MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1927, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

London, Aug. 28.

At the National .Minority Movement annual conference at Battersea, 698 delegates were present including many Worn on. The 'platform Jwas draped with crimson flags bearing Chinese and Russian inscriptions. Air Tom Mann presiding, declared another world war was being prepared tor Britain, definitely and syste-. matically aiming at securing the largest possible number of naval bases and aerodromes with a view to making a dead set against the Soviet Capitalist. Imperialist forces were using the border States to prepare for an onslaught upon Russia. It is the duty of the Government to render such a. war impossible.

The meeting carried a resolution denouncing the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti as one of capitalisms mpst hideous crimes. They were only executed because they challenged the capitalists. The Society Conference members stood for a minute to mark their sympathy with fheir dead comrades.

BEAM WIRELESS. LONDON, Aug. 28. The “Evening News” reports a Marconi official as saying that 1 beam telephonic experiments at present are impossible as the stations belong to the post office, blit wll be undertaken by the South American beam. He lieiieved Empire telephony would not necessitate .more beam stations, as certain wave lengths several of which are usable -jiitultaneously <<>ald ‘be devoted lo telephony. OPIUM TRADE. SHANGHAI.. Aug. 2L The Opium Suppression Bureau licudqiiarici"; in i lie Chinese city has i-.- iicd a proclamation authorising the legalising of the sale of opium for smoking purposes, acting in conjunction with the Nationalist authoritves foi flic purposes of replenishing the exchequer, which sadly needed funds to continue Ihe war. Dealers and smokers are required to register at an average fee for the favour of £3OO or a monthly license lor thirty smokers license, equal to .21. The revenue expected to lie derived therefrom will he enormous. Shanghai is the centre of distribution for the whole of China, ft is conservatively estimated the monthly importation of Turkish, Persian and Indian opium is 500 ions, valued at ten million sterling. In ad-, ditiou to the native products imported I from the provinces it is estimated there | are 200.000 smokers in Shanghai ami their failure to register at the bureau I will entail severe punishment. I COMMUNISTS PROTEST. LONDON, Aug. 28. ! Ten thousand orderly Communist Labour demonstrators grouped around crepe draped banners assembled in Trafalgar Square, as a protest against the Sacco-Vanzetti executions. A man mounted the plinth of the monument, uniolied an American flag and was

about to pour petrol thereon, preparatory to its ignition, when officials of the International Class War Prisoners’ Aid Society remonstrated. He climbed down hut afterwards the flag was torn to shreds by bystanders. Cook (Miners' Secretary) seconded the resolution viewing the executions with horror. He also urged his hearers to turn indignantly against Air Baldwin. BOMB EXPLOSION. LONDON, Aug. 28. '1 he “Times” Cannes correspondent says a powerful bomb fired hv a, fuse on top of a wall of Neptune dance ImVl of the American bar at Juan Les Finns, exploded and injured fifteen. ) two of them fatally. BROADCASTING PROBLEM. LONDON, Aug. 28. The “Evening News” wireless expert commenting on Marconi officials statement, expresses the opinion that, beam telephony may solve broadcasting problem by the radiation of three beams simultaneously from London to Australia, Canada and South Africa, where they could ho re-broadcasted or stored by a recording method and transmitted at a suitable hour.

“CHAMPION" .SLACKER.” LONDON. Aug. 20. ‘■The world’s champion slacker” was counsel's description of Thomas Charity, a hotel porter, who unsuccessfully sued an Eastbourne restaurant-keeper for recovery of wages. Charity admitted having had 288 situations in 11 years, his average stay at each position being I t days. HAIG ‘‘TOO OLD.” LONDON', Aug. ‘2O. Karl Ilaig, in a letter expressing his thanks to Brigadier-General Dodds for his assistance as chairman of the Council of the Service League during several critical years, adds: “Remember me to all my friends in Australia. I would love to visit them, hut I am too old lor such a trip.’ General Dodds had told him that they would expect him in Australia for the League's conference in 1929.

WOOL BRICKS KB. SYDNEY. Aug. 29. Tiie first woof sales of the 1927-28 series commenced to-day. The competition was strong and well sustained. Compared with the level ol values ruling at the June sales, the market advanced five per cent, for the best lines of fleece and skirtings, and also for lamb’s wool and weaners, whilst other descriptions were unchanged. \ ery full and satisfactory clearances were made. Greasy merino sold to 29d. IRONWORKS STRIKE. Following the refusal of their claim for increased wages, sixteen hundred employees of the Hoskins Ironworks at Lithgow, N.S.W., struck to-day, idling the whole works.

RIVAL FLAGS IN GERMANY. LONDON. Aug. 27. The “ Times ” Berlin correspondent says: The flag dispute is spreading. The Prussian Government has followed the Berlin municipality’s example, and has declared a boycott of the hotels not flying the Republican flag on Constituion Day. It is especially incensed at one which flew fhe American Stars and Stripes on Independence Day. The Premier urges that the Ministers should not appear in such hotels under any circumstances, and has requested the Reich Government to support the Prussian Cabinet’s attitude.

BRITISH MANOEUVRES. LONDON. Aug. 27. Operations of the tanks on Salisbury Plain are evoking widespread interest. Major-General Sir Ernest Swinton. the famous “Eye-Witness” on the Western front, who watched the manoeuvres, sums up as follows: “In theatres such

as mountainous, forest countries, where cross country machines cannot function, the present methods of warfare must remain unchanged, but on flat, open country, the actual fighting will be done by tanks. Until all such machines on one side are knocked out, cavalry and infantry will be useless. Within its scope, the tank is the master of the machine gun, and artillery will be to some extent converted into tanks of special design. Jf mechanised force attains mobility, efficiency and economy, life will be spared.” A justification of this assertion is obtained by a comparison of losses in the great war. where tanks were employed and where they were not used. General Swinton says the result of Eng. land’s present experiments should he awaited by everybody with the greatest interest.

AI AHENO HOLD-UP.

SYDNEY, Aug. 30,

Acting under instructions from the New Zealand office, the Union Company issued summonses against fortynine members of the crew of the Alaheno for unlawful refusal of duty and absenting themselves from the ship without leave. Meanwhile the ship is held up indefinitely.

STEAMER AFIRE. ADELAIDE, Aug. 29

The steamer Otterpool, from Britain, at rived here to-day with a fire smouldering in throe of her holds. Her crow had a terrible experience, having been lighting the fire fumes since Uth. August, a period of nearly three weeks.

EIRE DAMAGE. SYDNEY, Aug 29

The damage at Farmers fire, (cabled yesterday) was over estimated. Later it was reckoned at Tot).000 or loss.

YEW GUINEA GOLD. SYDNEY, Aug. 29

The repo,i of the company's field manager ivgai'ding the recent discovery of reef gold at Edit’ Creek, New Guinea, says Lite Warden’s assay showed ihe value was not less than, twenty ounces of free geld to the tou and ill:- gfolngutil lormatioii of till! lode assured it, living to a great depili. A director of the Company visiting Sydney, stales Outlier discoveries of rich lodes anil quartz reefs in Edie district resulted in the pegging out of many leases. He adds that Iho indications showed the location of a permanent rich reefing field which promises to be the best since the pegging out of the iamous Golden Alile. at Kalgoolie. PIECEWORK EIGHT. SYDNEY, Aug. 29. In the Kcderal Arbitration Court, Judge Booby delivered judgment today in the case ill which the Engineering and Blacksmiths Unions asked for a variation of the award with special reference to daily hiring, peiee-work and overtime. In a lengthy judgment; Judge Beeby has restored the system ol weekly hiring. with a proviso that any employer who is haiTassed by unfair claims for compensation for sick pay, or by tailure of employees when leaving employment to give a week’s notice, may apply for exemption from weekly hiring, on terms to he fixed by the Court.

UN KNO WN WA UR I OR. LONDON, Aug. 29. The “Daily News” says the suggestion to erect a tomb near the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey is a. memorial to nurses and English women killed in the war, raises the question whether there is such a thing as an unknown woman in the sense ol the unknown soldier. Many consider the unknown warrior typifies all who lost their lives in the war.

FOCTi’S MEMOIRS. LONDON. Aug. 29

The “Gu'/xTtoV Paris correspondent reports Marshal Koch lias nearly completed his memoirs of the Great War, hut the Look will not ho published during his lifetime. He says the memoirs might not please certain people liecause I do not give them as great a part as lliov expect. I refused a f>rtunc for the memoirs. The truth is more to me than money. My decision to write was prompted by the way history is arranged, that everybody won the Battle of Marne except Jolfre.

S A MOAN COMMISSION. LONDON, Aug. 29. The “Times” in a leader, says the Samoan Commission should ho able to ascertain how far trouble was manufactured by white traders, whose real objections to the Government are not based on its disregard of Samoan rights and customs of a people so disciplined in etiquette and skilled in saying what will please, as Samoans may often mislead by their politeness implying they want something to which they are deeply opposed. Britain may he Thankful that the problem and welfare of Samoans have been undertaken hy New Zealand. The Mandates •system can only work real if there is a large measure of confidence between the Commission and the Mandatories Commission. It might elevate the petitioners thereto to the same footing as the powers they criticise. The strongest security for those whose fortunes are hound up with the mandated territory will ho found in the mandatory powers performance.