GENERAL CABLES.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1927, Page 2

GENERAL CABLES.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

A RECORD SMOKE! LONDON, Aug. 20. The Army and Navy refused them, and consequently the authorities decreed the destruction of ten million cigarettes that were warehoused in 1918. They would probably have been issued to the troops had the war con- . tinned. They were burnt in “The King’s Pipe,” at Liverpool, a building 'hi which all unwanted tobacco is destroyed in the presence of a Customs officer. The process of destruction occupied several days, constituting a record smoke.

A POLICE CHASE. LONDON, Aug. 19. Scotland Yards new high speed motor flying squad gained their first victory early this morning. They saw four men supposed to have stolen a oar at Hammersmith and chased them 20 miles through Richmond, Putney, and Clapham, going through dark,Resorted streets, till they overtook tne car. The men then ran, but three were caught. Thev were charged at the police court. The speed during, the chase was mostly 70 miles an hour, and it was never below 35 miles.

CHURCH UNION. LAUSANNE, Aug. 20. Compared with that of yesterday, a more hopeful feeling prevailed at the Faith and Order Conference. The report on tho Gospel was received and adopted. A statement on the Sacraments was read on behalf of the Quakers, announcing that they would retrain from voting on the parts of the report dea - ing with that subject. The Bishop of Bombay earned general applause by declaring that, while private views would be respected, they were going to continue working, and puttin" aside every form of sectional opinion, towards a better comprehension of God’s universal chinch. RUSSIAN CHURCH. MOSCOW, Aug. IP. The Greek Orthodox Church, which, under tlm former Patriarch Tikhon, vigorously opposed the Soviet, has now completely accepted the Soviet’s civil rule. The Metropolitan Sorguis, the present head of the Church, has issued a pioclnmation to the members, appealing in regard to the Soviet Union as <W civil fatherland,’ and demanding that the clergy shall give a written pledge of their loyalty to the Soviet, under a penalty of exclusion from the Church. I.iiEEK CONSPIRACY DISCOVERED. ATHENS. Aug. 19.

A conspiracy was discovered to overthrow the Government and re-instate Pangalos. Thirty arrests have been made. Tt is alleged that Madame Pangalos promised promotion in her husband's name to the participants in the advent of success.

BELGIUM'S CASE. BRUSSELS, Aug. 19. The Belgian Government, replying to the Reichstag sub-commission's report on the deportation of Belgians ill war time, says the deportees numbered 120.055. Indescribable sufferings were inflicted on thousands of innocent people in the German camps. It was hell. Even in Germany there were denunciations of the outrages, causing thousands of deaths. The Reichstag, instead of disputing the facts, might well have dissociated the Republic from the war policy of the Imperial Government. The thesis that the deixirtations were necessary to reduce a labour shortage and meet necessities of public order, is untenable. Even now Belgium welcomes an inquiry in*b the accusations of Belgian irregular war-, fare. Germany replies she is willinaj to negotiate an investigation.

FRENCH APPREHENSIONS. PARIS, Aug. 20. 'President Douniergue and Premier Poincare Mere present at a meeting of Cabinet Ministers at which M. Briand (Foreign Minister) advocated the reduction of the French troops in the Rhineland by ten thousand men. It is stated that M. Poincare retorted: “ Far too high! ” The Premier proposed a reduction of four thousand men. The meeting broke up in a deadlock. The “Daily Telegraph” states:—lt is singular that the strongest French protest against the larger reduction of her Rhine forces by Franco, which lias been suggested by London, comes, not, as might be expected, from the “ Rightist ” French newspapers, but from tbe Leftists’ organ, which paper affirms that England is maintaining a perpetual Franco-German dualism, and quickly resuming her old role of arbitrator.

A commuication lias been received in London from tile French Government regarding a reduction of the occupying forces in the Rhineland, which in the British view was almost overdue. The text is secret, hut it is gathered that it deals maini'y with objections to London’s idea of substantial reductions, which the Ambassadors’ Conference on November 14, 1920, undertook to make. The French military authorities apparently are not pleased with the- reduction of even five thousand, whereas ten to twelve thousand would be favoured by London. It is understood that the note suggests a reduction of five thousand French and another reduction of five thousand divided between the British and Belgians. As, however, the French total is at present over fifty thousand, and Belgolii'itish below fifteen thousand, the lvduction of these proportions would obviously diminish seriously tho TnterAllied character of the occupation. ASYLUM DE LUXE. LONDON, August 20. Human enthusiasm for something new breaks out- in strange directions, as is shown in a plan that is given prominence in tho “Daily Express.” Londoners will shortly he able to talk in a manner reminiscent of their trans-Atlantic cousins at their best, and .say “We’ve the finest lunatic asylum in the world!” While the scientists of the world are planning to segregate and eliminate mentally unfit,the Middlesex County Council has set out to find four thousand male members of the community with a most comfortable borne, a twelve hundred acre estate, purchased for eighty thousand sterling, at Por< ters Park, with an old ootuury house. The scheme will cost two millions, and provides for a staff of one thousand. The whole affair will be on tlio line of a garden city. It pays golfers tbe doubtful compliment of including an eighteen hole golf • course, liesides which there will be a cinema, church, gymnasium, and wliat seems to argue for considerable optimism and faith in human nature, namely a wellequipped chemical laboratory. FRENCH WELCOME. PARIS, August 19. M. Poincare sent a message to tho “Old Contemptibles ” as follows: “ France certainly will lie very happy if in a few months’ time, tho Briitsh Legion organised in association with the Australians, New Zealanders and South Arficans, will make a visit similar to that which the American Legion is making to Paris, and ex-service men of the British Empire may rest assured of receiving from their brothers-in-arms a warm welcome.”