BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1927, Page 3

BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WHITE SUAVE TRAFFIC. GENEVA, -March 10,

Tho League Council considered the report on the white slave traffic, which is described as one of the most terrible indictments against humanity ever compiled.

Sir Austen Chamberlain proposed, am! liie Council agreed, that, Volume j One should he issued for publication, but that A olume Two of the report should be circulated among the nations concerned. He explained that (bis Commission had interrogated 0,500 people, of whom no fewer Ilian five thousand were directly or indirectly connected with commercialised prostitution. 'lhe American renresontative. Colonel Snow, unoffieiallv said that Britain was regarded as a bad country by wii'to slave agents, because the police wero so keen.

The Commission reported that Roring.il "as one of the worst countries in this respect. The causes contributing to prostitution in most countries are the low wages that are paid to the women workers and to the cabaret girls. Thev are forced to fall into (h-7»t. with the inevitable result that they become white slaves, through bogus matrimonial agencies.

Ihe report adds: "I he motive underlying the traffic is always money. It is a business from which large profits are demanded. There are recognised haunts in. all the large cities. I hose are used as exchanges, where the various types engaged meet for the purpose of learning the stale of the market.”

navy ESTIMATES. (Received tin's dav at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON. March In. ihe Navv c-.tim.Ucs for 1927 total fifty-eight millions, a reduction of one hundred thousand compared with the current year. Now construction increased from £9,083.093, and the cslimtacx for fleet, air and annv from Cf.«)l ,000 to £882,000. Among the causes making the small reduction possible is tile federated .Malay States' generous contribution towards the Singapore base amounting m £570.000 out of a promised grant of two millions. Detailed estimates show £291.000 is required in 1927 for Singapore base. Already £908,000, out of £950.000 has keen expended on an oil storage depot. Only £270.000 is actually being expended in 1927 on the base, for which Gi,287.000 will he necessary to complete the works. The new cruisers Australia and Canberra are due to he completed and in commission with the Royal Australian navy personnel about February, 1928.

TTAfE BY WritKLESS. „ LONDON. .March 10. Araugenients are being made bv the restitute of British Wireless for a time signal from Rugby, sending Greenwich time throughout the world. CONTRACT CLAIM. LONDON. March 10. It is understood that Armstrong and Whitworth is issuing a writ for recovery balance of the South Australian contract of thirty-one State locomotives, involving £70,000. A DANG FRO US ALAN. (Received this dav at 9.30 a.m.') LONDON. Aina I: 10. All cxtraordi’varilv plausible man able instinctively lo device when women are amenable to advances, i how Sir Henry Dickens described S':•.:•ley Roberts, accused of vb-tiini 'nv women throughout flic country, and •'lletted to have confessed io at 1 se-t four bigamous marriages. Roberts was sentenced to five years penal .‘ervitude aud five years prevent ive deleiiiiou as nil habitual criminal, lie cdmific- 1 twenty offences besides tic -c in the indictment. A deteclive ■> id Llohcrts bad had tliirleen <■ mvicl ions silica 1991. A widow who was among the victims rorresponded with him during four years imprisonment and trained him when lie was released. SPAIN'S KING JI.L. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) MADRID. Man!] HI. King Alfonso i< suffering from intluen/.a.