GENERAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1920, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

U.S. SHIPPING BOARD. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Washington, March 10. The Shipping Board has announced that profits on the Government operation of the shipping business, up to June 20, 1019, totalled more than ICG million dollars. PORTUGESE GOVERNMENT'S DEFEAT. Madrid, March 10. The Portugese Government's defeat fallowed "'a sMong Labor • protect against the Government's announcement that any striker who did not return to work' within 48 hours would be summarily dismißsed.The new Government conceded the demands of the strikers. Delegates are appealing to the men to return. Many trains are miming on all lines and it is expected the conditions will be normal to-mor-row. The postal 9trike la collapsing. JAPAN AND RUSSIA Honolulu, March 9. According to a dispatch from Tokio, the Japanese Foreign Office has intimated that an early resumption is likely of commercial relations with the Soviet as a preliminary to a formal recognition of it as the de facto Government of Russia.

U.S. AND RUSSIAN TRADE. New York, March 11. It is understood the State Department will probably propose to the Supreme Council the withdrawal of wartime restrictions on trading between the Allies and Soviet Russia. American exporters will 'be allowed to trade with the Soviet Government on the understanding, however, that they do so at their own risk, the State not aiding in fhe event of complications arising therefrom. This provision will be stipulated, since the United States does not desire to have any dealings with the Soviet Government. EGYPTIANS CLAIM INDEPENDENCE. Cairo, March 10. The Legislative Assembly has met and unofficially adopted a resolution declaring the Protectorate illegal, and also tliat Egypt and,the Sudan were inseparable and independent.

ATTEMPT TO KIDNAP BELA RUN. Vienna, March 7. A party of Hungarian officers drove to the Stockerau Hospital and vainly endeavored to kidnap Rela Kun, who led the Bolshevik revolution in Hungary. ROUGH WEATHER IN AMERJCA. New York, March 7Simultaneous with a blizzard in New England and the >orth Atlantic, there were floods in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which rendered many homeless, erippfe'd scores of factories, and destroyed bridges. The waters are now 1 gradually subsiding. AMERICAN EXCHANGE. New York, March 11. Thcre has been a sharp recovery in the sterling exchange rate, which is now 3S2J cents to the £, HINDENBURG AS GERMAN PRESIDENT.

Berlin, March 7. There is a widespread movement in favor of the nomination of Hindenburg as President of Germany. He is willing to accept nomination and is th'e most conspicuous figure in Germany, acceptable to all parties except the Independent Socialists. It is asserted that even those opposed to militarism and the restoration of the Hohenzollernn support Hindenburg, b.ut the Pan-Germans openly regard his election as an important step towards the restoration of the monarchy in some form.

PETROL IN UNITED STATES. New York, March 11. Delegates at the National Petroleum Congress in Chicago predieted that the price of petrol in the United States would probably rise to .SS cents a gallon in 1920 and possibly to i>o cents in 1921. They pointed out that in 1915 there were 2,500,000 automobiles in the United States, the crude oil production was 281 million barrels and the cost 58 cents per barrel, while there were 7,400,000 automobiloß in 1919, the crude oil production was 370 million barrels and the eost 225 cents. Crude oil today was 350 cents a barrel.