NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 1 March 1921, Page 36

NEWS BY CABLE.

THE COST OF LIVING. Official figures dealing with the cost of living in Britain show a drop of 14 points since January. The cost is still 151 per; cent, above the pre-war rate, but is 25 points below the maximum height reached in November, 1920. Experts predict that the decline will continue, it is already affecting automatic reductions in wages, as many trades are working under agreements by which wages rose proportionately with the cost of living. BRITISH INDUSTRIES FAIR. The seventh annual British Industries Fair, comprising three and a-half miles of stalls, lias opened in the White City, surpassing its predecessors in size and scope, and strikingly demonstrating the manufacturers’ ability to supply goods formerly emanating from enemy countries. VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION. The S. V. Nevanas Company (Limited), which dealt in colonial meat and produce, has gone into voluntary liquidation. It is understood that the Ministry of Food is the principal creditor. The liabilities amount to £250,U00, and the assets to £50,000. The creditors, at a meeting, appointed Mr W. H. Cork liquidator, with a committee of inspection. The liquidator described the case as most unsatisfactory. WOMEN AS PREACHERS. The Upper House of Convocation passed a resolution permitting duly qualified women to speak and pray in consecrated buildings on occasions other than those appointed for church services, and normally for congregations of women, and women and children. The Convocation later discussed what qualifications were necessary. A VENGEANCE SOCIETY. Tire death sentences passed on six of the Cairo Vengeance gang, who were propagating sedition and plotting against the life of General Allenby and others, were commuted to 15 years’ imprisonment. The other sentences were proportionately reduced. Three of the prisoners are hungerstriking. The military authorities three times unsuccessfully pressed for the carrying out of the death penalty. HIGH-SPEED WATER CRAFT. A new sight was provided for London when Sir Frederick and Lady Sykes arrived at Westminster in a hydro-glider, a large, box-like water-craft, like a big punt propelled by an air screw-. It has a speed of 60 miles an hour, a horse-power of 200, seats six, and draws only three inches of water at full speed. The French have produced seven types of “hydro-glissetirs,” and are "Using them w’ith great success on shallow or weed-filled rivers. NEW YORK FUR SALES. The International Fur Exchange auction at St. Louis disposed of 636,562 pounds of Australian and New Zealand rabbits. These brought high prices, as follows: —Australian, 162 cents; New Zealand, ?66 cents. In addition, 2506 Australian hares were sold at 50 per cent, below the prices in May. GENERAL ITEMS. Summer time in England begins on April 2, and ends on October 2. The South African Senate elections resulted in a Government majority of 10. A great timber fire at the docks at Antwerp damaged warehouses to the extent of 7,000,000 francs. The Italian Chamber of Deputies rejected a proposal to increase the Parliamentary salaries by 600 lire a month. Mr Harding has announced that he has appointed Mr Edwin Denby as Secretary of the Navy and Mr Theodwore Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary. The United States Congress has passed a measure limiting immigration to 3 per cent, of the aliens already in the United States. The United States Senate has voted SOQ,OOCdoI to defray the cost of shipping to China the grain which was donated by the American farmers. The Times understands that as at present arranged the Prince of Wales will begin his Indian tour next October or November. It is definitely settled that- Mr Harry D-oherty, Mr Harding’s political manager, will be the United States Attorney-gene'-a!. The idea has been revived in .Franco of marking the! limits of the German advance in 1918 by erecting obelisks inscribed, “Where the barbarian rush was stayed.” Advices from. Havana state that the Australian Government has bought 1,000,000 sacks of sugar, which are now being shipped. The report of the French Chamber of Deputies Committee, dealing with the army Estimates, proposes a reduction of £60,000,000 on a total of £260,000,000 submitted by the Government. As instancing the fall in freights, the London Chamber of Shipping quotes that general charters dropped from 25s a ton during 1920 to 10s in December, and 73 6d last month. Thelasis ant! Cyriolis, two young Greeks, have been sentenced in Paris to five years’ solitary confinement for .booting and wounding M. A'enizelos as be was leaving Paris for Nice. The Colonial Office, replying to the request of tho Agents-General for a reduction of fruit freights from 8s to -6s per case,states that the shipowners decline to agree to the suggestion. Presiding at the meeting of the Chamber of Stepping, Sir Owen Phillips emphasised the fact that the world’s total tonnage was over 60.000,000 tons, as compared with 50.000.000 tons in 1914. Lord Milner was quietly married at Paddington Church to Lady Violet Cecil, widow of Lord Edward Cecil. The engagement was secret, and only four persons witnessed tho marriage. Mr Hoover has announced that, he has accepted a Cabinet position as Secretary of Commerce, but that he has re-erved the right to continue to act as Director of European Relief Work. The Vossische Zeitung st; tes that the Chilian Government has granted Krupps a concession to acquire, land and to build factories. A large number of German workmen. are going to Chile for this purpose. It is reported that Mr Harding lifts tentatively approved of the bankers’ plan to grant Germany credit to buy American goods by the use of securities held by

the United States Alien Property Custodian on behalf of German citizens, amounting to -. -,000,000 dollars. Vickers will launch the Moreton Bay for the Commonwealth Government on April 23. The date of completion is uncertain owing to the ship joiners’ strike. The shipbuilders expect an early settlement of the strike'. Tribich Lincoln, formerly a member of the House of Commons, «nd a German spy, has been arrested at Vienna for selling to the Government of Czecho-Slaviks forged documents relating to an alleged anarchist conspiracy. Telegrams from Lorete and Ancona report that a famous sanctuary has been burned, and a. convent, with priceless relics and paintings of the Virgin, destroyed. The material damage amounts to many millions of lire. It is understood that the United States has begun coining silver dollars. It will be recalled that the United States melted down 270,000,000 dollars, producing 208,000.000 ounces of silver during the war to meet the demand of India, which was seriously embarrassed by lack of metal. The resumption of coinage and the purchase of silver on the open American market is expected to stabilise the silver market. The correspondent of The Times at Christiania states that Sir Ernest Shackleton is planning a new Polar expedition to the Arctic. He expects to be absent for two years. He will leave England next May or June, and will travel by way of Baffin’s Bay and Axel-Heiburg Island. lie will then explore the islands eastward to Parry Island. AUSTRALIAN HEWS. Tho new Australian Tariff Bill will include a clause designed to prevent dumping in Australia. The New South Wales Cabinet has decided that Anzac Day shall not be a public holiday. The Stanmore Preserving Company’s premises, Sydney, were destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at £IOO,OOO. The Governor of Victoria, the Earl of Stradbroke, has arrived, and has been sworn in. The Victorian-South Australian average, f.a.q., standard for wheat has been fixed at 60g pounds per bushel. Mr YV. F. Dunn (New South Wales Minister of Agriculture) stated at Leeton that three-fourths of tho exportable surplus wheat had already been sold. The New South Wales Government will introduce a Bill next session giving aidermen and shire councillors power to fix the fees in payment for their services. The death is announced of Mr Henry Teesdale Smith, a well-known contractor on a largo scale, principally for public works. Wiifrid Ernest Coley, in a statement to the Queensland police, has detailed the circumstances of the murder of Gertrude M'Grath, of Napier, at North Sydney on December 24. Sir Joseph Cook, Commonwealth Treasurer, at a National Club luncheon, stated that within 12 years Commonwalth and State loans amounting to £508,(XX),000 were maturing. The Australian Customs Department has framed regulations prohibiting the importation into the Commonwealth of all plants and parts of plants, including fruit from New Zealand, excepting agricultural seeds and grass seeds. Tho Minister in charge of the wheat scheme states that the latest information indicates that tho Victorian wheat yield will not exceed 32,000,000 bushels, instead of 40,000,000, as was previously estimated. A rearrangement of portfolios, in Victoria, resulted in Mr T. Livingston being appointed Assistant Minisetr of Agriculture in lieu of Mr 11. Angus, who is now Assistant Minister of Water Supply, which office Mr F. G. Clarke, Commissioner of Public Works, formally resigned. An inrush of underground water into the Lallal mine at Ballarat drowned two miners named Ellis and Parker. Two others, who were washed along the shaft escaped. The workings were flooded to a depth of 30ft. SYDNEY MILK SHORTAGE. Sydney is threatened with a serious milk shortage. Distributing companies on the 21st received only 2000 gallons instead of the usual 42,000 gallons. The AttorneyGeneral announced that, if the dairymen deliberately withhold milk supplies, they would be liable to prosecution under the Profiteering Act. The Milk Employees’ Union passed a resolution that, if the country farmers refused to send supplies to the city, the Government lie requested immediately to commandeer the dairies. The union will find the necessary labour, milk the cows, and will distribute the milk. The Lord Mayor indicated a scheme by which Sydney’s milk supply could be municipalised. He stated that the Minister of Health approves of the idea. The City Council would push on with if as rapidly as possible. There was a further heavy drop in the milk supplies on the 23rd. Only two-thirds of the normal quantity was received that day. More dairy farmers declined to send milk to Sydney on the 24th. The prospects of an early termination of the dispute are less hopeful. Mr Justice Beeby. President of the Profiteering Prevention Court, rejected an application by tho Milk Suppliers’ Association to suspend the recent proclamation pending an agreement with the companies. DARING BANK HOLDUP. Just before closing- time two armed and masked men entered the Fitzroy (Victoria) branch of a bank and with a revolver held up the accountant and clerk and two lady clerks. At the revolver point they secured several bundles of notes from the tills and decamped. The police chased them, and after a severe struggle captured two Amcrioan seamen named Bernhardt and Frasiers. They recovered the stolen notes to the value of £460. PEARLING CUTTERS WRECKED. Pearling cutters were broken up by a gale on tho 19 l!i tilt., in Western Australia. Four are missing. Tidal waves flooded all the houses at Denham Township. The damage is estimated at £IO,OOO. The life toll is unknown ; but the fate of three Malays and a native is uncertain. The worst damage done by the storm was in Shark’s Bay, where most of the pearling cutters vi- - vreeked. Great damage was sustained by small craft at Carnarvon. Tho torrential rain and a tidal wave combined caused the Gascoigne River to overflow. The floods are causing considerable damage. (fOMMONWEAT.TTI FINN XCE CRITICISED. Commenting on the London Chamber of r f Atnrrnerdr-d n • r n inwf lltn "Nlnn- Q,uitK

Wales Large Holdings Bill, and the possible effect on the English investor, The Times reminds Mr Storey of Air Theodore’s experience. and adds that there is no use in politicians coming to London for capital which in Australia they appear to devote their best efforts to destroy. The newspaper also suggests an Amending Trustee Act in order to limit borrowing power to a definite percentage of the revenue.