BRITISH & FORGION NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FORGION NEWS

f Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

BRITISH BUDGET SURPLUS

LONDON, Alarcli 2. Anticipation of the Budget was given by tlie Hon Winston Churchill in a speech at Belfast. Hte stated his opinion anticipated a surplus ol a little over a million would be realised, though the coal subsidy would emerge as a noLt deficit of seventeen to eighteen millions, which must lie met by temporary borrowing.

Air Churchill referred to the forthcoming Economy Bill and said that * providing no great industrial upheaval occurred they should he able to get through 11)26 creditably without the adoption of unsound financial expedients or the imposition of taxation which would cripple trade revival. IX SYRIA. BEIRUT, Alarcli 2. Damascus is completely encircled by barbed wire. French artillery bombarded groups of rebels at Yalda and Yaylat. Lt is also stated the rebels have cut the Hedjaz line to Keswa and < Damascus, and fired on a train front Haifa. The cancelled press censorship has be established in Syria. BRITISH ARAIY COST. LONDON, Alarcli 2. Sir Worthington Evans, in a speech at Salisbury, announced the Army estimates would be £42,500,000 compared with £4-1,5000,000 in the current year. Administrative expenses would tie cut down, but the lighting efficiency of the forces would be unimpaired. BIG ARSENAL FIRE. TOKIO, Alarcli 2. An unconliremd report states a fire in a torpedo factory in Kure naval arsenal resulted in tho destruction of the main portion of the building with the plant. LEIPZIG FAIR. LONDON, Alarcli 3. The “ Morning Post’s ” Berlin correspondent states President Hindenburg visited the Leipzig Fair, where foreigners are buying this year more freely than are the Germans themselves. Important orders have been secured for England, Australia, America. and the Balkans. LINCOLN EXECUTED. LONDON, Afarch 2. V' Lincoln has been executed.

Lincoln died fearlessly. He stood to attention on the .scaffold. Ho expressed his regret tit being unable to sec his father.

Tito whereabouts of the father are still a mystery. He has not been seen anvwhere on the Continent.

It is now believed that Air Tribilsch Lincoln did not hind in England from the steamer Coblenz, on which he is

supposed to he. It is now suggested that he has been afraid to land in England. The mystery is deepened by a report from Colombo that the police there \ have not been aware of the presence of Tribilsch Lincoln in Ceylon, nor of his making a dash to England. The steamer Coblenz reaches Rotterdam on Friday.

TO EXPAND E.MPIRE TRADING LONDON, March 3.

Some surprise was caused in the House of Commons 'when the Glasgow Labourite. .Mr J. Afaxton, advocated that the proposed Surcease in tho amount of trade credits should he devoted to the development of the Empire, within which, he said, lay the best chance of a revival of British trade. They should, he said, let the money available be sent to India. EXy>t Africa and to the Dominions. They were citizens of the Empire and they would have more to spend on British goods for the benefit of British work-

Af.r Afaxton announced that lie would move an amendment on these lines when the bill is in committee.

THE AIOVEMENT OF GOLD. LONDON, .March 2

In tne House of Commons, replying to a question in regard to Britain’s present gold reserves and the export of gold since the restrictions were removed, Sir R. McNeill stated that tho gold, coin and bullion in the issue department of tho Bank of England on February 24th was £143.18(5.000 worth, a net reduction of £10,720,000 sineo April 29th of last year.