HOMELAND HAPPENINGS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 December 1937, Page 12

HOMELAND HAPPENINGS

BRITISH CRUISERS.

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

. RUGBY, December S. The cruiser Cornwall will to-day complete her full crew at Chatham. She will join l the second; cruiser squadron of the Home Fleet, which will thus be restored 1 for the. first time sinceT92s to its normal strength of five ships. The. other cruisers in the squadron are the Southampton, Newcastle, Sheffield, and Glasgow, of the new 9000-ton, six-inch gun class.

PARLIAMENTARY ASSN.

RUGBY, December 8.

A deputation from the British branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association, including Mr. J. J. LI ewellin, will visit Australia at the invitation of the association’s branch in the New South Wales Parliament for the sesquicentennial celebrations. Guests at Sydney will also include representatives of branches of the association in other parts of the Empire. The delegates will take part in Sydney in an informal Parliamentary conference on Empire development.

EARLY SNOW.

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, December 9.

Snow fell heavily in many parts of Britain, yesterday, and many roads became impassable. Snow fell in London for the first time this Winter.

MINING ROYALTIES.

RUGBY, December 9.

The Government Bill to secure the unification of mining royalties under State control, by the payment of £66,450,000 as compensation to the royalty owners, was further considered by the Commons, and progress was made with some of over 120 amendments.

The Labour Opposition tabled a series of amendments, with the object of reducing the amount to £44,350000, safeguarding the wage standards of mine workers, securing that part of the surplus revenue should be used' as the nucleus of a pension fund for mine workers, and protecting miners, who may lose their employment as a result of the scheme. VITAL STATISTICS BILL LONDON, December 9. Mr. Herbert, M.P., commenting on the amendments to the Population and Statistics Bill, said: The Minister has listened and acted. It is a good example of the working of democracy. I will support the remaining stages of the Bill.

Additional information on the registration of births, which it is desired to obtain to secure reliable information on fertility rates, is now j ractically limited to the age of the mother, the date of the marriage, and the number of children the mother had by her present or former husbands. .The information is now specifically made privileged, so it cannot be disclosed for' use in legal proceedings.