BRITISH AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 19248, 11 June 1921, Page 5

BRITISH AFFAIRS

FOREIGN TRADE STATISTICS BIG FALL IN MAY (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 9. Imports decreased £80,105,724, exports by £76,231,004, and re-exports by £13,028,242 during May. The principal decreases were: IMPORTS. £ I Raw cotton 12,077,654 j Wool 8,663,270 i Oil. seeds, etc 5,592,554 Timber 4,382,522 Dutiable food and drink .. 11,924,244 Grain and flour 3,718,193 EXPORTS. Cotton yarns and manufactures 28,721,052 Woollen and worsted yarns and manufactures 8,754,849 Coal 8,610,638 Iron and steel manufactures .. 7,908,231 PORT OF LONDOON. NEW JETTY AT TILBURY. FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTED LONDON, June 9. Lord Devonport formally opened the Port of London Authority’s new jetty at Tilbury. The depth is thirty feet, enabling vessels to discharge without entering the dock. It is announced that a Bill will shortly be presented to Parliament authorising the construction of a floating passenger tendering stage at Tilbury equal to those at Liverpool to allow passengers to embark and disembark alongside the railway station. HEYWOOD BY-ELECTION. A. LABOUR VICTORY. LONDON, June 9. The Heywood by-election vice the Hon. A. H. Illingworth resulted:— Mr Walter Hall (Labour) .. .. 13,530 Colonel England (Coalitionist) .. 13,125 Mr Pickstone (Liberal) 5,751 At the last general election the voting was:—Hon. A. H. Illingworth (CoalitionLiberal) 14,250; Horace Nobbs (Labour) 6827. EMPIRE COMMERCE CONGRESS* TO BE HELD IN 1923. Reuter’s Telegrams.) LONDON, June 9. (Received June 10, 5.5 p.m.) A meeting of the British Imperial Council of Commerce arranged for the next triennial congress of the Empire Chambers of Commerce to be held at London in 1923. Lord Derby was elected president till then. THE LATE MR WILL CROOKS. A TOUCHING TRIBUTE. LONDON, June 9. (Received June 10, 5.5 p.m.) Touching scenes were witnessed at Poplar Church, where the body of Mr Will Crooks lay. An unceasing procession of all classes filed past the bier, over which guards of fellow workers kept continuous vigil. SPEEDING UP MAILS. AN INTERESTING PROJECT (The Times.) LONDON, June 9. (Received June 10, 5.5 p.m.) A project for the inter-working of seacraft with aircraft for the purpose of speeding up Empire transport, especially mails, will be considered by the Shipping Committee which is advising the Imperial Conference. The plan suggests that liners should carry swift aeroplanes capable of ascending from the ship with mails when within flying distance of the destination, alighting at an aerodrome convenient to rapid train transport. MAINTENANCE ORDERS. RECIPROCAL LEGISLATION. LONDON, June 9. In the House of Commons, replying to a question, the Under-Secretafy of State for the Colonies, said he had no information whatever that Australia had passed reciprocal legislation on the subject of the Maintenance Orders Act. A suggestion urging such legislation to the Imperial Conference in view of the hardship caused to wives deserted in the United Kingdom by Australian soldiers would be considered.