FRENCH ADVANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16939, 13 January 1923, Page 12

FRENCH ADVANCE.

FRENCH CALL CONFERENCE By Telegraph—Presa Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received aJrmary 13, 3.5 p.m.) BERLIN, January 12. Tho French commander, General Ramon, whp is commanding the bridge- ! bead at Dusseldorf, has instructed the German authorities to summon the heads of the Krupp, Thyssen, Kierdorf and other leading industrial firms to a conference at either Dusseldorf or Essen, in order to discuss methods uf carrying on the. industry in the Ruhr. authorities replied that they ; v. eu Id communicate with the coal syndicate. whose headquarters had removed. Firms had readily responded, but they refused to send their chiefs, | appointing representatives. The mayors of Essen and Dusseldorf and Allied engineers were also present. General Ramon intimated that Mayence was no .longer under Berlin’s sovereignty, hut under the occupational authority. The Germans protested against this as a breach of the treaty. PROTEST TO ITALY. By Telegrrapu—Press Association—'Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received January 13, 3.2 p.m.) ROME, January, 12. The German Ambassador has lodged with Signor Mussolini a protest against the French invasion <of the Ruhr area. The Ambassador declared ( that Germany would fulfil her obligations as far as she was able. PRICE OF COAL RAISED. By Telegraph—Frees Association—Copyright Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received January 13, 1.25 p.m.) BERLIN, January 12. The price of German coal is being increased immediately 50 per cent, and the miners wages by about 68 per cent.