NEWS BY GABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 36

NEWS BY GABLE.

terrible massacre OF JEWS. Serious pogroms are. reported from the Liviaine. It is stated that 100,000 Jews were massacred, and that 400 Jewish villages were burnt. BATTLE ON SIBERIAN BORDER. Dio Japanese military authorities have lcecivetl information from Seoul (Korea) slating that the Japanese and Koreans lougiit, a battle oil the Siberian border. J acre were 500 Korean casualties. AUSTRALIAN LOANS. Neu South \\ ales and Western Austra,.ia. are floating loans simultaneously, KfrJwT J° iml - V - The former is for and the latter for £2,COO,QCO. Each State is issuing a separate prospectus. j i.e object of Uio simultaneous floatation is to avoid clashing with other impending issues. TLIE NILE VALLEY. Tho Cairo correspondent of the Times states that the Air Force surveyed the Nile i alley from tho Delta to Assouan on behalf ot the Egyptian. Government. The results of the surveys executed at both high and Iq-.v floods will prove most useful for irrigation survey purposes. KING OPENS NEW DOCK. The King, during the course of a brilliant river pageant, opened the extension of uie \ icioria-zilbert Bocks. An enormous crowd witnessed tne ceremony. This is tho largest work so far undertaken by the Port ot London Authority. It will enable 80,060-ton vessels to berth within six and a-tniif miles of the heart of the city, and will provide a wet dock covering 64 acres, with a depth of 38ft. There are 14 berths for the largest steamers; also a dry dock, i-Oft long', and capable of being extended. TRAIN DERAILED. A Brussels message states that the -Unsterdam-Paris express was derailed at Honnryeres. Eight persons were killed and many injured. An inquiry indicates that there was foul play, as bolts had been removed from the rails. JAPANESE IN AIEXICO. Government agents discovered that the Japanese paid 3,000,000 dollars for kinds around Alanzanillo, on the Mexican coast; that they are negotiating for the purchase of immense agricultural tracts and fishing rights. They are spending 15,000,000 dollars in the Lower Californian Peninsula. BELGIAN ROYALTIES. The Belgian Royalties were enthusiastically welcomed on arrival in London. King George and Queen Alary met them at Victoria Station, and the visitors subsequently placed a wreath of red roses and palm leaves on the cenotaph in Whitehall. They also visited the Unknown Warrior's grave in the Abbey. The King appointed King Albert a British field marshal. BRITISH TRADE RETURNS. During the last quarter imports decreased by £82,083,206, exports by £78,200,112, and re-exports by £13,041,164. The principal decreases in imports are as follow: —Cotton, £11,570,742. wool £7,345,486, flour and grain £4,601,769, other foods and drinks, £9,913,299. The chief decreases in export are:—Coal £7,920,140, iron and steel manufactures, £8,750,689. cotton yarns and manufactures, £27,858.171, woollen an worsted yarns and manufactures £0,269,962. IT RE IN GLASGOW’. A disastrous fire occurred in Argyll street, Glasgow. The damage is estimated at £260,000. Two firemen were killed. RUSSIA'S POPULATIOX. Since 1914 tho population of Russia has decreased by 12,C00.000. The population of Aloseovv is now only 1,000,000. [According to the census of 1912 the population of European Russia, without Poland or Finland, was 122.550,700, and of Moscow 1,173,427.] GENERAL ITEAIS. Tho King' and Queen have acepted an invitation to visit Brussels, At the Henrietta street registry office, London, on the 4th, Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough, married Lieutenant-colonel Baisan, a retired French soldier, who had obtained a divorce from his wife. Persian advices that Persian rebels are active at llesht and other districts. The Turkomans are active in the Astrabad region. .All British officers have been withdrawn from the Northern Persian front. The correspondent of the Morning Post states that the chief of the Sovite trade delegation in Constantinople, tho members of which wove arrested there recently hy the British Alissicn, is now in London endeavouring to secure funds from AI. Krassin on behalf of propaganda work in Constantinople. At the Empire Universities’ Congress at Oxford, Professor Naylor, of Adelaide, in an address on Universities and Adult Education. declared that the system pursued by the Workers’ Educational Association was far superior to the normal system of extension. lectures. The Indian delegates invited the Dominion Premiers to visit India as guests of the Government, but Air Alassey, Air Aleighen. and General Smuts regretted they could not afford time. The first Court ball since 1914 was held at Buckingham Palace. There were 2000 people present, including the Dominion Premiers and their wives, also Sir James Allen. Mr Alas-ey, in criticising ilie wireless telephone proposals, complained that it would be impossible to sneak in code. Air Lloyd George, leaning toward.- Air Hughes, interrupted: “Wo could. We streak Welsh.” Of the Empire's share of the reparation funds it is believed that there is only £1.350,000 available for the Dominions, of which Australia on a liberal estimate will receive less than £400.000. The bounty money awarded in connection with the hatle of Jutland will be distributed to the officers and crews of 151 ships, the lowest grade receiving- 2s and captains £8 4s 3d. The opposition in (-main, headed by the Conservative Leader. Sen or Maura, shown to the expenditure of £50.000.000 involved in a great scheme for national reconstruction recently submitted in the Chamber by

the Minister of Works, resulted in a! ’■ 6 resignation of the Oabinet. The scheme was chiefly for the expansion of railways and other public works. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. The .Sydney Profiteering Court has increased the wholesale price of butter id per lb. The Commonwealth steel steamer Eoliuoa, of 5000 tons, was - successfully launched at Maryborough, Queensland. The year’s revenue in Tasmania amounts to £2,105.000. an increase on the previous -year of £250,000. The Commonwealth Government is inviting tenders for the sale of five wogden steamers, which were purchased in America during the war. v A feeling exists in political circles that the Country Party will launch a censure motion against the Federal Government when the truce with Mr Hughes ends at the end of September. The New Wales State Treasurer (Mr Lang) has* abandoned the proposed loan of £500.000 for road-making purposes. Only a fifth "of the money was subscribed after a four months’ campaign. i A reversal of the pedestrian order from ‘'Keep to the right” to “Keep to the left” ‘ is causing some confusion in Sydney. Policemen have been posted at busy corners enforcing the new rule. In the Victorian Parliament’s second session the Attorney-General will introduce a Bill to amend the libel law to protect papers when reporting municipal bodies. The Newcastle water supply was almost exhausted as a result of a break in the main from the reservoir, -and the steel works were about to close, but repairs were effected and the supply is now normal. The Sydney shipowners have refused the request by meat exporters for & reduction of freights, and have intimated that, in view of the scarcity of cargoes, some vessels wiil cease running. A meeting of film importers, producers, and picture show men in Sydney protested against the increased duty on films. It was decided to approach Parliament, and to point out the disastrous effect it would have on the picture business unless the duty was relaxed. The Sydney agents for the missing steamer Canastota deny the rumours that the vessel’s wireless was out of order when she left Sydney. When the installation was overhauled it was found to be in perfect order. The revenue of Queensland for last year was £12,600,000, against £11,293,000 for 191920. The exependituro was £12,591,000, compared with £11,267,000 in the previous year. The report of the Royal Commission which is investigating the operations at Cockatoo Island recommends the construction at the island of a 25,000-ton floating dock, capable of holding any ship ever put into the water. The report supports the placing of the bland under civilian control. It finds that the charges of “loafing” are not substantiated. Mr Norton, American Consul in Sydney, speaking at the Millions Club dinner, stated that American firms were eager to start enterprises in Australia, "but they were prevented from doing so in consequence of the War Precautions Act, which debarred firms with natives of former enemy countries on their share rolls. He said that representations had bceen made to the Commonwealth Government in regard to the matter. Senator Pratten interposed that he had heard that the representations were likely to be successful. Owing to the recent rough weather the Wooloongbar, stranded on the coast of New South Wales, is breaking up. The loss on the vessel is estimated at £IOO,OOO. The cargo, a quantity of which has been salved, is valued at £50,000. The underwriters have abandoned the vessel, which is to be sold by auction. SOI-DIER SETTLEMENTS. The interim report of the board appointed to inquire into war service homes erected in New South Wales finds that in some eases there have been ill-advised land purchases and in other cases the work of erection lias been scamped. » In the House of Representatives Sir Joseph Cock complained of the attitude of the New South Wales Government in rela tion to soldier settlements. He stated that a list submitted to him showed that the later had settled 41 soldiers at a total cost of £130,000, an average of £3500 per man. FLOODED AREAS. The waters rose in the northern tributaries of the Darling River, causing the position to be serious. The water was above the flood stake at several points, but is slowly receding. At M'lntvro the water was 18ft above normal level. The town of Goondiwindi. in Queensland, was flooded, the water in some places being 9ft deep. Many families had to bo removed to schools and ohunhes on higher ground. The damage is extensive. RESTRICTIONS ON BHIPPING. Referring to the withdrawal of the Manuka., Moeraki, and Ulimaroa from the Tasmanian trade, Mr Massey Greene. Minister of Trade and Customs, stated that he was unable to understand why the with-, dravval of these vessels was attributed to* the Navigation Act, as the Union Company had made representations to him for exemption from the provisions of the Act, which was granted on .Tune 2. A Tasmanian shipping committee, comprising representatives of the commercial and civic interests, sent a representative to Melbourne to consult the Tasmanian Federal members regarding the operations of the Navigation Act. The Tasmanian Tourist Direct,or states* that the withdrawal of the New Zealand boats and the inability of the liners to carry passengers for the Australian coast trade will mean the deathblow to the tourist traffic so far as New South Wales and Queensland are concerned.