BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 March 1926, Page 3

BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS.

[Australia & N.Z. Cablo Association. 1

AN AM I’ll I I’lOl'S MOTOR-CAR. (Received this day at 11.25 a.m.) ROM E, March I. With a view to travelling from Romo to Washington by motor-ear an engineer, Signor Daini, lias Imilt an amphibious ear and. lie claims it "ill lintel with ease on land or sea. Daini intends to depart overland from the Tiber ami he will cross the lieliring Straits lo Alaska unaided. SUN A TIC AO KICKS TO TANKS. PARIS, March 1. The Senate adopted M. Doumer's proposals for increasing the duties on "JPibaeeo and alcohol. ACROSS AFRICA FRY. CAIRO. March 2. Four R.A.F. seaplanes under WingCommander Pulsford. Started on an 11,000 miles journey to Capetown, following the route mapped out at the end of the. war. The trip and return will occupy ten weeks.

AlßSnil’ FOR SFRVK K TO INDIA. (Received this day at lI.U a.m.) DON DON, March J. The “Daily Express” stales the const ruction of the now airship R. 101 hegins at the end ol March. It will he employed in the India service, and will possibly I a tier be extended lo Australia. It is the largest yet attempted and the building will occupy two years. The airship "ill he 7GO I cot long, 120 feet wide and 170 ieet high, with a gas capacity of four million cubic leel. and a. lifting power of 00 tons. Its horse power is estimated at 01100. and its average speed at **o miles per hour. The vessel will accommodate 125 passengers, each ol whom will Is l allowed 40llis. of luggage. It is estimated that the voyage from England to Sydney will take eleven days. There will be three fu'.'-’l stations, cn route. Heliopolis, Karachi and Singapore. When the service is definite six ships will be in active commission. ItOFSI'- OF LOR ITS REFORM. .LONDON. March I. The “Daily Express” says sweeping proposals for the reform of the Ilou.-c of Lords have Itceu presented to the Government by a Cabinet Committee of which Lord Cave is the head. 11 adopted they will destroy the ancient Upper Chamber and replace it with it more democratic body

The recommendations include that the House ol Lords at present nuiubeiing 7-12 lie drastically reduced in size; that there shall lie a nucleus numbering 150 composed of peers ol blood, royal hereditary, peers of high rank ami legal and ecclesiastical peers; that these be supplemented by election h.v various electoral lsnlics Horn among the present peers.

It is pointed out that the House of 'Lords is one of Ihe weakest Upper Houses in the world ; therefore its powers, particularly the power ol veto, should he materially increased.

AMENDS EM'S AIRSHIP. (Received this day at 9-30 a.tn.l , ROME. March I. The Italian airship in which ('apt. Amundsen proposes to fly Lo the North Pole, was taken on a long flight, from Rome to Naples and hack. An average speed of fifty-eight miles per hour was maintained. The airship carried fourteen passengers. The operations of departure and landing were carried out with ease. The ship will shortly leave for Spitsbergen. MEDICAL JOURNAL CRITICISM. LONDON, M aroli I. T he British Medical Journal lias published an article in which it assents the criticism of many eminent doctors, in(lulling Sir Arbutbnot Lane (who took up n stand against the conservatism of Council in opposing publicity cabled on Dee. 28th. for the publicity they acquired. The Journal says; “Mhy do our eminent colleagues scatter germs of wisdom. It must he from a high sense of duty. They Icel they .have a message to deliver in their hearts. They hate publicity hut they know the truth about such things as rubber corsets, shingled hair, high heels and cocktails and like brave fellows are determined to speak out for England’s sake.”

INDIAN BUDGET. DELHI, March 1

Sir Basil Blackett. Finance member of the Government of India, in pre* senting the Budget announced the entire abolition of tho cotton excise duty involving a loss of revenue of 175 lakhs of rupees. No new taxation is proposed. A Deduction of one and a-lialf erores in tho military expenditure will he effected. Blackett announced a new rupee loan of 2S erores (220 million rupees) of which twenty erores will he devoted to renewals of bonds maturing next September. The surplus for the coming year is estimated at 305 laklts of rupees.

TELEPHONE PERFECTION. NEW YORK. Min-ill I

Two way radio telephone conversations with England reached a high point of perfection on Sunday, according to a. statement to-day by an official of the American telephone and telegraph company.