BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] SPANISH CRISIS. . LONDON, Aug. 25. The Bayonne correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” states: “A serious situation has been created by an artillery corps sending King Alfonso a document demanding the resignation of Director Primo de Rivera. In consequence of this, the Director drew up a decree, dissolving this corps, ( and placing tho arms and munitions taetories at Toledo -and Trubia under the control of civilian engineers. . King Alfonso has refused to sign the decree. It is feared that grave developments may ensue. CHINESE CIVIL AVAR. PEKING, Aug. 26. The general confusion of tho situation in China is increased by the action of the Chinese authorities at Tsingtao in arbitrarily taxing foreign imports which have already paid customs duty. So far the taxes have been confined to wines, spirits and lieei. Tho importers have lodged a strong protest with British, American and Japanese consuls against this alleged illegal procedure. Tho protest lias been forwarded to the Legations. Anxiety has been aroused by the 10ported capture of Yochow. If it is true the position *of Hankow is thereby menaced. Meanwhile tho successful forces have advanced considerably towards AVuehang. U-BOATS FOR RUSSIA. LONDON. Aug. 25. The “Daily Mail’s” Paris correspondent reports there are allegations that Germany has secretly supplied Russia with eight submarines .in violation of the Versailles Treaty. These arc being investigated by the AngloFrench Admiralties. It is reported that those submarines are cruising within a radius of eight thousand miles, and Germany, who undertook to scrap them, is also sending workmen to build others in the Soviet dockyards. MUSSOLINI'S POLICY. LONDON, Aug. 26. The “Daily Mail’s” Rome correspondent states:—“The Cabinet is considering the abolition of local selfgovernment, where government . appointees will administer -all municipalities. A curious aspect of this law is that women, who had just been granted the right to vote in municipal elections, arc now deprived of the right without'ever exercising it. RIGHT OF SECESSION. DISCUSSION IN SOUTH AFRICA. CAPF.TOAYN. Aug. 24. Mr F. AA r . Beyers. Minister for Mines and Industries, replying to a question by a correspondent who asked him. on view of his oath as a Minister of the Crown, Air Beyers could advocate secession, replied that the right of secession had been admitted for the past 80 or 90 years by prominent British Ministers and others, and it therefore followed that for tho very reason a person was a British subject, he was entitled, under the Constitinn of any Dominion to make propaganda for putting absolute equality with the United Kingdom into practice, and even advocating secession. The oath of allegiance could not derogate from constitutional eights, and was, therefore, not- inconsistent with the exercise of such rights. Mr Beyers added that there* could never he any question of absolute severance from the British Commonwealth or community of nations until the two great white races, the English and the Dutch, agreed upon stepping out of the Commonwealth community. HONOUR. FOR PREMIERS. LONDON, Aug. 25. Tlie Town Hai'l Committee lias recommended the Manchester City Council to bestow the Freedom of the City oil the Dominion Prime Ministers attending the Imperial Conference.

WAR MEMORIALS IN FRANCE. LONDON, Aug. 25. As the result of the War Graves Conference in Paris on June 30th, the Dominions, out of respect for French feelings, are likely considerably to modify their future war memorials in France.

An authoritative traveller, who has just returned from the war areas in France, says that he found a widespread objection by the residents to Australia’s proposed elaborate national memorial at Villers-Brettoneux. He concluded that the project might advantageously he reviewed. In his opinion. tho unanimous local opinion would probably prefer portion of the' proposed expenditure to he devoted ' to a charitable purpose in the district, such as the endowment of a hospital, instead of a costly edifice, which, in the French eyes, would inevitably appear somewhat Iwinhastie. England, as well as France, is at present tending in favour of memorials of a more practical character than elaborate pieces of sculpture. BRITAIN’S POOR, LONDON. Aug. 25. According to a report hv the Ministry of Health all forms of Poor Law Relief for the year ended March 31st hist amounted to £39.500,000 as compared with £36,750,000 last year. The actual share met by the ratepayers was £31,000,000 compared with £11.750,000 before the war. Whereas in 1023, 1024 and 1025, the figures showed a decline in the number of persons drawing relief, there was a sharp increase last year, the proportion being 312 per ten thousand of the population, as compared with 287 per 10,000 in the previous year. There are at present 1,240.000 recipients.

The report ascribes the increase to a laxity of administration. The report on^ housing shows that the number of houses built doubled within two years, while the houses under construction, nearly doubled. The report makes it clear that substantial progress is now being made to overtake the shortage,