NEWS IN BRIEF.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 15 March 1928, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF.

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 9

Lord Ritchie, chairman of the Port of London Authority, speaking at a meeting of the board, said the total net tonnage, of vessels which arrived at and departed from the Port of London last year was 52,570,000. This was an increase of 3,298,000 tons over the previous year. The Bill to extend the franchise to women on the same terms as men will be introduced on Monday, and the Prime Minister stated last night that lie anticipated the new voters would be on the register for the general election. A reduction of £4,270,000 in the estimates for pensions is disclosed in the civil estimates for the coming year, which are now published. The figure includes a substantial reduction on administration costs and medical services, but the bulk of the savings.is effected through a reduction in estimated payments for war pensions, gratuities, and treatment allowances, which have naturally fallen progressively in recent veaiis. SYDNEY, March 12. In view of the increased use of the. razor as a ; weapon of offence, Cabinet lias decided to amend the law and to provide flogging as a deterrent to razor gangsters. . The police estimate that in one metropolitan ‘ division aloiie there have been 30 eases of razor slashing during tlie past 12 months. MEXICO CITY, March 13, Twenty-two men are believed to have perished by fire in an American-owned copper mine near Tezuitlaii. Eleven bodies have been recovered.' SYDNEY, March 13. , The Government Satisticym estimates the drink bill of New South Wales for the financial year 1926-27 amounted to £13,222,000." This is equal to £5 12s 7d per head of the population and is an increase; of £589,000 compared with the previous year. NEW YORK, March 12. News from Los Angeles states that Hickman and Hunt were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a chemist. CAIRO, March 13, A. hundred tourists in the neighbourhood of the Great Pyramid, hearing a shriek, saw a man tumble from the top to the bottom. He was picked up dead and was identified as Constabte Reed, of the British Gendarmerie of Palestine. VICTORIA, March 13. Readjustment of the Anglo-Japanese treaty is being discussed so far as the repatriation of Orientals is concerned. Both the Government and, the* Opposition in the British Columbia legislature are collaborating with regard l to repatriation. It is proposed that the number of Orientals in Canada be reduced to the number of Canadians in China and. Japan. If agreed to, a- joint resolution will be forwarded to the* Federal Government. LONDON, March .13. In the House of 'Commons tlie Rt. Hou. L. C. M. S. Amcry told questioners that his recent Empire tour was undertaken to renew personal contact with Dominion representatives and inform himself on Dominion problems, including migration and the opinions held there on those subjects. He did not propose to publish any report or summary of his impressions of his tour. It was not likely the Empire ►Settlement Act migrants in 1928 would show an increase over 1929 and 1927 figures, which were 99,103 and 93,027 respectively.—A.P.A. and “iSun.” The Rt. Hon. L. C. IVI. S. Amery, answering questions in the iHouse of Commons, said that he was aware that two ex-Governoi's 'of West African colonies had obtained diamond and platinum concessions on the Gold Coast. It was obviously undesirable that exGovernors should undertake commercial activities immediately they relinquished their office, but where, as here, a long period of year s had intervened, if would obviously be absurd to impose restrictions.—A.P.A. and “iSun. ” The “'Financial Times’’ has reported that the Vocation Gramophone Com. pany has sold its Australian rights for £BO,OOO. A separate company will be formed. OTTAWA. March 12. Canada's Mint, -which, like Australia’s, lias been under the direct control of the British Chancellor, is to be placed under Canadian control. CONSTANTINOPLE, March 12. Tewfik Ruslidi Bey has been appointed Turkish delegate to the disarniament commission. WASHINGTON, March 12. As a result of the recent Teapot Dome disclosures, Senator Norris, in the Senate, demanded the resignation of Mr. Mellon. Senator Robinson (Democrat) denounced the contribution of Sinclair to the Republican Party as the price of Republican treachery to tlie nation. He stated that" the gift could' now be atoned for. BERLIN, March 12. Litvinoff. en route to Geneva, said: “I doubt the existence of a desire on tbe part either of Sir Austen Chamberlain or of the Soviet to resume the December conversations, for no new basis lias arisen.”