BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 November 1926, Page 5

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

i Aua'«raliiuj and N.Z. Association)* (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. LONDON, November 24. • In the House of Commons, Sir A. Steel Maitland (Minister of Labour) stated that out' Of. work relief payments totalled since, the Armistice £62,448,000, and the unemployment relief 275 millions. LITERARY HOAX. LONDON, November 25. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of I-Icsketli Pearson, on a charge of obtaining a cheque by false, pretences (in connection with “the Whispering Gallery” sham memoirs). MASONIC ASSEMBLY. WASHINGTON, Nov. 25. / Detroit messages states that thirty thousand master masons and hundreds of Knights of Templar Shrines assisted to-day in the dedication of the largest Masonic Temple in the' world. It cost seven million dol-' lars. I EGG-SHELL WILL. LONDON, November 24. The Probate Court ruled against the egg-shell will of Captain Barnes. It was found that the hand-writing was that of Barnes’s, but it could not be accepted as a testamentary disposition. The Court stated it appeared about as grotesque an act as possible for any man, who had engaged in the serious undertakings of life. MORE COAL. LONDON, November. 24. In the House of Comnibns, Colonel Fox (Secretary for Mines) announced that in , view of the increasing coal the restrictions on gas and electricity and lighting power would bo withdrawn to-morrow, and those on the domestic use of coal at the end of week, but the export restrictions would remain. PROHIBITION COST. WASHINGTON, Nov. 25. The Treasury Department declared prohibition enforcement during the fiscal year, beginning July 1, 192.7 would cost over thirty-three million dollars. Assistant Secretary Andrews asked the House Appropriations Committee for .thirteen millioris for the Federal unit. The coastguard wants twen.ty millions. MERCHANDISE MARKS. LONDON, November 24. In the House of Commons, the Mer-' chandise Marks Bill was read a third , time by 233 votes to 103.' ‘ ‘ Mr Sydney Webb (Labour), moved a ’ motion for its rejection, which failed; ' He argued that it was a vicious bill. The real object of the bill was to discourage imports. . \ Mr Lloyd Geoi‘ge urged that .the Bill 'was a. measure to advertise foreign goods at the expense of the British taxpayer. . • MARLBOROUGH MARRIAGE. . ROME, November 25. The text of tne finding of the tribunal* which-.annulled the Marlborough marriage, affirms that it was . a prior attachment on the part of the Duchess that made the marriage unhappy from the start, which all the witnesses confirmed, deluding the Duke and Duchess, and Mi’s, Vanderbilt. Accordingly Miss Vanderbilt was not given the necessary liberty of contract to make the marriage valid. COBHAM’S FAILURE. . NEW YORK, Nov. 25. Sir A. Cobham arrived by the Ho-, meric, to commence a lecture' tour on Thursday. His attempt to fly the Moth plane from quarantine to the. battery, to prove the possibility .of thus expediting mails, was a failure; The liner was delayed for three hours the cra’ft lowered but was buffeted by ground swells, and eventually towed ashore. The majority of the passepgers were indignant for they missed their trains and Thanksgiving Day dinners. i . IRISH REPUBLICANS. LONDON, Nov. 24, Mr Eamonn de Valera spoke in Dublin at the first Conventioh of. his. new Republican Party. He opposed the idea of achieving by force $ United Republican Ireland, but •he pointed out that if the road of peace were barred, then the road of evolution would .beckon on, and it would be taken. ' ' I: Mr de Valera remarked that he had never said, and he was not saying now, that force was not a legitimate weapon for a nation striving for freedom, but he declared that, a nation within itself ought to be able to'settle its policy .without a civil conflict.