BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

| Australian & N.Z: Cable Association.] PACIFIC CABLE. LONDON, September 22. The reorganisation of the London end of the Pacific Cable Board, is im- 41 liiineut. It is understood one of the minor questions before the Imperial Conference will be, the appointment of a per- • ’ manent salaried chairman, devoting his whole time to the developing of traffic Which the cables will carry when the Pacific cable is duplicated. The contractors expect to finish the laying early in November, whereafter they will lie required to carry out thirty days- satisfactory tests before handing it over to the hoard, which probably will make a further test before open-, ing to the public in January. Mercer continues acting-chairman until a permanent one is appointed. The commercial community; considers his successor should be of outstanding person- - nlity and organising capacity. The British Post Office gives assurances that its two -trails-Atlantic cable is able to cope efficiently with any increase in traffic after duplication. GRAECO— -BULGAK FRACAS. . ATHENS, Sept. 23. At the court martial arising out of the Bulgar-Graeco frontier trouble, on October 21. 1225, the Greek Military Governor stated that while the fighting was progressing, he sent an officer to the rebels with, a message appealing to them to surijender and prevent bloodshed. The rebels not only refused to take any notice of the message, but killed the- messenger. DEBTS TO U.S.A. LONDON, Sept. 23. Tt is confirmed in authoritative quarters that Mr Mellon (United States Treasurer), as the result of his European tour, has advised President Coolidge that there is no need at presentfor any variation in the war debt agreements, including the still-unrati-fied Franco-American agreement. Mr Mellon states that fie has satisfied himself (says the Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent) that the agreements made are well within the debtors’ real capacity to pay. The suggestion that the debt arrangements are proving unbearable, lie says, Is * nonsense, since, except for Britain, the debtor nations have hardly begun to pay at all, and then only in trifling annuities over a prolonged initial period.

TRAIN SMASH. TOKIO, Sept. 23. Twenty passengers are dead and a hundred injured as the result of the derailment of an express from Tokio to Shimonoseki, near Hiroshima on the shores of the inland sea. The accident was caused by the rails spreading owing to the heavy rains during the recent typhoons. Three sleepers were wrecked. ' GREEK POLITICS. / ATHENS, Sept, 23. / Kondyli.s lias dissolved his party and is rctirng from politics, in order to stop complaints that he is working for his own interests. KING OF ROUMAXIA. (Received this dav at 9.30 a.m.) BUCHAREST. Sept. 23. An official bulletin from Sinaia states the King is suffering from a complaint of a varicose character, and underwent an operation. His general condition is satisfactory'.