NEWS OF THE WORLD.

Mataura Ensign, 25 January 1912, Page 6

NEWS OF THE WORLD.

LABOR'S UNREST. THE THAMES SHIPBUILDERS. Bl KLECTRIC TELEGBAPH.—COPTBIQHT. I PRB UNITED PRRtSS ASSOCIATION LONDON, Jan. 24. Thames shipbuilding companies' employees by ballot declined to accept an increase of working hours and a reduction of wages. SYDNEY WHARF LABORERS. SYDNEY, Jan. 24. After conference between the steamship owners and the Wharf Laborers' Union, the men restarted work at the Adelaide Company's wharf. ENirINEMEN AND STOKERS. LONDON, Jan. 24. Enginemen and stokers in South Wales collieries ballotted in favor < of a strike for increased wages and threatened a stoppage of mines on March 1, apart from any action taken by the ,- miners. THE OPIUM CONVENTION. THE HAGUE, Jan. 24. Germany, the United States, China, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, Holland, Persia, Portugal, Russia and Siam have Signed the Opium Convention. PERSIA'S SALVATION. , PARIS, Jan. ° \Mr Morgan Schuster (ex-C' *■■ of Custom in Persia) informed an American interviewer that Persia's salvation rests on England, who alone is able to check Russian encroachment. THE CHINESE REVOLUTION. YUAN-SF POSITION. LONDON, Jan. 24. The T" Pekin correspondent reports t 1 - . r.nder the influence of Tiehliang T >oxer leader of 1900, Manchu ;sition to General Yuan-Shih-Kp increasing. " Yuan-Shih-Kai dec 1 ••* that his position is untenable and ie threatens to resign when Tiehliang becomes Manchu Generalissimo. The Legations view the situation wifh anxiety. Yuan-Shih-Kai has received a onci l .- iatory telegram from Wu-tang-fang formerly Chinese Ambassador at rshington, but who has joined the rebels) removing the impression that Dr Sun-lat-Sen (Provisional Preside it) repudiates pledges. Reuter reports that General Yuan-Shih-Kai concurred in the Dowager's > desire to resume hostilities.

Tiehliang advocates killing General Yuan-Shih-Kai on the ground that his influence is too great to allow him to leave Pekin. Extreme military precautions are being taken to protect Yuan-Shih-Kai. Shanghai reports that conditions at Nanking are unsatisfactory. Officers are losing control of the troops and robberies are frequent. Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen's followers are squabbling. "THE NEW PACIFIC." AND THE YELLOW PERIL. LONDON, Jan. 24. Dr Miller Maguire, in a paper before tho Royal Colonial Institute on "The New Pacific," dwelt on its growing importance. A feature of Australia's future export trade would be development of business with Asia and North America. He referred to the emptiness of Australasian and American territories in proximity to the overcrowded East, and said he believed that the Japanese would capture the Philippines as easily as the Americans defeated the Spaniards. The yellow man had not received fair treatment in. any part of the Pacific; hence Australia was apprehensive and had adopted obligatory military service. Owing to the many strategic points in the Pacific, it was imperative that the Empire should maintain a superior nary. A MOROCCAN SENS^Nr:. SEIZURE BY 6>i-i.V. TANGIER, Jan. 24. A sensation has been caused by Spanish troops seizing agricultural land between Larache arid Alcazar, which ihe Sultan leased to a French firm. Spain will contest the legality of this, alleging that the land is within the Spanish zone.. THE GERMAN ELECTIONS. STATE OF PARTIES. BERLIN, Jan. 24. The Centre and Conservatives command 188 seats, Socialists, Radicals and Liberals 176. PANAMA CANAL. PROPOSED PREFERENTIAL DUES. WASHINGTON, Jan. 24. Senator Bradbury has introduced a Bill enabling American ships to use the Panama Canal, foreign ships paying five shillings per ton. If an American ship be owned by a railroad it must pay double foreign dues.