GENERAL CABLES

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 224, 9 June 1923, Page 7

GENERAL CABLES

By txlegxaph.—pbxw-asbooiation. —COPYRIGHT. In the House of Commons the Rent Control Bill was read a second time by 287 votes to 123. Mrs. Philipson, the new member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, took her seat in the House of Commons amidst Ministerial cheers. The New States Convention in Sydney concluded after adopting a platform and arrangements for pushing forward tho movement.

An Anglo-Afghan trade convention has been signed at Kabul, giving effect to the obligations of the treaty of November, 1921. —Reuter.

Lord Robert Cecil’s disarmament scheme is being submitted to the League of Nations Permanent Consultative Commission, which will report on it by July 31.

The Diocesan Synod, at Brisbane, defeated by 131 votes to 88. -Canon Dewitt Battv’s motion in favour of breaking off nexus with the mother Church in England.

Timber mills at Hursiville. New South Wales, owned by Messrs. Walter, Middleton, and Fades, Ltd., were destroyed .by fire.. The damage is placed at £30,000.

The Tasmanian Cabinet has reduced the portfolios by one, eliminating the Lands Department. Mr. McPhee, Chief Secretary, has resigned, owing to pressure of business interests.

The Duke and Duchess of York have taken up their permanent residence at White Lodge, Richmond. The Duchess is making a satisfactory recovery from a slight attack of whooping cough. The New South Wales Cabinet has decided aaginst the financial proposals made at the recent Premiers’ Conference. A meeting of the Commonwealth and State Treasuries will be held to-dav to receive the reports of the different Governments.

A British Admiralty repoit states that at the General Election 700 officers and men entitled to vote for tho Central Portsmouth division did not receive ballot papers by post. The Admiralty and the Home Office are considering amendments to the electoral procedure.

Tho Australian Prime Minister, Mr, S. M. Bruce, has announced that the session of the Federal Parliament will terminate on August 24, as he is not prepared to leave Australia knowing that something might happen in Parliament which would prevent him from speaking for Australia in England. The death is announced in Sydney of Mr. William Alexander McArthur, formerly a member of the British House of Commons, and a Junior Lord of the Treasury. He was a member of the firm of W. and A. McArthur, and a director of the McArthur Shipping Company. He arrived in Sydney recently from England.

The Riga correspondent ' of the “Daily Mail” says that after securing 10,000 cats to combat a mouse plague, the Russian peasants are now battling with countless millions of grasshoppers, which are threatening to destroy 40 million acres of crops. SeveraJ divisions of the Red Army have been told off to assist in the extermination ot the -pest, and are employing poison gas.

A convict. Charles Baker, made, a sensational escape fron. the Norwich Gaol. It is alleged that he attacked a warder with a pick-axe handle, and, before the alarm was given, dressed himself in a suit of the governor s clothes, and also annexed £l7 belonging to the governor. The police, on horseback, and on motor-cycles are scouring the country. The warder is in a critical condition.

A message from Madison, Wisconsin advises that the State Ass .approved a Bill repealing State Prohibition Enforcement Act by 4/ votes to 43. According to local procedure the Bill was sent for engrossment after which it will be resubmitted to the Assembly. The same vote is expected for th© formal ratification Hie measure Will then be sent to the Senate which has previously killed several less drastic antiPiohibition proposals.