announcement is made that mutton has been eliminated from the fare of the British soldier, l>ecause it is regarded as expensive. It is expected that £SOOO , will he saved annually in the Army estimates thereby. Salt pork which lias been abolished from the Navy’s rations, will be replaced by corned beef, tinned beef and v vegetables. A COSTLY LAW SB IT. LONDON, Feb. 20. A Belgian litigant, named M. I.ek, has been ordered to pay costs estimated at forty thousand sterling, in an unsuccessful suit against Lloyds Underwriters, lasting thirty days. .M. Lck, who is a diamond merchant, claimed £44,000 for the loss of his stamp collection, blithe did not satisfy the judge that the collection had been lost. RANGE THAT WAS SHORT. LONDON, Feb. 20. At Charterhouse School, which is famed for its marksmanship, it has been discovered that the twenty-five yards range on which the bine riband has either been won, or a place has been secured in the blue riband of the miniature rifle world, for eleven consecutive years, has !>ccn six feet short since it was reconstructed in ISKX). It is suggested that the range should he disqualified, and the the traceable prizes should be returned.

PIUSOX REFORM. LONDON'. Fob. 10. In the House of Commons, the Home 1 Secretory, Sir IV. .loynson Hicks, in •’ "proposing a bill (lealion with prison sentences jsaid ‘that, technically the i bill did not alter the law. He said consecutive sentences of hard labour , could now be imposed, but lie thought, , that the Judges would not impose them ( as they preferred to base their decisions on mercy rather than technical consideration. Sir AV. Joynson Hicks declared that there was no difference between penal and hard lalvonr and ordinary sentences, except that in the two lornier. the prisoner received a maximum of fourteen days’ solitary confinement, at the beginning of the sentence, to enable the authorities to ascertain the prisoners’ individuality. He emphasis- . ed that the idea of cruelty and forms } t> f brutalising punishment had been completely abolished IN DEFENCE OF CAmALIs-M. T.ONDON, I’ el). Iff. igm “However capitalism may l>e- cnticised, it has established a gigantic engine for international service and tot m* rflle payment of British imports, w uc t. if wiped out, would cut off from 33.itishers the world’s supplies, resulting in half the population starving, or tnc whole population being half rations., and deprived of varied products now brightened the tables of all classes . This was the declaration ot the lit. Hon. Walter Runciman in his presidential address to the Chamber of SMnopinc. He continued: “Tampering with, tho"delicate adjustments of international trade primarily effects shipping, m which State experiments must be ac- - . . companied by grave risks.” V Air Runciman said tbe State n<ul never created a single item of foreign trade, and bad never organised a single foreign service. No sane man bad yet suggested that the Biitish shipping employed m foreign tinde could l>e run as a State concern. Hie experience of the United States, Australia and Canada showed that, in international trade. State departments and their subsidiaries were incapable of keeping their financial heads above water in the fresh breezes of international competition.