BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

A PREMIER ATTACKED. BAGHDAD, Aug. 10. The Prime Minister, Sir. Abdul dum, while en route to his office, was attacked by a disappointed Customs clerk, who inflicted razor cuts on his cheek and arm.- Sadum and his driver beat off the assailant, who tyas arrested. • | DUPLICATING PACIFIC CABLE. 1 LpNDON, Aug. 11. The steamere Dominia and Faraday, now lying in the Thames, will shortly go to tho Pacific, taking seven thousand miles of cable for the duplication of the Pacific Cable Board’s line. The Dominia will lay a line between Vancouver and Fanning Islands, the Faraday making a connection between Fanning and Fiji. Each ship will carrytwo hundred trained men. Observations will 1m made throughout of the ocean depths. Both will la\\cable at# the rate of two hundred miles daily. SPANISH-ITALIAN TREATY. ' . LONDON, Aug. 11. Surprise is here expressed at the secrecy with which Italy and Spain have concluded a treaty, comprising political and jurisdieal clauses, stipulating for,reciprocal neutrality in the case of war. The “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic—— correspondent , is of the opinion, However, that there is nothing to cause any concern, but comments: “It is remarkable how all the nations are tending to- revert to these rights of neutrality which the League • Covenant aims at curtailing.” MAGDEBURG MURDER INQUIRY, i RERUN, Aug. 10. The Prussian Government lias decided to hold a disciplinary inquiry into the conduct of Judge Ivelling in connection with the- Helling murder. CHILDREN SOLD. VIENNA, August 10. A peasant woman in the. market place at Debrecsin, in Hungary, pffered her three children for sale. A four-teen-year-old girl fetched £3; a three-year-old boy 255; while a baby nine months old remained unsold. An inquiry shows the terrible plight of the Magyar peasantry. The sale of children is common. Regular market prices exist. The maximum price is about three pounds sterling for, children aged between thirteen and fifteen. The buyers are farmers seeking for cheap unprotected' labour. These children will never again see their parents. FRENCH IMPERIALISM. HAIFA, Aug. 10. The French have been relentlessly conducting miliKiry measures since July 10th against tho beautiful oasis of Ghouts, three hundred square miles in extent, the chief source of the food supply of Damascus. The oasis, tinged with troops, was heavily bombed. Crops were largely ruined and thousands of trees destroyed. Thirty villages were burned, after being pillaged by French auxiliary troops. Tho rebels retaliated by cutting off tho water supply of Damascus, but this is now restored. f Deprived of vital resources, the rebel’s continue bitterly to resist. Botli sides have suffered heavy losses. NAVAL REVIEW. IjONDON, Aug. 10. The Daily Mail says: “A naval review is being arranged, for the benefit of Dominion statesmen, in October, similar to the one in 1923. Though it is not intended to approach the grand scale of 1924, it is hoped a substantial number of ships will bo included in the manoeuvres. IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. ( LONDON, Aug. 10. The newspapers are drawing attention to the Imperial Conference, for which arrangements are well advanced. The “Morning Post,’- reviewing the topics to be discussed, lays stress on the fact that Mr Bruce (Australian Premier) has announced that he will press for a greater tariff preference for Empire products. Regarding migration, the “Post” says there is a growing desire among members of the House of Commons that the Empire ■Settlement 'Act shad be amended especially in the direction of preliminary training and testing of intending emigrants. It is recognised, however,, that the Conference, as a preliminary, , must review’ all the circumstances which have led to the partial failure of the joint pd'icy of the Home and Dominion Governments as expressed by that act. The “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent mentions that Mr Bruce may travel via the United States, and possibly Canada. ,