MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1927, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

XKYV MINISTRY FOB EGYPT. CAIRO, April 26. Tlie new cabinet consist of the tot

lowing:— Prime -Minister and .Minister of the interior, Sanvu Pasha; Minister of Justice, Zakiabou El Seoud Paslia; .Minister of Agriculture. Fathallah Rarakat Pasha: .Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alorcos. J Lmiiah Pasha; Alinister Pious l , 'ouiidations, Neghih Gharabli Pasha; Alinister of Finance, Ali Sluunshi Pasha; Alinister of Communieations, Ahmed Khashaha Pasha; Alinister of Public YY’orks, Osman Moliarrem Pasha; Alinister of Education, Alohamed Mahmud Paslia ; Alinister of YY’ar, .. octor Afifi Bay.

BIG LOCK-OUT. LONDON. April 26

The Times' Paris correspondent states:—Following upon demonstrations against wage reductions, including sectional strikes, in which men paraded the workshops singing the “Internationale,’’ the Citroon management locked out ton thousand men in various departments, simultaneously announcing that they could resume on (he 28th. April unless fresh disturbances necessitated a general lockout of thirty thousand employees. The company subsequently issued a statement that it would be impossible to continue if Communist workmen wilfully provoked disorders, pointing out that the present wages are not only the company’s highest, but are higher than the average Parisian rates.

CHOLERA IN TNDTA CALCUTTA, April 26. The province of Bengal is in the grip of a grave cholera epidemic. Fifteen thousand deaths were reported for file quarter ended last December. Since then the position lias not improved, and unless heavy rains wash away the infection, the Health Department estimate of ten thousand deaths during this month, will be greatly exceeded .

One dozen, cases are reported in a single family, and whole villages have been decimated.

In Calcutta the position is also alarming. The weekly returns show two hundred eases.

A USTR. ALLAN BORROWING. LONDON, April 20. Tlie Morning Post’s commercial editor understands tlmt tho tindenvritei.s will retain thirty per cent of the Commonwealth Loan.’’ a result which suggests the quick disappearance of any temporary discount, and should pave the way for a successful New South Walls Loan issue later, assuming that the terms are satisfactory and that full information is given regarding the pirsent position of the sinking fund arrangements.’’ LONDON. April 27. The underwriters have received twenty-seven per cent of the Commonwealth Loan. Dealings commenced at one-sixteenth per cent premium. N.p.W. LOU ROWING POLICY. LONDON, April 27. lion. Mr McKcll fNew South Wales Minister) in an interview, said he proposed' .submitting to the London financiers a defence of the past practice of New South Wales as to loans, and a promise of future performance which he believed would lie a non-completed answer to the London critics. In reference to the provision of t sinking fund. Mr McKell was of opinion that New South Wales and Queensland. having accepted the principle of sinking funds in New York, it was impossible not to accept them similarly in London. It, might consistently he contended that it was unnecessary to provide sinking funds against assets that were consistently appreciating in value and earning interest practically equivalent to the liability. .Nevertheless, New South Wales recognised London’s demands, and proposed extending the existing sinking fund to all future loans. *

SPEED INVENTIONS. LONDON, April 27. Tlio iMilaii correspondent of the •‘Morning Post’’ sn.vs: The noted engineer, Signor Bngntti, has submitted to Signor Mussolini two inventions. The first, an eight cylinder automobile engine, is capable of driving a heai> touring car at one bundled miles pot hour. The second is a semi-submerged boat, one hundred feet long, with eight motors of two thousand horse power, which is capable of a surface speed of eighty miles hourly. A If MAT I ENTS. LONDON. April 27. The most important question before the Air Commission is the receipt of a last-minute request from the League of Nations to have its own fleet of aeroplanes for urgent communications. The commission decided that there was no objection to the proposal, and it fixed special markings in the event of an> country lending machines to

League. The ‘‘Morning Post"'' says the re. quest convoys the impression that the League is trying to form an independent European state. There is no question of the league wanting to use a fleet to enforce its orders upon any country, hut this may he the possible outcome.