BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1926, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] 100 BODIES RECOVERED. (Received tin's day at 10.15 a.m.) TOKIO, .May 25. Reports from Hokkaido state three violent eruptions occurred, the first resulting in a lava stream pouring down the side of Mount Toknchi, completely damming Mie River and causing the countryside to ho flooded. - The third eruption blew off' the side of the mountain, raining down rocks, trees and mud, which clogged Furyono River, thereby increasing the floods and submerging several small villages nearby. Two miles of railway were completely destroyed, but a relief train with 800 helpers has arrived. Official reports from the Governor of Hokkaido state two hundred buildings were washed away and about eighteen hundred acres of farm lands inundated.

The latest official report states one hundred bodies were recovered, while twenty people were seriously and two hundred slightly injured.

. DETAILS OF DISASTER. MUNICH, May -.’5. Roth trains were crowded with excursionists. The first two carriages of ono train were smashed to atoms. Tho passengers were extricated with the greatest difficulty. Most of those killed were terribly mutilated and 70 I were injured.

THE DEATH ROLL. BERLIN, May 25. Thirty were killed and sixty injured in tho Munich railway collision. A CONFERENCE. LONDON, May 25. Thirty-four countries including * Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India were represent'd at the twelfth assembly of tho International Parliamentary Commercial Conference which opened in the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords. Gunliffe Lister welcoming the delegates on behalf of the Government, said Parliamentary Commercial Committees bad been established in thirty countries showing the movement met a national and international need. The extent of the activities was apparent in tho agenda in which shipping, improvement of facilities for world trade, coal, agricultural, credit and company law figured. Their work would not he complete unless 1 ho delegates impressed upon their Governments the need for plain, unequivocal international agreements and uniform, simultaneous action following thereon. LABOUR CONFERENCE. LONDON, May 25. Tlie eighth international Labour Conference opening at Geneva to-morrow, under the Presidency of M. Nolens (Holland) will examine exclusively the question of simplifying the inspection of emigrants aboard ship. A preliminary draft convention. will be submitted providing only one inspector to each ship appointed by the country to which the ship belongs. This would prevent favouring emigrants of one nationality at the expense of other nationalities and assure a superior authority in the event of disagreement between the captain of the ship and the inspector. RUSSIAN MURDER, PARIS, May 25. The Russian General, Pitluni, editor of tho Russian newspaper “Trident,” who commanded Ukranians in war time, was shot dead on the boulevard of St. Michael by a Russian workman, who fired six shots five of which were effective. The assassin was arrested. KRIM FLYING. PARIS, May 25. M. Briand announces that Krim is fleeing and no longer, represents anyone. The suspension of operations would retard peace. Henceforth France would negotiate only with the tribes. AFRICAN SENATE. CAPETOWN, May 25. Government has introduced a bill governing the constitution of the V Senate. The bill provides that nominated members shall cease to bold office in case of a dissolution or when the Government goes out of office. It also abolishes a joint session, except when the Senate rejects a Finance Bill. In that case a joint session will bo held, during the same session of Parliament, instead of the following session ns at present. In other eases of differences between the two Houses, no joint session' will be field, but if a Bill is ropassed by the Assembly in xfie following year it becomes law.

• CAPE POLITICS. „ CAPETOWN, May 25. After six hours trcuchant debate, the Assembly on the motion of the Prime Minister agreed to the adjournment of the debate on the Flag Bill, on the understanding that the Bill he introduced next year, and will not embody the Union Jack. The Minister for the Interior urged they should have a flag for th e future not the \. past. Highly or wrongly, the Union Jack stood for domination and conquest. The Vierklcur stood for what w as dead, but for what, was enshrined in the hearts of the people. Mr Smuts insisted on tlie flag being acceptable to all sections of the people "and condemned as hurtful the Ministers description of the Union Jack. Neither Jack nor Vierkleur, should be the cause of bitterness. He forcasted if another attempt were made to force the

flag on the country they would have a worse disaster than now prevailed. Mr Oresswell claiming to speak on behalf of a great majority of labour agreed to the exclusion of the Union Jack, on tho grounds the flag (7f the country should bo a symbol of unity 'not of lancours past. Tho Premier deplored the vituperative speeches'. He was anxious the Dutch speaking section should respect the Union Jack only as tho flag of a great country. In every difficulty, the flag now divided the people. lie knew he would find a way out if once they got away from tne political atmosphere in the circumstance. It is understood meetings of protest against the exclusion of Hie Union. Jack will continue. THE ACQUITTAL. Cairo, May 25. A crowded court received the sc- ( quittal of those charged in connection with the explosion, with joy, relatives and friends cheering wildly, shook bands and embraced the prisoners over the spiked railings.