OFFICIAL WIRELESS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 September 1928, Page 4

OFFICIAL WIRELESS

(British Official Wireless.) DISABLED EX-SOLDIERS. INVITATION TO VISIT BELGIUM. RUGBY, Sept. 2. The British Legion has completed arrangements for iv party of its members who Imvo war disabilities to -proceed to Belgium as tho guests of tho Belgian Association of the War-dis-abled. Tbo invitation from Belgium is supported by the Belgian Government.

The disabilities of the members of tbo British party are mostly more than 50 per cent which will necessitate the transport of some of them by surgical carriages.

THE CHANNEL SWIM. HELMI'S REMARKABLE FEAT. LONDON, Sept. 2. Helmi, the giant Egyptian swimmer, who has succeeded after a number of attempts in swimming the English Channel, left Cape Gris Nez in France on Friday afternoon and reached Folkestone after being in the water 23 hours -10 minutes.

The time, taken is ono of the longest in the sixteen successful Channel swims That .have been made, but Hclmi’s achievement is considered to bo a remarkable feat of endurance, especially considering tbo strength of tho current. PROTECTIVE DUTY. INDIAN MATCH INDUSTRY. i RUGBY, Sept. % Tho Government of India have accepted the recommendation of the Tariff Board that tho Indian match industry should bo protected by maintaining and converting into protective duty, the present revenue duty of ll rupee 8 annas per gross. The Government finds that a protective duty is necessitated by the. existence of an international coin-bine with large financial resources', controlling the manufacture and sale- of matches in a large part of the world. , The adoption by a Swedish company of. a policy of supplying the Indian market with matches made in India, would require reconsideration of the duty.

OPIUM TRAFFIC. LEAGUE TO APPOINT A COMMISSION.

RUGBY, Sept. 2,

Tho Council of Hie League of Nations considered the question of control of the opium, traffic. Mr W. Mackenzie King, the Canadian representative, presented a report on the subject and moved that the British Government’s proposal for instituting a commission of inquiry into tile situation should be sent forward to tlie Assembly, this reference being necessary as the funds fob such an inquiry can be voted only bv the Assembly. Lord Cushcndun, the British representative, in explaining the proposal, said that under the Hague 'Convention of 1012 the British and other Governments were pledged to tbo gradual suppression of the trade in. and the use of prepared opium. Efforts bad been made to carry out that undertaking, but. owing to conditions in the Ear East, great difficulties were experienced especially at Horn Kong, where it was found im’inssiHe to prevent illicit traffic. Those who had followed events intimately would have scon bow difficult it was to prevent illicit traffic in alcohol and would understand how much more diffiev.'t it was for Hong Kong to prevent illicit traffic in opium. In ibc'-e circumstances tile British Go-f'-rnnient bad thought it desirable that tbo League should npioint a commission to examine conditions independently and impartially, and no doubt it. would advise as to how the difficulties might lie overcome. Ho boned that it would be taken as a proof of the confidence which the British Government reposed in the League oi Nations that it should be willing to band over a. matter touching such vast commercial and material interests to impartial examination. He also hoped that it would be taken as a proof of the British Government’s desire to stop the traffic. M. Paul Bonconr (France) arid the Dutch representative, in supporting the proposal, declared that their respective Governments would facilitate the inquiry in their far-distant dependencies. It was decided to refer the proposal to. the League Assembly. As the Geneva Opium Convention, having cbeen ratified by the requisite number of Powers, comes into force on 'September 25, tbo League Council considered tbo appointment of a Permanent Central Board, set. up under Article XIX of the Convention. Hie Convention provides the United States must be asked to nominate a member, and the Council decided to invite tho Government of tbo United States to do so.

AVOAIEN’S FRANCHISE. NEW ENGLISH LAAY COAIES INTO FORCE. RUGBY, Sept. 2. To-day 5,250,000 women begin to qualify for the vote, by virtue of the recent legislation extending the vote to women at the age of twenty-one on tiro same terms as men. The new voters are required to have resided for three months in the same constituency to entitlo them to he placed on the register. Consequently, at the end of three months, on December 1, the majority of the women aged twentyeno will he entitled to vote.

FIFTH IAfPERIAL TOUR

DEPARTURE FOR AFRICA ON THURSDAY. RUGBY, Sept. 2. The Prince of Wales’s tour of East Africa, for which he starts next Thursday, will he the fifth of his Imperial journeys, A leature <>l this journey will he that the route through Tanganyika- and Notrhern Rhodesia lies across regions which, even ill the Prince’s boyhood, were almost unknown lo white men.

Tim Prince, who will lie accompanied by bis brother, the Duke of Gloucester, will travel overland to Marseilles and thence in the P. and 0. liner Kaiser-T-Himl to Alexandria. Their Royal Highnesses will lunch with King Fuad on the day of their arrival in Egypt, a,ml will probably spend a day in Cairo afterwards picking up ill Sue/, Canal the British India Steam Navigation Company’s steamer Alaldn, The Alalda will make a. special stop at Tsmailia for the Royal party, and will sail thence for Atombnssn, on September 14th., calling for a few hours at Port Sudan on September 17th. and at Aden on September 20th. Alomhasa will Ih> reached on September 28th. At Afombassa a stay of two days will be made. From Afombassa a journey of 320 miles to Nairobi, the cert of government of Kenya Colony, will be taken. Here two days will probably ho spent in official engagements. The Prince’s movements in Kenya will not he finally settled until lie has had an opportunity of discussing them with the Governor on Ills arriv-

On tbo conclusion of bis stay in Kenya, the Prince will visit Uganda and Tanganyika, and, acwii'ding to present plans, he and the Duke will motor into Northern Rhodesia and pickup tho railway at Broken Hill. They will then make their way through the two Rhodesias into tlie Union of South Africa where, having paid an official visit as recently ns 1025, his Royal Highness hopes to s|>oiid a few weeks unofficially. Christmas will 1« spent rt Cape Town with tho Earl of Athlono, tho Governor-General of South Africa, and Princess Alice, CountcßS of Athlono.

NEW SUBMARINE. RUGBY, Sept. 2. The launching took place at Vickers Armstrong’s ship yard at Barrow yesterday of tho .submarine Otus. This is the third suhniarinte of the 0 class to lie launched at Barrow this year. The other two, Osiris and Oswald, are now being fitted out.

SIR A. CHAMBERLAIN. HEALTH TRIP TO AMERICA. RUGBY. Sept. 2. The liner Oreomn, on which Sir Austen Chamberlain is travelling to America for the benefit of bis health, put. in at La Roc-hello yesterday. Greetings and wishes- for his speedy recovery were conveyed to Sir Austen on behalf of the French President and the French Foreign Minister. The Oreoma arrives to-dny at San Sebastian. The Spanish Prime Minister, General Primo do Rivera, has stated that he has addressed a cordial letter to Sir Austen, wishing him a speedy recovery and expressing his regret that he is unable to present bis wishes personally. General do Rivera explains that it was bis original intention to visit Sir Austen on board the Oreomn, but in view of tbo latter’s state of health bo wishes to spare him any inconvenience. -