NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3754, 23 February 1926, Page 53

NEWS BY CABLE.

FIRE IN MOTOR CAR WORKS. SYDNEY, February 15. Fire at Garrett’a motor car works, Camperdown, caused £15,000 damage. TRAN S-J ORD ANLA. CAIRO, February 15. The Wahabis are reported to have occupied. Wasymoifssa in Trans-Jordania. HEAT WAVE IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY. February 17. Sydney is still in the throce of a heat wave. The maximum to-day was 105de*. MARINE WIRELESS STRIKE. LONDON, February 19. The marine wireless operators’ strike has been settled. SIR EDGEWORTH DAVID HONOURED. LONDON, February 15. Cambridge has conferred the honorary degree of doctor of science on Sir Edgeworth David. EARL JELLICOE. LONDON, February 17. Earl Jellicoe took the oath and his seat in the House of Lords on his elevation to the earldom. PRINCE GEORGE. LONDON, February 17. Prince George who is serving in the flagship Hawkins on the China station, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant. WRECK OF OOMA PURCHASED. SYDNEY, February 17. The wreck of the Ooma at Ocean Island has been purchased at auction by the British Phosphate Company for £l5O. PRINCE CHARLES OF RUMANIA. VIENNA, February 20. It is reported from Bucharest that a reconciliation between the King and Prince Charles may be expected shortly. BROKEN HILL MINES. ADELAIDE, February 19. The South Australian Government has promised to co-operate with the New South Wales Government in supplying the Broken Hill mines with water. JAPANESE POLITICS. TOKIO, February 18. The Kenseikai and Seiyu Honto Parties have agreed to compromise on the Reform Tariff Bill, which virtually results in no dissolution of the Diet. SENTENCED TO DEATH. HOBART, February 19. At the second trial of Alfred John Dobson, charged with murdering his wife, ; he was found guilty and sentenced to death. EX-KAISER’S PROPERTY CLAIMS. BERLIN, February 16. The Government accepted a proposal to take a plebiscite of the people on the exKaiser’s property claims. SOVIET MARKET. BERLIN, February 19. It is announced that the Government is advancing £15,000,000 to the industrialists to enable them to manufacture goods suitable for export to Russia. SIR GUY GAUNT. LONDON, February 19. The House of Commons lobby correspondent undeistands that Sir Guy Gaunt intends resigning his seat in the House cf Commons. CHEMICAL PULP. LONDON, February 20. The Inveresk Paper Company, Ltd., has secured control of the German Koholyt Company, one of the world’s largest organisations for producing high-grade chemical pulp. MILITARY GRADUATED LONDON, February 16. Brevet-major A. J Boase, Major J. Northcott of the Australian Staff Corps, and Captain R. Miles of the New Zealand Artillery, graduated at the Staff College at Camberley. MARVELS OF SURGERY. VIENNA, February 18. A doctor saved the life of a woman who was stabbed in a drunken brawl by stitching two wounds in her heart. He subsequently transfused blood and injected common salt in the veins. LEAGUE OF NATIONS. LONDON, February 19. The Cambridge ’Varsity Union, by 170 votes to 59, defeated an Imperialist resolution, which was opposed by Lord Parmoor, who advocated the substitution of the League of Nations’ policy. ABDICATION OF PRINCE CAROL. BUCHAREST, February 16. A refutation of the earlier stories of } pressure to abdicate is conta' ed in a etter from Prince Charles to the head of the church stating that he abdicated of his own volition. ELECTION RIOTS. PARIS, February 16. Bucharest messages speak of violent election riots throughout Rumania, in which three persons were killed and twenty injured. Bucharest is being patrolled by troops and police.

OBITUARY. SYDNEY, February 18. The death is announced of General Harry Beauchamp Lassetter, following an operation for appendicitis. He saw service on the Nile and in the South African and Great Wars. He was 65 years of age. THE MATAKANA. LONDON, February 16. The Matakana, while departing from Liverpool, bound for Wellington, struck the quay, breaking the toss of her propeller. She reberthed, and will probably nave to discharge her cargo prior to examination in dry dock. CHAMPION AVIATOR. LONDON, February 19. The Royal Aero Club has awarded Mr Alan Cobham the Britannia Trop’y for 1925, adjudging his flight to India and back with Sir Sefton Brancker as the most meritorious air performance by a British airman during tlie year. MISHAP TO GOVERNOR-GENERAL. MELBOURNE, February 17. When Lord Stonehaven was about to return from a visit to the Flinders Naval Rase the aeroplane in which he proposed to make the journey failed to rise and crashed into a tree. The machine suffered some damage, hut his Excellency and the pilot escaped with a severe shaking. They returned by car. FRONTIER INCIDENT. LONDON, February 17. • The Geneva correspondent of The Times says that the League of Nations has been informed that Bulgaria, as proof of goodwill, has agreed to accept now half the Greek indemnity due under the League’s decision of December 15 (by which payment was due on February 15). The remainder is promised for March 15. DISARMAMENT. GENEVA, February 16. Russia has failed to induce Switzerland to resume normal relations, therefore she is not attending a Disarmament Confer ence on Swiss soil. The newspapers appeal to the League of Nations not to yield to the Soviet pressure to hold the conference outside Switzerland, asserting that it has made the maximum concessions compatible with its dignity. VICTORIAN SEAMEN’S UNION. MELBOURNE. February 19. An investigation into the hooks of the Victorian branch of the Seamen’s Union shows a deficiency of £620. A meeting of the union decided that further action should be taken. It is understood that one official of the branch was asked to resign, and some prosecutions are likely. THE MODERN GIRL. LONDON, February 18. The Daily Mail, commenting on Dr Russell’s criticism of present-day young people states: “It is preposterous to treat the few dope fiends, dance maniacs, and cocktail girls as typical f England, which is full of girls following a normal existence with healthy minds and bodies.” FRUIT FROM FIJI.. SUVA, February 19. The Planters Association has requested the Fiji Government to call tenders for a steamer from Fiji to Wellington, Lvttel ton. and Dunedin for the carriage of fruit as the monthlv average of 12,000 cases, the contract to be for a vear. It is estimated that 25,000 cases a month are avilable at present. MINING INDUSTRY. LONDON, February 19. The Trade Union Congress and Miner’s Federation discussed Lord Londonderry’s proposals and declared they would adhere to the decision of July last when the crisis arose menacing the miners’ standard of living. They add thev will oppose a reduction of wages, longer hours, and district settlements. REDHEAD DISASTER. SYDNEY, February 16. The coroner returned a verdict that the Redhead dister was due to an explosion of fire damp, caused by the naked flare lamp of the late shiftman, Riley. The coroner added that he was not prepared to sav whether there was neglect or omission on the part of the mine, officials or the deputy. RICH FIND OF TIN. HOBART. February 19 A rich find of tin is reported from Babel Island, near Flinders Island Samples have been sent, to the Mines Department, and the Government Geologist states that if the Greisen deposit proves to be half as rich as the samples an exceedingly valuable field will be available. Greisen is a crystalline rock consisting of quartz and mica, and is common in the tin regions of Cornwall and Saxony. EDITOR ARRESTED. ATHENS, February 18 M. Papanastassiou’s paper Demoncratia which criticised the Government, was suspended recently. The editor was arrested for violation of the press regulations. An official communique vaguely says that the elimination of arrested persons from Athens is N oonsidered necessary. The communique was issued in order to dispose of the disquieting rumours which had been current for some days. ANCESTRAL HALLS. LONDON, February 17. A second fire in a country house within a few days broke out in Benacre Hall, Suffolk; the ancestral seat of Sir Thomas Gooch, who, with his wife, son, and

daughters, helped to remove the paintings and furniture. The flames lit up the countryside. •LONDON, February 16. The death-roll of the Culton Hall fire is now six, including the head gardener. BAN ON AMUSEMENTS. LONDON, February 16. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Nottingham has banned all public amusements during Lent, including dancing, music halls, theatres, and kinemas. He says that the chief danger to which all are exposed is worldliness. This is manifested in the eager desire for pleasure, such as dancing, theatres, pictures, and card games of all sorts, which, though excellent as occasional recreation, are unfortunately apt to become a positive danger. SCAPA FLOW. LONDON, February 16. Operations will begin on March 1 to raise the pride of the ex-Kaiser’s fleet, the tattle cruiser Hindenburg, from Scapa Flow. The task is expected to occupy six months. Twelve divers will tunnel beneath the cruiser and seal eight seacocks, then make the portholes watertight, after which 40 pumps ara expected to empty the cruiser in 12 hours, and she will float by her own buoyancy. She will afterwards be handed over to the shipbreakers. FATHER’S FLEA FOR SON. LONDON, February 20. The Daily Express understands that the authorities have received a cable from .Tribitsch Lincoln, who is at present in the Far East, requesting a postponment of the execution of his son until his arrival. The Express adds that it is most improbable the cable will in arny way affect the execution, which is fixed for March 2. John Lincoln, aged 23, of E. Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, was found guilty of shooting Edward Charley Richards. Richards was shot in his garden. FOOD PRESERVATIVES. LONDON, February 19. Most of the newspapers are discussing the possibility of householders, as a reult of the anti-preservatives in food regulations, being forced to adopt the American ice chest habit in order to keep wilk and butter fresh longer than a day. Many food exporters are anxious to know the result of Australian and New Zealand experiments to ensure the good keeping of the Dominion’s butter without boric acid. The regulations will rule next year if they are modified. A WORD OF CAUTION. LONDON, February 19. Mr Theodore Taylor, woollen manufacturer, at Batley, expresses the opinion that artificial wool is misnamed. He says it is as distinct from wool as cotton, to which it is chemically allied. All wool, evens hoddy, is superior to artificial fibres, which are colder to the touch and heavier in proportion to their warmth, while artificial wool creases and stretches. It could usefully and judicially be mingled with wool, cotton and flax, but he hoped for the scike of the .shareholder's business it would not be overdone. A BELATED DISCOVERY. LONDON, Februarv 19. At the Charterhouse school, which is famed for marksmanship, it has been discovered that the 25 yards range, on which the Blue Riband of the world miniature shooting has been decided for 11 consecutive years, has been 6ft short since it was reconstructed in 1909. It is suggested that the range should be disqualified and that the prizes should be returned. THE NEW TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, February 19. The Assembly at Angora voted en bloc in favour of a new civil code of over 900 articles, regulating civil life oh western lines. The code notably deals with the status of women who acquire divorce rights equal with men. It is based on Swiss legislation. It abolishes polygamy and prohibits the marriage of Moslem women with Christians. HOUSE OF COMMONS DISTURBED. LONDON, February 20. While Mr Robert Boothby was speaking on the Minor Bill in the House of Commons, a well dressed youth in the gallery clapped vigorously and defied an order to leave the House. As the attendants began a forcible removal the interrupter shouted “Mr Speaker, lam unemployed. What are you going to do for me?” He finally undertook to leave quietly. As a parting shot he shouted, “Vote for Saklatvala.” GERMAN AIR LINES. BERLIN, February 19. Germany is reorganising her widely extending air-lines, serving 42 routes. Passengers leaving Berlin at 2 in the morning will arrive at Moscow the same afternoon via Dantzig, Konigsberg, Kovno and Smolensk Eventually it is expected that by flying at night passengers from London will reach Peking in four days. DENGUE FEVER. SYDNEY, February 20. An epidemic of dengue fever is raging at Newcastle. To date several hundred cases have been reported. The Government Medical Officer in a circular says so' far as is known the disease* is spread by the bite of the mosquito, which carries the germ from person to person. The municipal councils are asked to co-operate to prevent the spread of the disease. Fever is raging in many parts of Queensland. PANAMA CANAL. NEW YORK, February 19. The Panama Canal was theoretically destroyed when a fleet of 22 aeroplanes was catapulted from the decks of great carriers 30 miles at sea, as a supposed enemy, de-

feating the scouting fleet of the array planes of the fleet in control of this strip of land, which is the United States only key to efficient defence of its 10,000 miles of ocean coasts. This is the first big manoeuvres in the canal zone. Over 160 naval vessels with 40,000 officers and men were assembled for the movements. BOON TO THE LADIES. LONDON, February 18. An invention that will revolutionise the hosiery trade, was the claim made by Sir N. Grattan Doyle, a member of the House of Commons, in revealing that a Midland firm had discovered a method of weaving silk, cotton, artificial silk, and other materials by introducing a knotted 6titch enabling the manufacturer of stockings that will not “ladder.” Leicester and Nottingham manufacturers are installing 40 looms. ‘WILLOWY FIGURES. LONDON, February 14. Sir Hairy Bruce Porter, late surgeongeneral in xhe British Army, speaking on behalf of the Co-operative Convalescent Fund in London, said that it was tragedy seeing so many girls trying to get willowy figures. “Why girls want to look like weak, weedy young men, I can’t imagine, but they’ll get that figure, and with it digestive trouble and the risk of consumption.” NEW ZEALAND FRUIT. LONDON, February 17. Mr Gray of the New Zealand Fruit Board has ascertained that northern merchants are ready to push the sales of New Zealand apples if the season’s supplies are continuous He believes that four ot five vessels directed to Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, and Glasgow should obtain higher prices than in the south where the competition of soft fruits is the reason for the low prices in June and July. . NAVY RATIONS. LONDON, February 20. An age-long tradition of the navy has gone overboard by the Admiralty’s announcement that salt pork has been removed from the scale of rations at all stations. Coincident therewith, an announcement has been made that mutton has been eliminated from the fare of the British soldier, because it is regarded as expensive. It is expected that £50,000 will be saved annually in the army estimates as the result. The salt pork will be replaced be corned beef and vegetables. TRAFFIC IN TITLES. LONDON, February 17. Piquant sidelights on how social position may be marketed with considerable profit were shown in the bankruptcy examination of James Durham, an ex-diplomat who married Lady Agnes, sister of General Townshend. Durham gave evidence that he was an unpaid attache to the Berlin Embassy for three years before the war. He inherited nothing. He admitted that Sir Laurence Phillips who received a baronetcy in 1919 advanced him £BOOO for social and other assistance, and he received similar commissions from ether society aspirants. , A CURIOUS RITE. LONDON, February 16. It is revealed that at Torquay women have been in the habit of providing food for the soul of a departed friend who was buried in a vault at Paignton cemetery. Recently the vault was ’aled up but the women erected an awning to keep from the sight of the curious the food which always consisted of a sumptuous meal of* game, joints, fancy cakes, and fruit. What happened to the food in the past can only be conjectured. The friends of the dead women have now obtained the permission of the Home Office to remove the body elsewhere. DANGER OF DANCING. LONDON, February 14. A message from Belfast reports that Cardinal O’Donnell, referring in his Lenten Pastoral to dancing, says: “When a mother permits her daughters to go dancing let her have as much Christian respect for herself as for them and provide the close attendance of a capable female companion and not leave them unshepherded in ways where the wolf may prowl in seeming innocence.” So serious is the view of the bishops of Ireland on the dangers of dancing that they have ordered special instruction on the subject four times a year throughout the churches. CAPTAIN COOK’S VOYAGES. VICTORIA (8.C.), Februaryl9. The missing Zimmerman story '‘Travels of Captain James Cook in the South Seas,” w’hich was located some time ago in Switzerland for Mr Cecil French, rat Victoria, has arrived from Europe and will be presented to the Provincial Museum. The book, which was published by Manheim in 1783, was written by Henry Zimmerman, who accompanied Captain Cook in his travels. Captain Cook was the first British seaman to land at Vancouver Island. The existence of the book had been doubted by students of Pacific northwest history. OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT. LONDON, February '9. Tlie Civil Service accounts from 1924-25 show how largely below the hope of the Overseas Settlement Departments the actual migration was. The following are the respective figures:—Land settlement, authorised £107,000, expended £4OOO. Assisted passages, authorised £735,000, expended £389,000. Settlement of migrants, authorised, £25,000, expended £20,000. Training migrants, authorised £27,500 expended £6750. In the ease of Australia it is explained that a large increase was expected, but migration had decreased by 2700, and that £264,237 available as loans was not required. New Zealand’s increase

of expenditure £5044, was not as much as was expected. A CALLOUS SCOUNDREL. PARIS, February 20. How a murderer squandering the money of his victim led to hie arrest was described at the Marne assizes, when Andre Hamard Young, a bandit, was sentenced to death for the murder of Mdlle Le Roy, a wealthy recluse. Hamard was temporarily working for Mdlle. Le Roy, when he shot her, stole her keys, and took a very large sum of money from the safe. He then indulged in a riot of extravagance, but lost half the money through being robbed by a chance acquaintance. Aftei this he spent money on a girl until he tired of her, then he bought a motoT-car and in this he toured France with a youth and chauffeur. His reckless expenditure attracte’ attention at Bordeaux, where he claimed his father was a wealthy man. The police, however, discovered that his parents were poor. They easily linked up Hamard with the murder, which he confessed. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. MELBOURNE, February 19. Arrangements are almost completed for an early commencement of an advertising publicity campaign in Great Britain in favour of Australian products. Mr Bruce states that the Dairy Produce Control Board and the Australian Fruit Canners’ Association have agreed to contribute £24,500 annually to the scheme. The Commonwealth will subsidise the movement on a pound for pound basis, with a limitation of the Commonwealth’s liability to £50,000. It is expected that the meat, fresh fruit, and other interests with join in the scheme. BRITISH FARM HANDS. LONDON, February 19. The Council of the National Farmers’ Union carried a resolution protesting to the Ministry of Agriculture that Stateaided emigration does not help unemployment, since the emigrant is mainly drawn from classes which are not liable to unemployment, and demanding immediate reconsideration of the settlement policy to prevent the taxpayers’ money being used to the detriment of home agricultural interests. The resolution was inspired by a communication from Warwickshire deprecating the action of the Canadian emigration officials canvassing agricultural workers and profiting by the recently-reduced passage rates to Canada. INDUSTRIAL ALLIANCE. LONDON, February 19. Trade Union opinion is crystallising against an industrial alliance. Tne miners, transport workers, the society of engineers, and the electrical trade unions, with a membership of 1,000,000, still favour aii alliance, but the Sailors and Firemen’s Union, the. National Union of Railwaymen, the Federation of Engineering* and Shipbuilding Trades, have definitely decided against an alliance, and the executive of the Boilermakers’ Sbciety has given its members a broad hint to reject the scheme. It is expected that Mr A. J. Cook’s project will now be abandoned, but the miners, transport workers, and electricians may decide in favour of a smaller alliance, hoping that the other unions will later change their minds. A STRIKING COMMENTARY. LONDON, February 19. Sir Arbuthnot Lane, lecturing before the Clinical Society, declared that the question whether civilisation was a failure always arose whe people considered its disastrous effect on natives. Merchant seamen taught the natives to drink to excess. They also disseminated disease, and missionaries introduced a inoral code, causing degeneration and degradation. “The native,” he said, “is an infinitely finer animal that the civilised. His men are great fighters and skilful hunters. His women produce vigorous, healthy children because of the study of birth control and eugenics as distinct from the methods of civilisation. On the contrary, British people are enslaved because the authorties insist in their ignorance of eugenics on certain lines, this treatment resulting in the production of weak children.” UR OF THE CHALDERS. " LONDON, February 16. The British Museum’s expedition has made further interesting discoveries. Excavating under the Larsa buildings, erected in 2000 b.c., and also under King Dungi’s shrine, which was founded in 2250 b. 0., the expedition encountered walls composed of pudding-shaped mud bricks, dating from the first Ur dynasty 3300 b.o. It also found evidence of man’s early beliefs in great clay bowls, inverted over pieces of matting, on which there were animals’ bones, indicating that a banquet had teen spread to the star god. Further excavations revealed a temple built in honour of Ningal ,who was wife of the moon god, statues and bas-reliefs, composed of black diorite and alabaster. The kings recorded their piety on great polished stones. cancer"research. LONDON, February 17. The Berlin correspondent of The Times 1 reports that Dr Josef Schumacher claims that by using new staining methods he has isolated the cancer bacillus which is present in enormous quantities in .ancerous tissues, of which it forms one-tenth of the bulk. It is never present in a healthy tissue. A great mass of bacillus was found on the dividing line between the diseased and the normal tissues. It advanced into the healthy tissue-like wall. Dr Schumacher has not yet made cultures of the bacillus, which is of a fairly large spiral formation, with thickone<f ends. Hie bacilli cannot live in an organism, the lympathic system of which is healthy. Dr Schumacher expresses the opinion

ST A N DIMS ALOOF. LONDON. February 15. Mr James Beck, formerly Solicitor-Gen •ral of the United States, who is- writing a series of articles in the Morning Post on the world outlook defends America's aloofness from European affairs. He con tends that if she became an intermeddling Paul Pry it would make confusion worse confounded. If President WiU< had not gone to Versailles there would have been a speedier and better peace. Similarly, the Locarno agreement would have been more complicated if America had been represented at the conference there. Her refusal to enter the League became its constitution was structurally false to the basic principle of the equality of scvereign States would be helpful in rebuilding it on sounder foundations. In the meantime America’s eoonomic penetration into the industrial development of Europe would have beneficial results. FORTY-FOUR-HOUR WEEK. MELBOURNE, February 18. The Full High Cuurt granted leave to the Clyde Engineering Company to appeal against its decision. Counsel for the appellant stated that the application for special leave to appeal was made on the ground that the court, under whose jurisdiction the case first came, was exercising Federal jurisdiction, inasmuch as it was dealing with a matter which arose under the Commonwealth Constitution or involved its interpretation. The company was working under a Federal award, but the 9tate Act picked lip the award and said it should not have any effect according to its trend, but should have quite another effect; therefore the State Act was inconsistent with the Commonwealth Act. Counsel added that 40,000 employees in New South Wales were affected by the State Court’s decision. SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY. LONDON, February 18. “Parte of the Bible must go. Science’s Istartling revolutionary discoveries have given a succession of the rudest shocks to orthodoxy and they prevent its acceptance as an infallible historical document,” said the Rev. Charles Gore, a frail, white-haired septuagenarian, and an exBishop of Oxford, preaching at St. Paul’s in defence of religion against sceptical intellectuals and doubting philosophers. “We are living in an age of disillusion, discouragement, and cynicism,” he said. “We must face the task of disentangling Christianity from antiquated ideas. Nevertheless, we must not go too far. The mass of intelligent people to-day is deluded and dominated by revolutionary modernists. Traditional theology certainly needs revision, and some traditions must be abandoned. But the extent of abandonment is grossly exaggerated. There is a middle way between the fundamentalists and the radical modernists, and the horrible and abominable canker should be rooted up.”MODERN TENDENCIES. LONDON, February 17. Dr Russell, a West End neurologist, lecturing before the Institute of Hygiene, aaid that the modern child was out of hand. The present-day tendency to -tudy children’s whims and to pander to them, thus allowing children to do much as they pleased, was responsible for much harm. Hygiene of body and mind was greatly needed. When children were permitted to read baneful literature at will and to spend hours in kinemas it would be better to return to the strict discipline of the Victorian era rather than remain as at present. Dr Russell deplored the disappearance of the chaperon, which was responsible for the long night hours in cabarets. Girls could only keep up with the i.ssistance of alcohol and drugs. Before they were 20 years of age they developed the lined faces of a middle-aged woman. As mothers they would produce only miserable neurotics. COLOURED LABOUR. DELHI, February 17 The anxiously-awaited statement on the South African situation was made to-day in the Council of State and the Assembly respectively by Sir Muhamed Habib-ul-Lah and Mr J. W. Bhore. After tracing the history of the negotiaitions they announced that they had succeeded in inducing the Union Government to agree to refer the Asiatic Bill to a Select Committee before, instead of after the second reading, subject to an understanding that the committee would be required to report to Parliament within such limited period a 8 would enable Parliament to deal with the legislation during the present session. The Select Committee would take evidence both on the principle and on the details of the Bill. CALCUTTA, February 7. The Bishop of Calcutta, the Rev. Foss Westcott, presided at a crowded indignation meeting, said that the attitude of the Union Government to Indians in South Africa was unjust, immoral and unfair. VALUE OF CAPITALISM. LONDON, February 19. “However capitalism may be criticised, •it liae established a gigantic engine for international service and the payment of British imports which if wiped out would cut off from Britishers world’s supplies * resulting in half the population starving Or the whole being half rationed and deprived of varied products now brightening tile tables of all classes,” said Sir Walter Runciman in his presidential address to the Chamber of Shipping. “Tampering With the delicate adjustments of international trade, primarily affects shipping, in Irhich State experiments must be accomEied by grave risks. The State had er created a single item of foreign le, never organised a single foreign service. No sane man had yet suggested that British shipping employed in foreign [trades could be run as a Stats ooncern. [The experience of the United States, Aus-

tralia and Canada showed that in international trade State departments and their subsidiaries were incapable of keeping their financial heads above water in the fresh breezes of international competition. TOLAR EXPLORATION. VANCOUVER, Feoruarv 16 Captain Roald Amundsen, who is at Portland, Oregon, stated to-day that before attempting to fly over the North Pole from Spitsbergen to Alaska he plans to make a preliminary flight from Spitzbergen to Paris and London via Leningrad. Although expressing his good wishes for the Wilkins expedition, tor which preparations are now being made, Captain Amuftdsen said that the party would starve if it de pended on the Arctic wastes for its food supply. Captain Amundsen will start his flight in April if the dirigible is ready. NEW YORK, February 16 Lieutenant Leigh Wade, the army round-the-world flier, announces that- he will resign from the Air Service within two weeks and will lead a Polar flying expediton in the summer. Lieutenant Ogden, another world flier, resigned on Tuesday to act as his assistant on the flight. In personnel, equipment, and financing, the expedition will be all American. It is backed by prominent alumni of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and the University of Pennsylvania, and will be known the the American Universities Alumni Expedition. MR HOLLAND IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY, February 16. Mr 11. E. Holland, with other Labour leaders, was accorded a civic reception at the Town Hall, when there was a strong representation of trade unionists. The Lord Mayor (Alderman Stokes), after referring to Mr Holland’s work in Labour politics in Australia, said that since going to New Zealand he had wonderfully improved the position of Labour in the Dominion. Mr Holland, speaking later a a welcome function at Summerhill, said that the position in New Zealand was never healthier than at the present time for the Labour Party. “I believe.” he said, “that the morning of the Labour movement there is very near at hand. Although the oarty lost seats at the election, it has greatly increased in voting strength.” There was a great forward movement, said Mr Holland. Of about 700,000 voters in New Zealand Labour had at least onethird. He gave an account of the rise of the Labour movement in New Zealand, dwelling particularly on the Waihi strike, the great general strike, the fight for political liberty during the war period, and movements for unity in the Labour ranks. ARTIFICIAL TEXTILES. LONDON, February 15. The economic possibilities of artificial textiles are shown by the fact that Messrs Oourtauld’a profits foT the year amounted to £4,411,000 after all taxation and depreciation had been paid. The directors *re carrying £1,000,000 to the reserve,' paying a dividend of 5s per share free of income tax. which is equal to 25 per cent., and are carrying forward £1,046,000. February 16. The Nuera Art Silk Company is erecting a factory at St. Helens, Lancashire, which will produce one ton of staple fibre artificial wool daily, thus increasing the production in accordance with the demand. The makers assert that their product is incomparably finer than Sniafil, and will be much used by the woollen and cotton manufacturers. Bradford reports that the new artificial wool may be of great service in the flannel and blanket industries, which have been depressed. The new development may brine prosperity by cheapening the*costs. The Yorkshire wool combers are particularly interested, because at present there 13 insufficient work to go round, and they are anxious to keep the machinery going. CHEAPER RATES TO AUSTRALIA. LONDON, February 17. The Imperial migration authorities welcome the apparently changed attitude towards cheapening migration indicated by Mr Bruce’s pronouncement and also by' the Australian press comments. Referring to the press comparisons between the Australian and New Zealand migration fares, the authorities point out that the Australian Government turned down the Overseas Settlement Committee’s offer to increase their contributions for the purpose of approximating Australian to New Zealand fares, under which more favourable passages would be granted not only to youths and girls, but also to single men. Notwithstanding this repulse, tne committee, when submitting the 1925-26 estimates, included £IOO,OOO towards cheaper passages subject to Australia participating. The British Treasury turned down the proposal partly because Australia had already not accepted the New Zealand standard, but principally because the Economy Committee insisted, on the grounds of retrenchment, on postponing the proposal till next year. It is authoritatively learned that the Imperial authorities would welcome Australian co-operation in reduced fares, but in view of the Economy Committee’s attitude they are unable to make overtures themselves. UNREST IN GREECE. ATHENS, February 18. It is semi-officially Btatod that further minor arrests have been made. All those arrosted were taken during the evening to one of the Greek isles, where they have every comfort. A special tribunal has been appointed to deal with persons charged with being concerned in subversive acts, and to inquire into their activities. General Pangalos’s statement in regard to the arrests says that the temporary removal of the arrested persons was neoessary bocaue of the alarming rumours recently circulating involving the names of M. PapenasUssiou and General Kon-

dilis. Others are of the opinion that the rumours were baseless, but if it is proved that the arrested persons really intended to disturb public order and Jhe work Of the Government they should be exemplarily punished. General Pangalos sees no danger to the public order. He stated that those arrested would be taken to the island of Santorin The rumour of a naval mutiny is contradicted. February 19. General Pangalos has issued a decree instituting a military court of five officers to try M. Papanastassiou and others for conspiracy to upset the Government. SOVIET RUSSIA. LONDON, February 20. M. Rakovsky, writing a series of articles in the Morning Post on the world outlook, asserts that “No country in the world has given proof of such active progress as the Soviet Union. True, the need of foreign credits is being felt, because we are in a period of extraordinary expansion. Lack of credits may hamper this development, but it cannot prevent it. In any case it is a mistake to believe Russia needs any more foreign capital than foreign industry needs raw material and Russian orders.” Regarding ooraplaints on the ground of Russian propaganda, M. Rakovsky admits that the Russian masses, as has happened in other countries at the moment of revolution, were inspired b ya spirit of revolutionary preselytism. This was due to a fear that the capitalistic States were aiming at the destruction of the Soviet Union. This fear was justified bv the economic blockade and armed intervention. It was this which determined the attitude of the Soviet Union towards the League of Nations. “We believe it is not so much from the desire for neace that efforts were being made to draw Russia into the League as to induce her to change her social and political regime. Two main causes of war, namely, shortage of markets for industrial production and lack of raw material, can oe removed by agreements satisfying the interests of all countries. The latest declarations by Mr Chamberlain lead us to believe the British Government is veering towards the resumption of negotiations and I think the conditions under which the negotiations will be resumed will be better than those that prevailed last year.