BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1926, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

j [Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] EX-SULTAN DEAD. RK.MO: A Lay 10. Tbo ex-Sultan of Turkey, Xichmed 11 .Saxth has died of apoloxy. VANCOUVER, Alay 10. 3 The flyers seemed to have anticipated ’ and guarded against every possible * source of danger except one which f .nearly resulted in d blister to the Norge, namely a chance that the propeller blade would beat chunks of ice through the skin of the ship. This practically kept the crew under bombardment, the possibility of which had not received sufficient attention. DOMINION STATUS. CAPETOWN, Afay 17. Air llcrtzog in an important pro--1 nouiicenient regarding Dominion status, maintained the Dominions never received the full international independence to which they were entitled under the grant of self government, but were always subordinated to the British Government, until the signature of tbo Versailles T'rOity, when their international independence was recognised. Even after that, however, the Dominions hesitated to put their own status to a practical test, owing to a fear that the disruption of the Empire Witold follow mid accordingly compromsied by creating the doctrine of group unity under which the British Empire was to take decisions cm matters of foreign policy as ti unanimous group, not as a number of separate empires. AT. Hortzog declared that this bad utterly failed in practice to the Locarno Pact, wherein the Dominions were not properly represented, and the British | Government had gone down its way without consulting the Dominions. I lie Premier expressed gratification at Britain’s attitude towards Locarno which meant her rejection of the group unity idea as being not feasible in practice ,and enabled the Dominions to get back to a sound basis by returning to the Versailles Treaty and claiming the international independence accorded them by thnt treaty. Concluding. Af. Hortzog affirmed that the only link between the Dominions and Britain was tho personal bond of a a common King, hut in its own interests international indwepemlcnce would mean closer and more co-operation. In order to obtain full international effects however, something more was required ; Ilian a mere declaration of constitu- | tioiL rights among themselves. That declaration would have to be communicated formally by them to the outside world.

BETTING TAa BILL. LONDON, Alay 17. The strictest penalties are set forth in the Betting Tax Bill, published today. 'The measure empowers tlso .Magistrate to endorse a bookmakers’ certificate in ease of misdemeanour, as motorists’ licenses are now endorsed; also if necesnry to suspend the certificate. The Bill imposes a penalty of £101) on bookmakers who endeavour to obtain a certificate during a period of disqualification. The police are empowered to enter any promises devotod to betting and without warrant arrest anybody accepting n bet without issuing a revenue ticket or failing to produce a bookmakers’ certificate on demand. A penalty .of five hundred is enforceable in ease of any (ontravenLion of the law.