NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 36

NEWS BY CABLE.

FIRE PANIC. A bamboo booth on the Hongkong Racecourse, seating- several thousand spectators, collapsed and took fire. .Frightful scenes followed, and 100 people were incinerated. The rapidity of the fire and the intense heat rendered assistance difficult. Nearly 600 lives were lost in the panic No Europeans were killed. Five hundred and seventy-three charred bodies have been counted as a result of the racecourse disaster. They are mostly Chinese. DEATHS BY EARTHQUAKE.' Advices from Peking state 'that the earthquake in the Amoy district resulted in" nearly 10,000 deaths. THE WRECK OF THE FLORIZEL. The Red Cross liner Florizel, bound for Halifax, struck on rocks north of Cape Race in a blinding snowstorm. The ship carried 77 passengers and a crew of 69, the passengers including a number of officers and soldiers. Dories and lifeboats rescued 26 of those aboard after they bad spent the night on the wreck. A number of bodies have been washed ashore, apparently from wrecked boat's. Other rescues bring the tocal saved so far to 40. The total number rescued from the liner Florizel is 44. Some survivors escaped because they barricaded themselves in the forecastle and in .the wireless room, where they remained without food for three days. Giant waves swept over the bridge deck, engulfing scores of passengers, and smashed in the smoking room, trapping a dozen men who had taken refuge there. The wreck is now breaking up on the rocks*. Many gallant rescues were undertaken by Newfoundland fishermen.

OVERSEAS TRADE. In the House of Commons Sir A. Steel Maitland, in introducing tho Estimates for the Department of Overseas Trade, stated that, out of 16 Imperial Trade Commissioners, 13 had been sanctioned and nine actually appointed. British Consuls in future would be expected to deal adequately with 'their districts,, while it would be the duty of the commercial attaches to keep the Government informed of the general financial development and economic state of the country where they were stationed; also to keep a constant watch, in order that any system of commercial penetration attempted by our rivals migh'4 be clearly understood, and tho knowledge thereof put at the disposal of the British trading community. ELECTIONS! IN SPAIN. Tho elections in Spain are a greaj surprise. The Socialists and Republicans have almost disappeared, and tho Monarchist parties, comprising Liberals and Conservatives of various groups, have secured 300 scats. It is impossible to predict the effect upon the foreign policy. Monarchist victories are largely attribntab'e to German money. Even Lewoux, a Barcelona Republican, and Alvares, a Reformist leader, were defeated. Approximately 175 Liberals have been elected, foreshadowing a Liberal Ministry with the protable support of 85 Conservatives. The Ministry resigned, but King Alfonso having asked the Premier to retain office and reconstruct the Cabinet, the Marquis do Albucinas will remain in office with two minor changes in the Cabinet. INDIAN AFFAIRS. Sir Wiliam Meyer presented the annual Financial Statement to the Council. The year closed with a surplus of five and threequarter millions sterling, due to favourable monsoon winds and a record growth in the railway receipts, but are counterbalanced by an increase in the military charges, now totalling nearly 29 millions. It has been possible 1o meet the heavy demand on tho resources of the Government in financing the war by the success of the war loan, which brought in 35 millions and by Indian Treasury bill issues, which are expected to total about 30 millions by the end of the year. During 1917 the Government, put 32 millions into British Treasury bills, making a total since the beginning of the war so invested to 67 millions. " These figures are independent of India's special contribution of 100 millians to tho Imperial Government.. It is estimated that the revenue surplus in 1918-19 will be two millions and aquarter. II is not intended to increase the taxation, but it is proposed to raise a further War loan of an unlimited amount. It is claimed that the war has brought

out India's financial strength in a remarkable manner. COST OF LIVING. The South African Union's Cost of Living Commission has recommended • fixing the price of wheat at 32s per 2001 b; it also recommended mixing' wheat and maize with flour for war bread. Tho Minister of Railways said in the Assembly that tho Government was not prepared fo fix tho price of wheat, but would introduce a Bill providing for the compulsory mixing of wheat and maize. OVERSEAS SAILOR AND SOLDIER SCHOLARSHIPS. Thirteen overseas sailor and soldier scholarships have been donated by tho Rhodes trustees and the Kitchener National Memorial Fund. They are tenable at various universities. Tho awards include Second Lieutenant C. Forsdick, New Zealand Machine Gun Corps, tenable at the Imperial College, and Captain N. S. Johnson. New Zealand Rifle Brigade, tenable at Oxford. PLAGUE IN INDIAThe ravages of the plague in India are causing anxiety. There were 114,000 deaths in January, and 30.000 last week. Bengal is practically immune. LABOUR CONFERENCE. The adjourned Nottingham Conference of the Labour party resumed its session at Westminster to consider the now constitution. Two hostile amendments by the Independent Labour party were defeated. A Socialist amendment preserving independent parties' separate representation on the executive was rejected. Following the conference's acceptance of the Labour party's new constitution, a country-wide campaign will begin forthwith, and meetings will be held everywhere to form local labour branches and associations. The executive has already decided to fight every seat where a candidate is forthcoming. CANADIAN ELECTIONS. As a result of the soldiers' vote at home and overseas, the Canadian Government's majority has been increased to 67. Parties now stand: Unionists, 154, Opposition, 87. An analysis of tho election figures shows that 1,020,000 voted in support of Sir R. L. Borden, while 750,000 supported tho Opposition. No fewer than 135 candidates lost their nomination deposits.

GENERAL NEWS. The Amonoan visible supply of wheat is 14.355,000 bushels. Mr 0. H. Rodwell, C.M.G., Imperial Secretary to Lord Buxton, Governor-general of South Africa, has been appointed Governor of Fiji. ' The Stato Department of the United States has asked Mexico to investigate the killing of one American and the wounding of two others by Mexicans at Tampico. Lord~ Willmgdon (Governor of Bombay) was thrown from his horse while huntnng, aind sustained severe concussion of the brain. The list of colonial recipients of British Empire orders will probably be issued about the middle of March. Serious armed conflicts have occurred between the Argentine railway strikers and the troops, in which two strikers were killed and many wounded. Playing Rugby, the New Zealand Field Artillery beat the Royal Aircraft Factory by eight points to nil.. The New Zealand Rifle Brigade and the Public Schools played a drawn game —three all. Returned soldiers at Toronto, Canada, shouted.._ down William Jennings Bryan when he essayed to address a Prohibition meeting. He was interrupted by cries of "Lu-sitania" and" "Dirty German." The singing of "Rule Britannia" Was continuous. The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Adolf Fredrich VI) has committed suicide. His body was found in the canal near the Castle of Neustrelitz, with a gunshot wound in the bi - east. He was in his 35th year, and unmarried. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. The f.a.q. standard, for wheat in New South Wales has been fixed at 58£lb. A meeting of representatives of the business men of_ all States' approved Mr Hughes's post-war "trade organisation scheme. A delegation of French journalists and commereial men, including also General Pau (France's one-armed veteran general), is expected in Sydney in June. The rirst of a series of sales at Sydney of valuable properties by the trustees of the late Samuel. Hordern, comprising* a number of houses, shops, and land in various parts of the city and suburbs, realised ,-C67a.C00. In the New South Wales Legislative Asaomblv the penalty is the new Arbitration Bill for a newspaper instigating or aiding a strike was reduced to £IOO. Tin half-yearly meeting of the Amalgamated Wireless of Australasia (Ltd.), was hel.d to-day. The directors' report stated that, by arrangement with the Wireless Press of London and New York, it had been decided to establish a branch in Australia, its main object being to conduct certain news services. The Queensland Weather Bureau has warned coastal towns of the approach of : another cyclone. LABOUR CONFERENCE. " Mr Beeby iMmister of Labour) presided at the opening sitting of the compulsory conference between representatives of the coal-mine owners and the miners, to discuss the position of the industry, with a view to establishing better relations between the two sides. The_ question of alleged victimisation in a considerable number of the mines as 'the result of the late strike cropped up, and led to some heated argument before the conference decided to sit in camera. The N'ew South Wales Executive Council has decided to oanoel the . proclamation issued at the time of the strike whereby the State acquired control of all the coal mines. This cancellation does not apply to the Richmond and Pelaw Main mines. NEW SOUTH WALES RAILWAYS. The Assistant Treasurer states that the New South Wales Government hopes to provide £43,000 to pay the railwaymen who were dismissed as the result of the late strike their refunds of superannuation payments. Judge Curlewis has opened a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the car,d system introduced by the Railway Commissioners,

which was the ostensible cause of tho big strike. The solicitor for the Railway Department gave evidence that, though the system had been t in operation for only a few months, it had resulted in a large saving of working expenses. Ho denied that there was any intention that the system should penalise workmen. The Chief Commissioner gave evidence that between 5000 and 6000 railwaymcn had gone to the war. Many had not been replaced, yet the samo amount of work was being done, owing to the adoption of more effective methods. If the men came back they would replace casual labour. Asked if there had been no war, what woidd you have done with your surplus labour? he replied: " Not filling resignations and dismissals would have given the same result." The Royal Commissioner inquiring into tho card system introduced into the railway shops in New South Wales found ifc necessary to subpoena representatives of the union, who had declined to attend voluntarily. Their evidence showed that tho reason for striking was a fear that it meant tho introduction of tho American "speed-ing-up" system and other evil effects. One said another objection was the introduction of the most up-to-date system in the most out-of-date workshops. ' A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE. A number of deaths have occurred during the past few weeks in the Broken Hill district from a mysterious disease resembling infantile paralysis, and known as "X." The doctors are completely puzzled. It is becoming more virulent, and spreading to other districts. Two fatal cases of "X'.' disease are reported from Narrabri (in tho north-east of New South Wales). One fatal case of " X " disease is reported in Adelaide. A TRIPLE TRAGEDY. Thomas Davies and his daughter died of gunshot wounds, and his wife of poison. The police believe that Davies shot his daughter and himself, and his wife took poison. ■ Davies had lately been under suspicion as regards the ironworkers' secretaryship, and it is thought that worry caused the tragedy. His wife recently wrote to a friend: — "My dear old sweetheart haS been accused of doing things of which he has no recollection. They will show him no mercy." Another letter said: "By the time you receive thia Tom and I will be far away from you all." The statement has been made that Davies was short in his accounts as secretary of the Ironmoulders' Union to the extent ~of £1735. The officials of the Union declare that Davie* threatened to do away with himself and his wife and family if ho were prosecuted.