OVERNIGHT CABLES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17567, 18 June 1925, Page 7

OVERNIGHT CABLES.

ADELAIDE. June 17. The Crown Law Department has declared cross-word puzzles to be illegal, under the Lottery and Gaming Act, apparently regarding them as games of chance. MELBOURNE, June 17. The Labour Premiers of Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia, at an informal conference, decided to approach the Imperial Government and request that, in future. State Governors should be Australian citizens. BERLIN. June 16. The position in the Ruhr is calamitous. Every day pits are closing and blast furnaces are being banked. Coal is accumulating at pit heads at an alarming rate, making a national crisis certain in the mining industry shortly. MELBOURNE, June 17. The Federal Loan Council has decided to continue its operations daring the next financial year, and that the Commonwealth Government should act as the sole borrower for the States so far as new money required by them is concerned. BERLIN. June 16. “ Yorwaerts ” states that the vast business which Hugo Stinnes left has shrunk to microscopic dimensions, and is now bearing a liability :of £'lo.000.000. Though the banks have intervened to prevent a collapse, shares fell 11 per cent last week. LONDON. June 17. As the result of an invitation extended through the Board of Trade, Mr Allan Grainger, Chief Inspector of Weights and Measurer, at Birmingham, has been granted leave of absence to go tu New Zealand to assist in the organisation of a weights and measures service. LONDON, June 17. At a meeting of the Labour Commonwealth Group, Mr G. Lansbury (Bow), insisted that it was necessary that the Labour Party should develop an Imperial policy before it next took office. Personally, he favoured a policy aiming at the unity of Britain, the dominions, colonies and India, in order that a commonwealth should be developed which would work for the good of the whole race. LONDON. June 16. The latest unemployment figures are disquieting. Registered unemployed number 1.291,200, being 104.672 more than a fortnight ago, and 263,65-3 more than- a year ago. Labour members of Parliament asked the Government for facilities to discuss unerrfplovment, and also for permission .to organise demonstrations throughout the country on June 21. LONDON, June 17. The House of Commons, by 260 votes to 148. added a clause to the Budget imposing a 33} per cent lace duty. Mr Lloyd George, Mr P. Snowden and other members of the Opposition taunted the Government, especially Mr Baldwin, with breaking an election pledge not to in>pose protection. The steel industry has lodged an application similar to that lodged by the lace industry under the Safeguarding of Industries Act. SYDNEY. June 17. The only development in the shipping trouble occurred in connection with the Howard Smith Company’s steamer,. Time. When a new crew was called for Johannsen. assistant-secretary of the Seamen’s Union, walked on to the wharf, stating that the men wanted to see him before signing on. The company ordered him to leave the premises but. after he had gone, the men stated that they would not sign the article*. Further developments are expected. LONDON, June 17. The Moscow correspondent of the " Daily Express " says that all Russia has been startled by the announcement that M. Stekloff. tile famous editor of ** Isvesta, 1 has been dismissed by the commission controlling Bolshevik publications for living in bourgeois style and failing to observe party discipline respecting his standard of living. M. Stekloff is regarded as the most brilliant journalist in Russia, and exercised great influence over the entire Soviet Press.