BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 March 1926, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association

ITALIAN EMIGRATION

LONDON, March 19

It is announced that .Italy is sending a Commissioner to investigate the facilities in Brazil, and the Argentine, in view of increasing Italian eniigra- ! tiou thither. FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA. LONDON, .March Ik. Captain Cobbam. the CToydon-Capc flier, who shortly Hies in the same maf.fdno to Melbourne and hack, gave a lee! .no before, the Royal Aeronautical Society. He insisted on the iigpnrta no<of ground organisation, which, he said, lie regarded as being more important than the length of flights between stops. Hu instanced the London to Australia flight, where the object was to reach the destination in tho shortest time. For this purpose, he advocated frequent relays at every two or three hundred miles, with frequent changes of machines. Under such condition, he argued, no stop for the purpose of changing machines should exceed a lew minutes.

FIRE IN TOKIO. TOKIO. ,March 19. A fire in the early morning .started in Siigamo. a Tokio suburb, and was not controlled until after destroying about eight hundred houses, including a fireworks factory, which exploded, aggravating the situation There were some casualties. BRITISH COAL TRADE. LONDON, -March 19. Preparations are advancing to deal with tho great national problem of the coal industry. -Mr Baldwin’s advice that neither side should commit itself before digesting the commission’s report lias been generally followed. Tho report has been widely circulated on tho coalfields, the printers working feverishly to overtake the demand. The Premier specially asked the members of the Caliinet to devote the last week-end to studying the report. A Cabinet Committee lias now been formed, Me Baldwin presiding, and the matter comes before the whole Cabinet on .Monday, while the Premier asked tho owners and the miners to meet him on Tuesday, before their joint mooting, which, was fixed for Thursday. Apparently therefore the parties will soon, he at close grips.

The. “Daily Telegraph” says: There is a strong impression that tho Government will adopt the Coal Commission’s recommendations in their entirety, except as regards the stopping of the subsidy, in which connection there is a difference of opinion. A section of the Cn hinet is convinced it will lie impossible to leave the industry to its own resources on May Ist, hut that further State help will he dependent on the attainmenut of a. settlement for a fixed period, possibly for five years, and. that it may form a loan, to he repayable as soon as the industry is rehabilitated.

The “Daily Herald” (Labour) says: The continuance of tho coal subsidy nill not solve the problem, hut it should make it easier to find a basis for agreement. It hints that if the subsidy were devoted to making up th(‘ wages of those miners who otherwise will suiter by adoption of the Commission’s proposals, the sky might l>egin to clear. ITALIAN STEAMER SUNK. ,TU>eflivod this day at 8 a.m.i LONDON. .March 18. The Italian steamer Fagernes collided with a. British steamer on 'tho Cornish Coast in a calm sea with slight log, and was sunk in fifteen minutes. The Italian steamier launched a boat wherein ten were saved, but twenty-one are believed to have I veil drowned.

MATTKOTTJ MURDER. [“ The Times ” Service.] (.Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 19. The “Times” Rome correspondent says that there is tense excitement at the Matteotti trial, frequently the President and the five defending counsel speaking together. Potato, who was originally charged with participation, lias been released, hub declined to confirm his former evidence against the accused, declaring it was obtained by undue pressure. EIGHT HOUR. DAY IN EUROPE. LONDON, March 19. A Labour Conference on the Eight Hour Day is meeting at London, and is attended by the Lais')nr Ministers of Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Belgium. It lias signed an agreement with the British Labour Ministry. AFRICAN POLITICS. CAPETOWN, March 19. A Government crisis is threatened, owing to the Government introducing in the Union Assembly only a partial application of the eight hours day principle as far as the railway employees are concerned. The Labour Left wing resents this. Mr Barlow, speaking lor the majority of the Labour Party.’ said they anticipated a. change in the parties, due to a hitter economic fight which Labour would lead against all the others. Hou Mr C'resswell, replying, urged that the users of the railways were equally as deserving of consideration as the employees. He added that the Senate’s rejection of the Colour Bar Bill had increased the Government’s difficulties.

A joint sitting of the two Union Houses will he held after the Easter recess to consider the position which has arisen over the rejection of t*ie Colour Bar Bin.

It. is stated that the Government threatens to amend the constitution so that eight of the nominated members of tlie Senate will resign when the Government resigns.