BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1926, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] A GENEROUS DONATION. PARIS, April 25. Sir Basil Zahnroff lias subscribed a million francs to the “save the franc fund. SOVIET DESIRES TREATIES. LONDON, April 20. The " .Morning Post’s” diplomatic correspondent says: ’! ehitcherin, whose latest plan is to negotiate treaties with all and sundry, is now attacking the British Dominions with suggestions for closer trade relationships. His agents point out that the existing British trade agreement is a very cumbersome arrangement and although the Dominions are unable to sign a treaty with a foreign power, which will have any political significance, separate trade or governmental agreements with Soviet Russia would be better suited to their existing conditions.” SOVIET VIEWS. BERLIN, April 2.5. "We might be glad,” said l.itviuofi in the course of a speech justifying the conclusion of the Russo-German treaty at having extracted tne antiSoviet sting from the Locarno treaty. Ho declared the new treaty was inspired by peaceful aims, but if, as the Soviet always suspected. Locarno contemplated the creation of an antiSoviet, combination, then the treaty of Berlin would he a contradiction ol Locarno. POLISH VIEWS. WARSAW, April 2.5. Tho newspapers are uneasy, loro.eeoi., embarrassments rising lroin the Russo-German agreement which "Nowvkuverpols” says resuscitates just what I.ocarno aimed tit abolishing, nainoK, a. mutual private alliance. Iho newspaper accuses Germany of having li.v aii unillatcrnl act ignored all the duties devolving from Article Sixteen ot the League Covenant. SIR .). ALLEN’S REPLY. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, Awril 2(5. Sir .lames Allen, who drew up the statement to which Sir Charles Murphy replied, concerning the Pacific cable, states apparently Murphy has changed his ground of attack, which was originall a strenuous objection to the use of permalloy instead of uunietal in the new cable. “ Our independent investigation convinced tho Board ot the superiority of permalloy, in addition to which it is British while uunietal is American. Tho first serious diversion of opinion arose on the Canadian proposal to avoid excessive expenditure of duplications via llonoiilulu. Ihe Board emphatically disagreed on the ground that it would lie an All Red route. Australia and New Zealand supported the Board whereupon the present contract was let. If Canada continues to dissent she has only two choices, either she must refuse a landing lor a cable at Ha infield, or withdraw from tho partnership. The former is unthinkable because even foreigners were not denied a landing mid the latter would necessitate an Imperial Conference at which Australia. New /.calami and Canada would arrange terms lor tho termination of the partnership. Mr Dacca lid is not prepared to indicate Canada’s future action, which, he says, is in the hands of the Post-master-General who administers the department under the authority of an order-in-Couneil. At present there is no reason to expect a withdrawal, which, presumably, would he a Cabinet matter, but even if that occurred it would not affect the service. • The only change would he that Canada, instead of being a partner would collect land line tolls.

RLSSO-ER AM (> NEGOTIATIONS PARIS. April 25.

Negotiations quietly conducted for sometime aiming at a settlement of the Russian debt to Franco seems on the verge of a successful outeime. Litviuoff stated that conversations bad entered into ft business stage. Both par. ties bad worked out concrete proposals, Which hitherto were widely separated. French newspapers trace the progress of the discussions, which firstly postulated the establishment of a debt redemption fund by means of contributions by exporters and importers ol both countries, graduated according to the. volume of trade. France now requested tlie .Soviet to pay a lump sum equal to twenty-five per- cent, of flic value of Russian bonds. The Soviet was not favourably disposed to this but on the contrary, insistently demanded credits. Frenchmen however, are of the opinion that Radon ski is not inclined to risk a failure like that of London, and is doing bis utmost to take back a signed agreement to Moscow.

CANNIBALISM IN LIBERIA. LONDON, April 25

Ladv Dorothy Mills. who, 'after her return' from Liberia, spoke of canmbalism there, has been challenged to verily her statement by the president ol the Union of Coloured Students of African descent, who declared that the hackneyed stories of cannibalism are untrue. Lady Mills maintains her point, declaring that cannibalism exists in lands far from the civilised coastal areas. BRAISE OF MU AYSON VANCOUVER. April 26.

Mr Babcock, British Columbia s lending salmon expert, and chairman of the International Fisheries Commission, cm returning from New Zealand. gives great praise to Mr L. F. Ayson for the establishment of I'acitic salmon in New Zealand. "I would altogether (prohibit the catching of quinnat for a considerable period so a.s to demonstrate the maximum production of which New Zealand’s great rivers are callable.” said Mr Babcock, o With such a good .start, future fisheries there are assured, i! well administered.”

FRENCH IN SYRIA. BARTS. April 25. The advance of the French force in Syria is progressing virtually without opposition. Rebels aro everywhere reported to have retreated. Three columns are hiking part. Tlie main one. which is marching directly towards Suida, consists of six iiifantiy battalions, tanks and supply convo of one hundred motor lorries. SUAH’S CORONATION. TEHERAN*. April 25. The Shah’s coronation was carried out with a brilliant ceremony. Tlie Shall wore a military uniform covered with u pearl cloak. He was attended by Ministers. Those present included diplomatic representatives and notables. TEHERAN. April 25.

A barbaric splendour of oriental) wealth and colour marked tbe coronation of Riza Chan as Shah of Persia. He placed the new Crown, which was specially made, on his own bead and .spurned the gorgeous throne and pearl crown of his predecessors, in favour of a simple throne of aigrette of Nadir, the Shall robber chief, who two centuries ago proclaimed himself Shall. A triumphant procession of the new monarch in a gilt-edged royal coach through the streets, lined with cheering thousands closed one of the most picturesque ceremonies in recent years.