TO-DAY'S NEWS IN BRIEF

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22591, 22 December 1938, Page 8

TO-DAY'S NEWS IN BRIEF

OVERSEAS PEACE OFFER TO CHINA The terms of a peace offer to China by a Japanese general are stated to be: Recognition of the independence of Manchukuo and Inner Mongolia; Marshal Chiang Kai-shek to take a brief holiday; th" withdrawal of Japanese troops and the restoration of industrial areas to Five Japanese divisions have been dispatched to tl\? Manchukuo-Soviet border and 30.000 men drafted to cut Chinese and Russian communications. ISLAND COLONY'S PLIGHT A French warship is speeding to the re'cue of the iiC-nd colony of St. Paul in lndian Ocean after the receipt of an SOS message by radio. Coal supplies on the island have run short, scurvy has broken out, and there is serious dissension among members of the colony. DANZIG JEWS FOR PALESTINE Danzig's 4000 Jews will emigrate to Palestine early in January. It is stated that Britain is willing to relax the immigration quota in their favour. FRONTIER STRIFE IN SLOVAKIA Official quarters in Bratislava accuse the Hungarian Government of being behind the outbreak of frontier fighting between Hungarian troops and Slovaks. COLD SPELL IN EUROPE Europe is in the grip of the coldest spell for many years. Rivers and canals are frozen over and many more deaths are reported. N2W ZEALAND'S ECONOMIC POLICY In reply to a question in the House of Crmmons on recent criticism in Britain of New Zealand's economic policy, Mr Malcolm Mac Donald (Dominions Secretarv) said that he agreed that New Zealand had the right to conduct its trading without interference from anyone in England. POLISH MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS Latest returns in the Polish municipal elections confirm the reported defeat of the Government party. The newspapers declare that public opinion is opposed to tha Government's conception of Poland as a one-party state. ONTARIO'S LIBERAL PARTY Because of the recurrence of a heart ailment, the Premier of Ontario (Mr Mitchell Hepburn) may be obliged to cancel his proposed visit to Australia. It is reported that he has suggested resigning from the Premiership. DISSENSION IN NAZI PARTY Rumours of an impending purge of the Nazi Party follow reports of conflict between the moderate and extremist groups. It is said that the positions of three Ministers, Dr. Goebbels, Herr Himmler, and Herr von Ribbentrop, are threatened. CONSULAR BAG MISUSED A package containing, it is understood. Information of General Franco's military plans, was discovered by rebel frontier authorities in the British Vice-Consul's dispatch bag sent from San Sebastian to the British Embassy. The Vice-Consul is not implicated in the incident. Many arrests have been made by the rebels in San Sebastian as a result of the discovery.

NEW ZEALAND HAILSTORM AT GERALDINE The worst hailstorm within the memory of residents caused much damage at Geraldine yesterday. Gardens were ruined and fruit was badly split and marked. Two shops suffered loss from water which poured in through the roofs, as the result of hail piling up in the spouting behind the parapets. DAMAGE IN OXFORD DISTRICT About 1 pjn. yesterday a thunderstorm, preceded by a heavy hailstorm, caused a good deal of damage. Residents described the hailstones as jagged pieces of ice, the largest being about the size of a golf ball. In the Warren district, a whirlwind accompanied the storm, breaking two telephone poles and causing damage to crops. At Carleton, one side of a glasshouse, containing 120 panes of glass, was destroyed by hail. PHARMACY PLAN Regulations giving effect to the industrial plan prepared by the Bureau of Industry for the pharmacy industry were gazetted yesterday. In a statement, the Minister for Industries and Commerce said he believed that the basis was laid in the regulations for greatly improved conditions in the industry. PRESBYTERIAN FUND The Presbyterian Centenary thanksgiving fund, in cash and promises, has reached a total.of £167.000. TVftCOUD NUMBER OF MOTORISTS A rush of applicants for drivers' licences has given the Christchurch City Council's traffic department the busiest Christmas on record. So far this month 252 applicants have been put through the test, a higher figure than in any previous December. The totals for the year will also break all previous records. COACHING FOR ATHLETES Upwards of 80 athletes from most of the main centres of New Zealand are expected to attend the national summer coaching school, which will be held at Timaru during the holidays, under the control of the South Canterbury SubCentre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT The adoption of surgical methods of treatment in certain stages of tuberculosis was recommended by Dr. I. C. Macintyre in a report to the North Canterbury Hospital Board. A committee was set up to make recommendations on buildings, equipment, and staffing. CHRISTMAS RAIL TRAFFIC ♦,.? Ec , or _ d early bookings for Christmas travel have resulted in trains to provii cial centres being booked out at Auck-Jhh^-J 11 * 6 J ?i sh of ea / ly bookings is attributed to the recent increase made in

INDEX TO NEWS LEADING ARTICLES .. 8 British Foreign Policy. Housing Department and Local Authorities. Safety on the Roads. NEWS BY PICTURES .. 14 PERSONAL ITEMS .. 8 GENERAL NEWS .. 8 CABLE MESSAGES .. » LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 5 FINANCE AND COMMERCE 11 SPORTING .. 12 Southland Notes. I Winton T.C. Acceptances. ' Waiau R.C. Acceptances. GENERAL Magistrate's Court .. 1 Beard's Action Criticised 7 Police Visit Hotel .. ■ 7 Many More Motorists .. 8 Crops Damaged at Oxford 8 Flooding at Geraldine .. 8 Presbyterian Fund .. 8 Pharmacy Plan .. 10 Control of Imports .. 10 Treatment of Tuberculosis 10 Dredging for Gold .. 10 Lawn Tennis .. 10 Cricket .. 12 Addington Market Report 13 Change in New Guinea .. 13 Coaching for Athletes .. 13 Ordination Service .. 14 Health Stamp Campaign 14 Broadcasting , : . 14 Beach Patrol at Sumner .. 16 Lyttelton News .. 16 MAIL NOTICES ..15 SHIPPING AND WEATHER 15 NEWS FOR WOMEN .. 2 4a index to advertisements will be ffeund on page 10.