GENERAL CABLES

Grey River Argus, 27 August 1946, Page 8

GENERAL CABLES

ITALIAN POLITICAL TROUBLE ROME, August 23. The Italian Prime Minister (Signor de Gasperi), who has returned to Italy from Faris, said “When I left Paris- the sky was clouded. Sunrays were as rare as expressions of friendship to Italy by the representatives of the Big Four.” Signor de Gasperi will report to President Denicola immediately and to the Cabinet to-morrow. Reuter’s correspondent states that Signor de Gasperi will face uncomfortable moments before the Cabinet. The Communists, in internal politics-, have dropped their pretence of goodwill to the Christian Democrats and there is little left to the united front in international affairs. They are condemning Signor de Gasperi’s handling of the Trieste question. He is also meeting with widespread criticism of his efforts to obtain a revision of the preamble to the Italian peace treaty. RAISING OF FARES. LONDON, August 23. New Zealand House authorities are at present discussing with the Ministry of War Transport the question of increased passage fares for the Rangitata, which is due to sail for New Zealand on September 11 with approximately 500 New Zealand passengers. On previous trips the fares for the Rangitata and Rangitiki have been £lO9 for cabin accommodation and £74 for dormitories, and the majority of bookings on the Rangitata for the September voyage have been made on that basis. This week, however, the Ministry of War Transport, which still controls the vessel, informed New Zealand House that the charges would be £lO9 for all accommodation with the exception of a limited section under canvas shelters for which £B2 will be charged. In veiw of the lower- charges for dormitory accommodation which applied on the earlier voyages and the fact that many of the intending passengers have already booked at the lower rate, it is considered that the Ministry should adhere to the charge of £74 for dormitories. Direct representation to the Minister of Transport (Mr. Alfred Barnes) are being made.

SUBSTITUTE FOR COAL. NEW YORK, Aug. 25. A Buffalo machinery company has announced the development of an atomic rectifier capable of driving a locomotive from coast to coast for a dollar. The rectifier produces combustible gas from the 'commorecial type of atomic C. uranium. Although the present costs are high, it is estimated that a pound of atomic C. will be purchased for 50 cents to a dollar. Only a pound is needed to operate a locomotive for four days. ART TREASURES IN GERMANY. BERLIN, August 23. Sixty-four volumes, comprising the complete administrative files of Hitler’s special commission established for organising the projected Fuehrer Museum in Linz have been sent to the Monuments and Fine Arts Section of the American Military Government for the purpose of identifying thousands of priceless art works at present in the Munich collecting centre. Colonel John Allen, head of the restitution branch, thinks that the documents, which were originally discovered by the Russians, will yield valuable information. The files, which are being microfilmed in Berlin, reveal many shady dealings by Hitler’s agents throughout Europe which had previously been baffling art intelligence officers. The so-called Fuehrer Museum project afforded the Nazis a motive for one of the most ambitious looting enterprises in history. DANGER TO SHIPS. NEW YORK, August 23. The United States Coast Guard has revealed that two parts of a huge dry dock are afloat in the Atlantic constituting navigation hazard as great as icebergs. Officials said that either part was capable of sinking a liner as large as the Queen Mary. The dry dock slipped away from a naval tug in heavy seas and broke in two. Gunfire and bombs failed to sink the derelicts, which have drifted far apart. NEW LINER. LONDON, August 25. The largest vessel ever to fly the P. and O. flag is at present being constructed for the British-India-Aus-tralia run, states Lloyd’s. The vessel, which ■is named Himalaya will be of 29,000 tons and will carry nearly 1200 passengers. She will have a speed of more than 23 knots, a general cargo space of 260,000 cubic feet, and 235,000 cubic feet for refrigerated cargo. The P. and O. Line is also constructing a 2'4,000-ton vessel, the Chusan, for the Far East service. BELGIAN FASCIST EXPELLED BY SPAIN. LONDON, August 22. The Spanish police at San Sebastian gave the Belgian Rexist (Fascist) leader, Leon Degrelle, eight days to quit Spain. It is reported he has crossed the French frontier at Irun for Paris under armed guard. SWISS SMUGGLING GENEVA, Aug. 25. Sceptical customs officials at Pontarlier, on the French and Swiss frontier, lifted a coffin bearing a well-known Swiss undertaker’s name, and found it light. Theyordered the coffin to be opened and found it crammed with securities and notes worth millions of francs draped around bits of concrete. Two undertakers have been charged with trying to smuggle the money into F’rance. They have been released on bail for £12,000. LITVINOV, RELIEVED OF POST MOSCOW, August 24. The Russian Tas's New? Agency reports that the Soviet Council of Ministers has released M.. Maxim Litvinov from his duties as DeputyForeign Minister and has appointed M. Fyodor Gusev and M. Yakob Malik his joint, successors. The change is not explained.