GENERAL CABLES.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1928, Page 2

GENERAL CABLES.

Australian Press Assn.—United Service COMMONS DEBATE. LONDON, Juno 18. In tlie Commons, a Labourite, Riley, during tho committee stage of the Rate Apportionment Bill debate, moved an amendment to admit agricultural here- V-” ditaments from relief. Agriculturists, he said, already Mere relieved of three- » quarters of their rates. Further relief meant a total contribution of nineteen millions yearly from the public purse. The Bill did not ensure that actually even tho cultivating farmer’ M'ould receive relief. The closure was applied to the debate and the amendment defeated by 22(3 to 124. The House of Lords passed the third reading of the Equal Franchise Bill (“ votcs-for-flnppers ” bill). . TURKEY’S RELIGION. CONSTANTINOPLE, June _ Following the separation of the . Mussulman Church from tho State on —- April 9th last, a special commission has submitted drastic proposals for the reform of tho Mussulman religion, which it, believes, should Follow a march of progress commission. The Commission suggests voice training for tho Muezzlins, the introduction of musical instruments into the Mosques, and tho provision of ncm's and cloakrooms. It urges that the worshippers should be no longer required to remove their shoes. The Commission recommends that , the liturgical language should bo Turkish. The Commission also favours the training of preachers from among the laity . It expresses the opinion that, with new methods, the Koran can be rendered comprehensible to all, and that the religion of Islam can he given a neM- value. HOAX AT SEANCE. PARIS, June 19. There was a dramatic climax to a series of spiritualistic seances at Nantes, which it is stated, had attracted attention as far away as Australia, America and Japan. A journalist M'as present, and seizing -the .supposed spirit of a- girl whom her mother as about to embrace, the journalist found it to he the substantial body of a famous medium named Balise, who, in the meantime, M-as suppasoed to be in a cabinet in a trance. The journalist declares that he saw Balise’s braces underneath a transparent robe before flashing on an electric torch. A scene followed the incident, twenty persons attacking the journalist, m-lio escaped with bruises and torn clothes.

ITALIAN AHGRATION. LONDON, June 18. “The Times” Rome correspondent states: The Italian Government has accepted tho proposal of thm Italian Consul at Sydney, Signor Grossardi, that the number of visas' to be issued to Italians for migrating to Australia during the next twelve months shall bo limited to three thousand. „; . , RUSSIAN MINERS. LONDON, June 18^ The " Times’s ’■ Riga correspondent reports that the Soviet Government has granted six million roubles to improve the housing of the coal miners in the Donetz Basin. Thousands of miners there at present live in barracks. The majority of them are without beds. They sleep on bare hoards, in insanitary conditions. The arrests of engineers as the scapegoats there have only temporarily allayed the spirit of revolt prevalent. SAMOA AT GENEVA. Vustralian Press Assn.—United Ser'^a (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) GENEVA, June 19. The "Samoan question, originally on to-day’s agenda has been postponed until to-morrow-. c ~ " (Tv, Hon. Nelson, his daughter and his secretary, still • are at Geneva and areT"’ occupying a suite in the best hotel. Major-General Richardson and "Ward are staying at an hotel tu - o minutes’ distance. There is no likelihood, hou - - ever, of their meeting, either in the presence of the Commission or privately. Hon. Nelson sought to place his case before various members of the Commission, with varying degrees of success, according to the, differing views of members on the propriety of such interviews, the League Council having ruled j) ill 1926 that individual petitioners' should not he heard before the Commission, though having not made a ruling concerning individual action of members in the elucidating of particular prohelms. The Commission’s meetings Mere secret and the report M’ill not he published until after the Commission Council meets in September.

Nelson, if he does not obtain satisfaction, will noM’ seek means of again raising the issue in September.