NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 45

NEWS BY CABLE.

MR WINSTON CHURCHILL. LONDON* June 8, Mr -Winston Churchill will go to the .Halted States in the autumn to deliver 43 lectures at a fee of £2OO each. THE ORIENT COMPANY. LONDON, June 12. The Orient Steamship Company is converting the Ormonde and the Orsova. to one-class steamers. RUSSIAN BUTTER. LONDON, June 12. Several big chain stores announce that they are not selling Russian butter, following the deep-rooted objections of housewives. SCAPA FLOW SALVAGERS. LONDON, June 11. The salvagers have raised the bo.w end of the battleship Prince Regent Luitpold at Scapa Flow, The hull shows no signs "bf decay. LATE MR “TIM” HEALY. LONDON, June 14.. The late Mr “ Tim ” Healy left estate Valued at £18,887. He bequeathed it all to his daughter and two sons, who are; executors.

MANDATES COMMISSION. GENEVA, June 10. The Mandates Commission examined the report on New Guinea, and later declared that the idea of autonomy had Hot yet been abandoned. QUEEN OF RUMANIA. . BUCHAREST, June 11. The position of Queen Helena appears to have been decided. It is stated that she will reside permanently abroad, but is entitled to pay three visits every year to Prince Michael. , BRITISH WARSHIPS. RUGBY, June 11, H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth and part of the third cruiser squadron will visit Yugo-Slav waters in July and August. The vessels will include three cruisers, nine destroyers and four other craft. SMUGGLING OF DRUGS. TOKIO, June 10. The systematic smuggling of cocaine and morphine from Germany to the value of £1,500,000 was disclosed by the arrest at Osaka of a Japanese who was in collusion with a Customs employee.

THE SPANISH ARMY. MADRID, June 11. An army gazette announces that th? Spanish Army, as a result of the new regime's reductions, now totals 4673 officers and 100,447 men, compared with King Alfonso’s 19,827 officers and 384,212 men. “ BACK TO THE LAND.” OTTAWA, June 9. The back-to-the-land movement initiated by the Minister of Immigration and Colonisation (Mr Gordon) has succeeded in placing 7600 unemployed single men on farms in Canada to the end of last month, in addition to 1800 families which have been placed on selected farms, A WEDDING TRAGEDY. BERLIN, June 11. The bridegroom and three wedding guests were killed and eight others seriously hurt after a wedding in a village near’ Vi Ina. When the wedding party returned from the church the guests argued fiercely as to. who should sit next to the bride. Knives and axes were used with disastrous results. GERMAN REPARATIONS. PARIS, June 10. M. Briand triumphed against many attacks in the Chamber. He declared: “ Germany is entitled to her own views on reparations, but we have ours. An agreement solemnly made cannot be retracted without our consent, and the Young Plan cannot be modified. This is final and definite.”

SOVIET FIVE-YEAR PLAN. MOSCOW, June 9. For the purpose of completing the Five-year Plan in four years the Soviet i& issuing a, £108,000,000 ten-y ear "loan, half consisting of non-interest bearing, inscribed premium bonds, of which regular draws will be made. The remainder consists of interest bearing bonds with no premium. SASKATCHEWAN FARMERS. OTTAWA, June 11. A message from Saskatoon says that, driven out by drought from their farms, where they have not had crops since 1928, the farmers are starting trekking north from Southern Saskatchewan. They are abandoning t.ieir lands and debts, and are driving their live stock with them and camping along the route.

GERMAN STEEL WORKS. \ LONDON, June 10.

The Berlin correspondent of The Times says that the Brosen-Courier, which is usually well informed, announced that

by making price concessions the: Soviet has reached an agreement with the German steel Works Association, placing orders for £20,000,(100 worth of rolling mill products with German firms. PRESENTED AT COURT. LONDON, June 9. Lady Wilford presented the following New Zealanders to their Majesties at the second court at Buckingham Palace?— Misses Marea Bailey, Constance Budett, Phoebe Fell, Vahna Richardson, Nancy Wheeler, Joan Wheeler, and Mrs L. Hudson. Mrs David Nathan presented herdaughter Jacqueline. A GIFT SUPPER. TOKIO, June 12. An "original attempt to rob a bank is reported from Dairen. The night staff received a gift supper from an “ anonymous friend,” which was followed by severe pains and the- vict|ns are in a precarious condition. The poliee arrested a Japanese who formerly held an official position and is at present head of a commercial firm. They also discovered a safe-breaking- outfit. NORTH ATLANTIC LINERS. LONDON, June 14. Owing to the serious depression some of the largest shipping companies operating in the North Atlantic, including the Cunard and the White Star lines, have cancelled nearly 40 sailings. Not a single one of the 16 giaut liuers in the transatlantic trade showed a profit during 1930, while the costs were so heavy that many of the round trips showed a loss of £20,000 each.

THE GULF STREAM. LONDON, June 8. Scientists fear that the earthquake may cause a diversion of the Gulf Stream, adversely affecting England's climate. The Times, in a leader, states that in the last 1000 years 1190 earthquakes have been recorded in Britain, 822 of which were felt in Scotland. Throughout that period only two lives .were lost. An apprentice was killed by falling masonry in 1850, and a baby was killed in Colchester in 1884. DOMINION FARMERS. LONDON, June 9. A party of New Zealand farmers inspected at Hay’s wharf the Rangitane’s consignment of butter. Sir William Wayland, chairman of the Empire Dairy Council, in welcoming them, paid a tribute to the high quality of New Zealand butter, and remarked that the Empire was now supplying butter throughout the year. This was the Empire’s reply to Russia’s Five-year Plan. GIFT OF TRUST FUND. RUGBY, June 10. A trust fund of £20,000 has. been given to King Edward’s Hospital Fund by an anonymous donor, whose gifts now amount to £54,000. This was mentioned by the Prince of Wales at a meeting of the general council of the hospital fund. The Prince also read a message from the King, who is patron of the fund, expressing pleasure that the fund had been able in-1930 to provide an increased distribution of £206,000.

ROSE DAY APPEAL. RUGBY, June 10. The annual Alexandra Rose Day appeal for hospitals was held to-day and it is hoped that by the sales of artificial roses and by street collections £60,000 will be raised. The record for Rose Day is £58,000. Lady Wilford collected £B5 in front of New Zealand House, A bouquet of roses sent by the Queen from Windsor was sold in separate blooms at Christie’s and realised £lOOO. The King’s carriage stopped by a rose seller when his Majesty was on his way to Rotten row for his morning ride, and the King purchased a flower. PROBLEM OF THE UNFIT. LONDON, June 12. The 1200 delegates to the annual conference of the Women’s Co-operative Guild almost unanimously agreed to demand legislation to ensure compulsory sterilisation of the unfit. Mrs Encver, of Leytonstone, said : “> We must not be squeamish about the matter. Sterilisation is already much practised in the upper classes. Doctors are prepared to take the consequences. The nation’s welfare must come before roll gious objections.”

MARKING OF BUTTER. LONDON, June 10. The report of the committee, appointed to consider the marking of imported butter recommends a series of markings in this way Empire, where it is entirely overseas; foreign, where it is entirely foreign; partly Empire, where it. consists of a. blend of dominions and United Kingdom butter; partly foreign, where the blend consists of foreign and United Kingdom butter. An alternative recommendation is that there should be a definite indication of all countries of origin in the blend, or the words “ including imported butter,”

RIOTS IN LENINGRAD. STOCKHOLM,; June 11. The newspaper Aftonbladet reports serious riots, in Leningrad,, where the starving population stormed and demolished a great provision store, plundering the stock. Troops were culled out, but refused to fire on the mob. The commander then called out the Cheka troops, which fired and charged with bayonets. Many dead and wounded are lying in the streets. The Cheka is now the only- reliable force remaining to the Soviet authorities. “ NOT UNDERSTOOD.” ROME, June 11. The Pope has issued a note to the, newspaper Osservatore Romano explaining that some of his utterances had been misunderstood, but it must be repeated that the “ Catholic Action Movement will remain and be what it and the Church made it, aud it is under no other supreme authority but its own.” There are other indications, that the Pope is satisfied with Italy’s expressions of regret for incidents perpetrated by irreconcilables, and accepts the undertaking to make good the damage, but he refuses to accept the Italian Government’s reproof for the political propensities of Catholic Actionists.

PEACE OF THE WORLD. LONDON, June 12. A call to prayer issued by the churches of the world in connection with the Disarmament Conference, 1932, is signed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the leaders of the Welsh, Scottish and Irish Anglican Churches, and the Baptist, Methodist and Free Churches, and other Nonconformist bodies. It states: “ Our hopes for the peace of the world largely depend on the success of the conference. We therefore appeal to all Christian communions to give themselves up to full private prayer that the delegates may be guided to results which will strengthen the foundation of goodwill and peace among nations.” CANADIAN BANK NOTES. OTTAWA, June 11. “ That the House should suspend the redemption of Dominion notes in gold ” is advocated in a sub-amendment to the Budget moved by Mr H. E. Spencer (United -Farmers of Alberta) to-day. The sub-amendment also regrets that no provision is made for unemployment relief. June 12. Reform in the financial administration of the Government, the appointment of a Comptroller of the Treasury, wider supervision of all expenditures, and the taking over of the royal mint are provided for in legislation of which the Prime Minister (Mr R. B. Bennett) gave notice to-day.

THE BOARD OF TRADE. RUGBY, June 12. The Board of Trade returns for the month of May show a slight increase in the value of exports, as compared with those of April and March, but as compared with the returns of May last year heavy decreases both in the imports and exports are recorded. The imports for the month were valued at £69,600,000, which is lower by over £21,000,000 than these of May last year. The exports, valued at £39,600,000, showed a decrease of £20,000,000. The reduction in values owing to the worldwide slump is to a large extent responsible for the decreases. A significant feature of the figures is the considerable expansion on the month in the value of the export of vehicles, including locomotives, motor cars, ships and aircraft, which has risen from £2,400,000 to £4,300,000.

ALL BLACK CAPTAIN. LONDON, J»ne 10. Mr C. G, Porter, the captain of the All Blacks, is here on a lengthy business visit. He is gratified that New Zealand is reverting to the international rule regarding kicking into touch, which, he believes, will help in the regeneration of New Zealand forward play. “We have lately deteriorated as forwards because shining individualism has developed at the expense of solid scrummaging. The international rule ought to correct that without slowing up the game.” He expressed the opinion that New Zealand would defeat the Australian tourists. WOMAN’S TRUE PLACE. PARIS, June 12. Signor Mussolini’s views, of women’s place in society are revealed in an interview with a French woman journalist which is published in Petit Journal, He declares that a woman’s true place is the home, but owing to present economic conditions many are forced to work outside. “ I do not like to see women in factories and workshops. If they cannot remain at home they should work in the fields, which is most suitable. . L have closely studied these problems and find that factory work for women brings irregularity in home life and a marked reduction in the birth rate. Women are now exempt from the celibacy tax in Italy because I believe that they are not spinsters from choice.”

INTERNATIONAL ESPIONAGE. BERLIN, June 10. The trial has begun in the Supreme Court at Leipzig of nine persons,, who are charged with industrial espionage at the big Leuna chemical works. They

include Becker (a- shopkeeper), who allegedly- got his wife (who works as a charwoman) to steal patents, chemical formulas,, and. other important material, and sold them to the French espionage service. The trial is being held in secret in the interests of national security. BUCHAREST, June 13, The trial has been concluded of 1113115’ persons who were charged with espionage on behalf of Russia, and the principal accused, Major Varzaru, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, with military degradation. Five others were sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, while seven were acquitted.

EUROPEAN PEACE. LONDON, June 11. Dr Edward Lyttelton, rector of Sidestrand, at the Norwich Diocesan Conference, delivered a sensational speech, suggesting that the danger to European peace was not France but Germany. He read a letter from a German professor stating that the country was maddened by the prevailing distress and was smarting under a sense of injustice because the Allies had not fulfilled theii Versailles promises to disarm. The result is that the German Government is considering taking action, and unless she gets an assurance that tiie conference on disarmament in February will do something adequate Germany will leave the League of Nations and rearm the country as quickly as possible. The professor added that Germany was already negotiating an alliance with Russia. Dr Lyttelton concluded: “ These two Powers could defy the world, Germany thus repudiating her debts and putting herself on a parity with other nations as regards, armaments after several months of arduous toil.”

THE ITALIAN DISPUTE. ROME, June 9. The tension between Italy and the Vatican has eased appreciably presumably as the result of the Vatican’s third Note asking the Government to reply to its two earlier Notes of protest. The Vatican is now optimistic of a settlement, obviating the despatch of a fourth Note, the recalling of the Papal Nuncio, and the publication of a White Paper conveying to the world the Vatican’s standpoint. June 10. The offices of the Episcopal Chancery at Priverno were ransacked, the door's battered down, documents thrown into the streets, the crucifix broken, and the Pope’s portrait torn. The Osservatore Romano points out that the incident indicates the gravity of the earlier happenings, which the Faseisti are trying to belittle. Monsignor Pizzardo, papal under-secretary, who is also the assistant-general of the Catholic Action Society, has resigned, supposedly as the result of the Government’s insistence that he is a Vatican subject, and not an Italian, for which he could not be tolerated as the society’s leader.

IRISH REPUBLICANS. LONDON, June 11. The Daily Telegraph’s Dublin correspondent reports that Civil Guards raided the Republican headquarters in the recesses of the Dublin Mountains. In addition to documents revealing a militant and treasonable organisation, the guards found 100,000 rounds of ammunition, a number of Lewis guns, rifles, and automatic pistols. The whole dump was guarded by a trap, mine, which would have exploded at the slightest touch. The entrance to the stronghold was concealed by climbing plants. It included a chamber of concrete 20 feet square, where there were stores of food, and the stolen head of King Williams’s statue* once on College Green, Dublin, which was destroyed by explosives some years ago. A large quantity of high explosive near the dump was destroyed before the Civil Guards were able to enter the stronghold. The explosion was heard in Dublin seven miles away. Detectives had been seeking for th* dump for many months, believing that a conspiracy svas on foot to upset the State by force, as the Minister of Justice recently told the Dail. HOURS IN COAL MINES. RUGBY, June 11. At Geneva the Commission on Labour in Coal Mines arrived at a complete agreement on the conditions for lignite mines. The German Government made concessions which will make it possible to arrive at a general convention. The British Minister of Mines (Mr Emanuel Shinwell) is reported to have taken a leading part, in removing difficulties which might have led, as last year, to the throwing over of the international agreement on hours in mines. June 12. It was reported to- a special meeting of the Miners’ Federation that the consultations with the owners on the position likely to arise next month on the expiration of the present Act regulating working hours have not yet led to definite proposals being made by the Mining Association concerning the adjustment of hours- and the protection of wages on a national basis. Joint consultations will be resumed next Thursday, and the executive adjourned till June 22 to receive the report of the delegates, A conference of the Miners’ Federation called to determine its policy in connection with the hours and wages position has been fixed for June 23.

This afternoon a meeting* was held between the Prime Minister and the Coal Committee of Cabinet.

OTTAWA CONFERENCE. OTTAWA, June 8. lhe Imperial Economic-- Conference has been postponed until ‘ next year, the Prime Minister (Mr R. B. Bennett) announced in the House today. He stated that the Canadian Government had expressed its unqualified belief in the soundness of the proposals that it had made at the September conference in London. Australia had requested that, in view of the uncertain position politically, a postponement should be made. Nesv Zealand had stated that Parliament would probably be in session in August, and it was doubtful jf a Ministerial representative could be present,. Ihe Canadian Government had ecunnffinicated these repres'entations to Britain and the other dominions and a postponement had been agreed upon. r RL'GBY, June 9. The Dominions Secretary (Mr J. IL Thomas), in the House of Commons, announced that the Imperial Economic Conference at Ottawa had been postponed until May next year. The arrangements, he said, had been in the hands of- the Canadian Government and yesterday the Prime Minister of Canada made a statement to the effect that owing to. difficulties experienced by Australia and. New Zealand in arranging for full representa-. tion in August it had become neeessary for the Canadian Government to propose postponement of the conference until 1932, and all the other Governments concerned had accepted the proposal.

RECALL OF A GOVERNOR

LONDON, J une 8. It can be accepted that Whitehall, having considered Mr Lang’s case, which Mr H. Willis (the new Agent-General) presumably presented, will not consider recalling the Governor (Sir Philip Game), whose constitutional attitude is definitely approved. It is obvious that Mr Lang does not possess the. sympathy of the British Labour Government.

A grave political situation was created in March by the action of- the Governor of New South Wales (Sir Philip Game) in refusing to make additional appointments to the Legislative Council. Mr Lang approached the Governor at a special Executive Council meeting, and requested that necessary a p, pointiuents of Labour nominees- to the council should be made to assure the passage of the Government’s: policy measures. His Excellency subsequently despatched an official reply to the Cabinet stating that he was unable to accede to the demand. It was then stated that Mr Lang would immediately communicate with the Imperial Government and request the recall of the Governor. It was understood that his Excellency de,dined to make the appointments for the reason that the Government had not put forward sufficient reasons why he should accede to the requests. The Government’s application followed the action of the Legislative Council in referring the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill to a select committee. The Government accepted the decision in the nature of a challenge, ami in its application to the Governor pointed out that the council: was impeding its legislative programme.

CANADIAN BUDGET. OTTAWA, June IL In the House of Commons, to-day Mr A. W. Neill (Independent) said the five cents bounty on the export of wheat contained in the Budget would simply increase the. unfair discrimination between export and domestic freight rates in British Columbia, It would; mean that British Columbia would, have tn pay five cents more per bushel than, the exporters. Already some British Columbia buyers were talking of sending an agent to Australia*' as they estimated that they could buy wheat there and lay it down for less money than they could get. it from Alberto,. The present. Government, continued Mr Neill, had fooled away the New Zealand market. When that dominion removed the British preference benefits its injured the British Columbia fishermen’s preference of a dollar and a-quarter per case on certain kinds of fish. This was the direct result of the eight cent tariff on butter. The Government had been warned from many sides that a. tariff 1 of four cents was sufficient. Now it, must, accept the consequences of- an eight : cent. rate. The Prime Minister (Mr R. B. Beni nett),, in the Mouse, said that informa- : tion respecting the Australian- trade : agreement would be given just as soon ias it was possible to do so. He svas sure it was realised that a statement could m>t be made “ except the otherparty concerned is agreeable. As soon as. that moment arrives the House will be made acquainted with the facts if it is is session,” ® June 12A message from St. John (New Brunswick) states that the exports of NewBrunswick products to. Nesv Zealand have been seriously curtailed as the result of the withdrawal- of British preference. Manufacturers and exporters, claim that fishery products* confectionery* aud brushes are particularly affected.