Flashes From Overseas

Northern Advocate, 5 December 1935, Page 7

Flashes From Overseas

SUGAR' AGREEMENT.— The Federal House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill renewing the sugar agreement between the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments. The agreement has a tenure for five years. Mr J. A. Beasley, Leader of the Labour Party, directed attention to the “huge profits” of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co., and asked for the appointment of a select committee to inquire; into the agreements. This was not granted. Mr J. Fairbairn (Victoria) sought a reduction in the price of sugar by £4 7/6 a ton, and Mr J. H. Prowse (Western Australia) urged that the embargo on the importation of sugar should be replaced by a reasonable, duty. Later Mr Fairbairn claimed that the way to reduce the price of local sugar appeared to be to reduce the quantity exported at ruinous prices.

SUVA’S MAYOR—Mr Allport Barker has been re-elected Mayor of Suva.

RUMANIAN PARLIAMENT SCENE. —Drawing a revolver from his pocket in ,the course of a stormy debate, the Speaker of the'Rumanian Parliament threatened to blow out the brains of a member of the Opposition if he were attacked: The deputy rushed at the Speaker’s chair but others collared him, and a wild scene preceded the disarmament of the Speaker, who has now been given a protective guard.

IN NORTHERN CHINA.—The Chinese .Ambassador interviewed the Foreign Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, says a London message. He claimed that Japan’s military action in North China was a breach of the Nine Power treaty. Other signatories have also been approached, UNITED AUSTRALIA.—The Federal Attorney-(General, Mr R. G, Menzies, has been announced deputyleader of the Parliamentary United Australia Party.

SPAHLINGER VACCINE REPORT. —A joint committee of the Medical and Agricultural Research Councils; reporting on the experiments on calves with Spahlinger vaccine for the treatment of tuberculosis, says: “We suggest that a thorough test be made in England,' but until it is shown that .the vaccine is effective against natural as well as experimental methods of infection, its practicable application should be deferred. The number of animals Professor Spahlinger used in his tests was, not sufficient to give conclusive results.”

STORMY SESSION.—The longawaited debate on the fate of the French Fascist League fully confirmed expectations of a stormy session. The debate was suspended, prematurely in the afternoon, owing to disorder. A speech by a Radical Socialist, M. Roucart, in which, addressing. M. Laval, he said: “You have given the impression that you no longer have any strength against armed .leagues,” led to tumultuous scenes. The Speaker became involved in an argument, ringing his bell and shouting. Finally he suspended the sitting.

BRITISH DEFENCE.—The question of national defence was dealt with in the King’s Speech as follows;-—“The fulfilment of our international obligations under the Covenant, no less than the adequate safeguarding of my Empire, makes it urgently necessary that the deficiencies in my defence forces should be made good. The Ministers, in due course, will lay before you their proposals, which will be limited to the minimum requirements of these two purposes. (8.0. W.)

M. VENIZELOS TO RETURN.—The aged ex-Premier and ex-President, M. Venizelos, who was condemned to death in abstentia owing to the uprising in Crete early this year, an-' nounces that, in, view of the amnesty extended by King George 11. on his resumption to the Hellenic Throne, he will return to Greece after the elections. He will not participate in politics and expects to live in Crete as a private individual.

“LAWRENCE OF FINANCE.”—Mr. F. W. Rickett, popularly known as the “Lawrence of Finance,” who negotiated the much-discussed oil development agreement with the Emperor Haile Selassie a few months ago, arrived at Marseilles en route to Abyssinia.

FRENCH GOLD LOSSES. The Bank of France, for the. week-ending November 28, lost £40,000,000 in gold withdrawals, but since December 1 losses have been practically nil.