GENERAL CABLES

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1928, Page 3

GENERAL CABLES

(Australian Press Association & Sun.) AIR RAMSAY MACDONALD. LONDON, March 8. 11 Mo never luul auv intention of allowing the Zinovieff scandal to sleep for ever, but the re-opening had to he handled with discretion in Franee’s case. 'l'lie reports imply she played into our hands and just did what we wanted,” says Mr MacDonald in an article in the Socialist paper “ Forward.” Itu says: “J recently warned friends that the political plot involved would never be solved by proving the letter a forgery. It should he still worse to tell bow it was forged, and who helped in the forgery, because it would involve libels for which apologies would have to he given and damages paid. What we had to clear up was who got the •copy of the letter before or siniultane■ously with the. Foreign Office. \V must rigidly confine ourselves thereto i and refrain from making statements ’ that can he blown sky high.” OBITUARY. (Australian Press Association & Sun. LONDON, March 8. Obituary.—The late Thomas Hardy’s /amisin. .Theresa (cabled on Kith Jan.). AIR ESTIM ATMS. TAutbi-alian Press Association A Sun. ■/Received this day at 8.50 a.m.l LONDON. March 8. Air estimates for 1928 reach the nett totiill of L 18,250,000, an increase on Hast year of £700,000. Srr Samuel Hoare. in a memorandum, (explains that omitting special appropriations there is n gross decrease of £851,000 despite the provision of £200,000 for the expansion of the fleet, siir arm. A decrease has been effected an the year in which the Royal Air Force as a distinct fleet air arm Ims 'been enlarging by two new flights in flying boats and the formation of two new squadrons in India. Two new flights bring the air units allotted to fleet work to twenty-five flights. Considerable progress lias been made in rn'MipDration and uniformity with the: Dominions air forces discussed at tlbe Imperial Conference. Officers who Ifiavo joined the Royal Air Force on short service commissions after an inittial training in Australia, liacc proved tfhemselves vajuable and efficient. Air Wheatley said if they could [havo demonstrated on the floor <>l the House a man being bayonetted. there would lie no less enthusiasm for armaments. Was it all through fear of Russia which was the only country lending us to real disarmament. Mr Duff Cooper replying, said Mr Wheatley’s utterance was irrelevant and out of place. Russia’s disarmament proposal was only intended to make the League of Nations look ridiculous. Everyone wanted peace and disarmament but no pence advocate believes that complete disarmament was an ideal within reach. Meantime the Government’s policy •was to make the army as small and efficient and cheap as possible. BRITISH FINANCE. (Received this dav at 10.15 a.mA LONDON, March 8. Prospective cuts of half a million in the army and . threequarters of a million in the navy coupled with twelve million in other civil services give Mr Churchill a prospect of hipping about thirteen million from the Budget departmental committments, where the savings in the sinking fund may swell the to twenty-seven million. FILM CASE SETTLED. LONDON. March 8. The film case is .setth-l. Williams receiving an unnamed sum saiislactorv to him as well as costs. Defendants withdraw every aspersion _ and suggestion against Williams ami express the opinion that the only cause of difference was that the .-omp.mv | had insufficient capital lo (£ivr I" 11 scope to Williams’ undoubted ability as a highly accomplished producer amt organiser of pictures. The Judge added that he joined in the hope that the result of the litigation would he that Williams would in nowise he impaired in future m exercising the abilities which he undoubtedly possessed. STAMPING OUT THE! MAFIA. ROME, March 8. Mori, whom Mussolini sent to Sicily to stamp out the Mafia, has now extended his activities to the provinces of Ncirgeni and Cattanisctta. Five hundred carabineers, concentrated, in a new zone, have arrested three hundred members of the Mafia, suspected of 489 major crimes, including sixtytwo murders. The leader was found to be a prominent respected citizen. MYSTERY FLIGHT. LONDON, March 8. A mvsterv surrounds Hinchcliffe’s destination.' Officials at Cranwoll arc unaware whether it is Tndin or transAtlantic, certainly one or the other. There is accommodation for two l»i it is unknown who will accompany him. The Hon Elsie Mnckay said: “I mil very annoyed at the whole matter. T never intended going. I have only a small financial interest. The project was to establish a record non-stop flight.” ARMY ESTIMATES. (Australian Press Association & Sun. ‘ LONDON, March 8. In the Commons Sir Worthington Evans, in Committee of Supply cluced the Army Estimates for ~ L--050,000 sterling compared with &''L--563,000 last year He said the aetun saving to the taxpayers was over a million, because the Mar Office receiving half a million less than last v'ear from the exchequer for the Army . while £200.000 in respect to the mu die east had fallen to the Army instead o the Colonial Office. A hot time l.ad come to the State. The results of experiments in mechanisation of the Army, additional mobility and carrying power of mechanical vehicles together with striking force y tanks, creating a revolution oif i, * warfare just as motor cars had trnnsK formed business and social life of the nation. Last year’s manoeuvres with complete mechanised formations exceected expectations. It was too early to say anything positive about the outcome. Possibly, ultimately, a few soldiers in actual warfare would march great distances, and battle might ho carried on airwise or by motor vehicles. The whole organisation of military divisions with the proportion of cavalry, artillery and infantry might eventually lie replaced bv smaller groups of men with virions mechanical vehicles and tanks. Meanwhile they had to maintain forces known to be valuable. Expeni - ments with mechanisations were continuing, existing formations being gradually based on increased mobility and firepower, provided by motor vehicles. Many critics accused him od weakness and wastefulness because In did not disband immediately all caval j-v. Though cavalry on the western front in the wartime was overshadow efl bv more important happenings, ex

porience in Palestine showed that in certain countries cavalry "as still effective and necessary. He did not propose to immediately dispense with more mounted units but two car all i regiments would exchange horses to. armoured cars. Heavy medium artdlorv was being mechanised. The le. of the held artillery was still horsedrawn. It was intended to ronver the- latter as soon as funds were available. The estimates tlifl not provide for a force ip. t/hinftt