BLIGHTY NEWS.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 24, 27 August 1920, Page 4

BLIGHTY NEWS.

The President of the National Union of Railwaymen — speaking at the conference at Belfast opposed direct action for political purposes, and advocated unity for the next move, for "economic emancipation. " A portrait bronze erected by British and American journalists to the memory of W. T. Stead was unveiled by J. A. Spender, osa the Thames Embankment. The Federation of British Industries, in a letter to the Prime Minister, suggest that a financial council of business men should be set up to advise the Cabinet on expenditure and taxation. The Miners' Federation discussed a pro. posed demand for a reduction in the price of household coal and an increase in wages. The annual congress of the National Union gf Railwaymen decided at Belfast hy 42 votes to 18 to accept the recent 1 award of the National Wages Board. Tlie great majority of the public are determined not to buy home-killed meat at rates higher than those prevailing under control. We have received from M. Andre Tardieu an appeal, on the eve of the Spa Conference, for the solid support of the people of Great Britain of France's deniand for the execution of the Treaty of Versailles in the form in which it was signed and ratified. Agreement among the Allies at Brussels was reached on practically all points relating to the division of the German reparations. A spirit of unity has been displayed in the later stages of the Conference, which is regarded as a good augury for Spa. The German delegates have arrived at Spa for the Conference. They received a frigid reception in Belgium and are reported not to be in a conciliatory mood. The first meeting of the Conference at Spa adjourned on the question of German disarmament. The Allied delegates refused to discuss the matter informally with the German Foreign Minister,. and the Minister of Defence and Commander-in-Chief were hastily summoned from Berlin.

A fresh suggestion has been put forward at Spa with regard to Belgium's priority claim in nelation to German reparation. It k feought that such a prior claim might impair the security for an International Reparation Loan. Lord Birkenhead and M. Jules Cambon have been summoned to Spa in connection with the fortbooming discussion on war criminals. The Conference at Spa has again been poatponed. The German delegation attempted to confine itself to generalities, but was sharply reminded by Mr Lloyd George that precise figures and dates were required. A statement of the French claims for reparation has appeared in a Paris newspaper. The total amount involved is said to be 248 milliards of francs. At the Inter-Allied Conference at Brussels the question of the disarmament of Germany was discussed, but the reduction of the German Army was treated as having passed beyond the stagje of discussion. At a private meeting between the Allied Prime Ministers held in the afternoon the question of the division of the indemnity was considered. The L.71, the leviathan of the German Air War Service, which has >been handed over to the British Government, arrived at Pulham. The Local Legislation Committee of the House of Commons has approved the L.C.C. proposal for motor-omnibus linking. up services between London-bridge and W estminster-bridge. Mr Appleton, speaking at a Trade Union Conference at Leamington, challenged the statement that every child in Russia was bemg fed, clothed, and educated. No man could visit Russia for one month and report on the exact economic situation. They could expeet nothing from Russia for three or four years. At the opening service of the Lftifibeth Conference, held in the Abbey, the Dean spoke on the questions of religion and of the place of women in Church organisation. A delegation from the Orthodox Church is attending the Conference. The Bishops visited Canterbuxy and were welj comed by the Primate.