BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 March 1927, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[nv TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] SIR IT. SAMUEL. LONDON, Feb. 28. Sir Herbert Samuel, at the Eighty Club dinner, in his first political speech after seven years’ retirement, said the condition of the people was still the most important question. The Labour Government had not inspired a large measure of trust. A Labour Ministry could not independently follow its own conscience, if it was kept on the leash by "outside bodies. Tn the event of another general strike it would bo hound to take instructions from one side and would he nerveless and paralysed as the guardian of the law. lit, connection with the grave and diffi- , cult ‘Cliiiie.se question. Labour had pulsed a vacillating and irresponsible course. Mr MacDonald was uncomfortable. realising the force of the Cninese proverb: “Ho who rides a tiger, can never dismount.” There was every reason to believe a few months would see a great revival of Liberalism The Organisation Committee was determined to run five hundred candidates at next election.

" PARIS BLUNDER. KING GEORGE EXPECTED. PARIS, Feb. 28. Prince George to-day arrived at the Gard du Not'd Railway Station in Paris to confront the greatest crowd which has ever greeted a royal visitor to Paris. The Prince had to face a barrage of photographers. The crowd thronged Hie entire station and nearby streets, and barricades had to he hurriedly erected to prevent the people front mobbing him. All the excitement was the result of a curious misunderstanding of a cross-Channel telephone message, which was taken to mean thot King George was coming to Paris. This was published in the French newspapers. The misunderstanding coincided with another mis-statement which was widely published oil the Continent to the effect that- Their Majesties, the King and Queen of England, intended to visit the South' of Spain during the spring. This led to an official denial front Buckingham Palace. It is believed that the latter report was the work of a hoaxer.

SIR CONAN DOYLE. LONDON. March 1. Sir A. Conan Doyle, writing in the “Daily Express." advocates the use of small balloons or hydrogen knapsacks. as aids to pedestrians. He says: “What is needed is a balloon which will turn a fifteen stone man into a five stone man. so that he can walk without fatigue." The “Daily Express” has organised so-called “jumping balloon tests" at Edge ware Aerodrome on Saturday next, using a balloon of eighteen leot, )- with a lift of ten stone. / V TURK FORTIFICATIONS. ANGORA. March 1. Owing to fears on the part of the Turkish Republic that Italy is prepariitg a campaign of conquest in AsiaMinor. the Angora Government has commenced to erect fortifications on the Asia Minor coast in the Aegetm • Sea, especially in South Smyrna. INDIAN BUDGET. DELHI, Feh. 28. The Finance Minister. Mr Blackett, in introducing the Indian budget, said that the surplus for the year totalled / 310 lakhs of rupees. The estimated stirphis for 1927-28 was. 304 Likhs. The duties on imported motor cars and tyres would be reduced from twenty tofifteen per cent. The export duties on hides and tea. would be abolished, also, stamp duty on cheques, and on demand hills. Every effort would he made to keep down the military expenditure. NEW WARSHIPS LONDON. March 1. The Commonwealth Cruiser Australia is to be launched on the Clyde on March 17th. She will lie ready for sea by December next. A sister warship for Australia, the Canberra, will I>e Hunched in June. MR COOK DECLINES. LONDON, March 1. J The Secretary of the Miners’ Federation, Mr Cook, lias declined Mr Havelock Wilson’s challenge to debate the ease of Scott’s treatment in Russia. INTERNATIONAL WATERSIDERS. ROTTERDAM, Feb. 28. The International Transport Workers’ Federation, including the Transport Federation of Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Holland. Denmark and Norway has passed a resolution urging that only harbour workers shall he allowed to unuloid vessels, therebypreventing seamen from performing harbour ditties. ,

STORMS TN ENGLAND. LONDON. March 1. England lias been swept by a sixtv-mile-an-hour gale. Liners were unable to reach port. There were many casualties, particul'.iriy in the swollen river regions. The Thames Valley was flooded. and the bungalow residents there were isolated. February’s rainfall in Britain was double the normal fall.

A strange incident occurred at Weymouth. where two hundred children were marooned at the Palace Cinema, which is near the oeaeh, as during a performance a tidal wave flooded the low-lying parts of the town of Weymouth. And it was impossible for the children to leave the picture palace. Rescue parties, including the anxious parents, waded waist deep through the flood to rescue the children, who were excited but there was no panic. LONDON. March 1.

The National Review comments on the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr AlacKenzio King’s auger towards Air Bruce (Australian Premier) for the speeches that the latter made on naval defence while he was in CaiuuC. The Review’ says: “Air Bruce was within his rights in discussing something of moment to every subject of His Maiestv. I lie fact that Afr Bruce put out of joint_ the noses of certain “peanut” politicians in and around Ottawa is less a reflection on him than on them.”