BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] LABOUR ATTITUDE. LONDON, April 23. There was a lively discussion at the Scottish trade union congress at Inverness on a resolution submitted by Glasgow Trades Council suggesting the formation of a workers’ detente corps for the purpose of facing organised hooliganism at Labour meetings. One speaker said the resolution would put into the hands of the employers arguments and reasons why they should employ gunmen against workers, leading to anarchy in the worst form. A member of the general council said if they introduced a defence corps or army of skull crackers, it would mean also chaos on both sides. Tho proposer of the resolution said tlie day had passed when their speakers could expect protection from the police. The motion was defeated by a large majority. TRIBUTE TO SHAKESPEARE. LONDON, April 23. The flags of sixty-three nations were unfurled at Stratford-on-Avon to-day as a world tribute to Shakespeare, including the Soviet Red Flag which was unfurled by a councillor of the Russian headquarters in London. Three long rows of flags headed by the Union Jack made an impressive spectacle as tliej flowed out simultaneously at the sound of a trumpet. OBITUARY. LONDON, April 24. Obituary. From sleepy sickness Colonel 0. A. Johnstone, formerly oi the Indian Medical Service, whose will was a daughter of tho late Doctoi Honevman of Auckland. LONDON, April 24. Obituary.—Lord Stuart of AA’ortley. TREATY SIGNED. BERLIN, April 24. The Russo-German treaty mentionot on April 14th was signed, by Strese maun and Ambassador Krostinski The text will be published in tlie ensu ing week. EX-EMPEROR. DEAD. TOKYO, April 21. Advices from Seoul announce tin death of the ex-Emperor Ti. AVAR GRAVE FUNDS. LONDON, April 2.3. Sir Newton Moore, the chairman ol the Select Committee of the House oi Commons on AA'ar Graves, reported that the Committee had amended the AA’ar Graves Endowment Bill by omitting the provision limiting the investment of funds to British Government securities. MONEY LENDERS. LONDON, April 23. An undertaking that the Government will do its utmost to secure the passage of a bill designed to'protect tlie public against the money lenders was given by Sir AA\ Joynson Hicks (Home Minister) in the House of Commons, and the Bill in question was read a second time without division. After some objection regard-

ing its provisions. The mover was Mr Glyn. Ho said that the Bill laid it down that the money-lender must take out an annual license of £ls. It .stipulates that no money-lender's circulars or advertisement.! shall be sent to anybody except at tlie latter’s written request. Newspaper advertising by money-lend-ers shall be prohibited, beyond a statement of the money-lender’s real name and registered address. All the contracts shall be in writing, a copy of which shall lie furnished to the borrower, and the interest generally shall not exceed forty-eight per cent per annum.

I.M PORTANT STATEMENT. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 24

The most important announcement hitherto regarding international affairs came from Paris last night. Messages said the French and British Governments had entered into negotiations with a view to concluding arrangements of a provisional limited character, whereby certain payments by Franco can lie included in Mr Churchill’s budget. It is added that this arrangement will in no way interfere with the proposed visit to London. Strange to say, no inkling of this accommodation reached this side. If it is true it would account for Mr C’hurchm’s serenity in the lace of budget speculations. 11 even small French payments began immediately, they would obviously have a most important bearing on the budget.

BIG STRIKE IN NORWAY. OSLO, April 23. Thirty thousand men are involved in a dispute in the metal, engineering and mining industries, in which the workers have rejected the Government’s mediation proposals, winch the employers accepted.

Work is, in consequence, being stopped to-morrow. TO BOOK WOOL. NEW’ YORK, April 25. A Committee of noted wool men, including Allan Mitchell of Pfiilapelhia, have announced the formation of a plan to encourage the further consumption of woollen goods in the United States. Important leaders of industry point out that since 1020 only one y<fa* was good for the woollen business. The plan provides for an increase of consumers’ knowledge of the unexcelled qualities of wool, when used as clothing. The plan has three divisions: Education against substitutes that making headway particularly ’ women’s wear, the furtherance of clothes consciousness of the dress-up movement, and centreing the attention upon the qualifies of goods made in the United States, against the tradition that imported goods are better. It has been estimated that if the annual wool consumption is increased by three ounces per capita the entire slack in the industry will lie taken up. It has been determined that while the population had increased by a considerable percentage in the last five years, that there has been no corresponding increase in the use of wool. The plan, contemplates a large expenditure on advertising.

FASCIST PARTY. r RCXME, April 25. At a meeting of the directory of the Fascist Party, Signor Mussolini presiding. Turate (Secretary-General) reported the membership of the party was 742,000, an increase of 326,000 compared with twelve months previously. The Directory decided that no fur_ ther applications for membership be considered until 1927,