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15 APRIL 1925

M. Briand abandoned the task of forming a French Ministry after the refusal of the Socialists to be represented. M. Painleve, President of the Chamber, has again been invited by President Doumergue to form a Cabinet.

A memorandum, issued by the Empire Development Union, dealing with unemployment and the peril of British industry, states that if the British race is ever to recover its lost supremacy immediate and drastic action along Imperial lines must be taken by Great Britain.

At the first sitting of the new Ulster Parliament, Mr. Hugh O’Neill was elected Speaker. The State opening takes place to-day.

To a resolution moved at the Independent Labour party’s conference at Gloucester protesting against Mr. Austen Chamberlain’s refusal to submit the question of the Zinoviev letter to independent arbitration, an amendment was moved regretting that the late Foreign Secretary, Mr. MacDonald, authorised Mr. Gregory’s reply to the letter before he was completely satisfied of its authenticity. Defending Mr. MacDonald in his absence, the president of the conference, Mr. Allen, said that he did not authorise the letter. The amendment was withdrawn and the resolution carried.

14 APRIL 1925

A message from the Amundsen expedition records the arrival of the transport farm at Spitzbergen after encountering fog and drift ice. Weather forecasts have held good, and the meteorological service aboard is operating satisfactorily.

M. Briand has not yet formed a Cabinet. A message from Paris last evening says that M. Briand appears to have resolved to do his utmost to form a Government in the national interest, even should the Socialists refuse to allow their Parliamentary leaders to serve in his Cabinet.

Two important Franco-German diplomatic instruments were signed in Paris for the purpose of confirming certain frontier modifications imposed by the Treaty of Versailles.

Sir A. Maurice Low, the Washington correspondent of the Morning Post and The Scotsman, describes the spread of the drug habit among young people in the United States since the passage of the Prohibition Law.

The U.S. Supreme Court has held as unconstitutional the compulsory arbitration of industrial disputes.

The condition of Mr. Massey, the New Zealand Premier, is reported to be critical.

The circumstances attending the recovery of the body of the lost climber on Ben Achalader are described. Some importance is attached locally to a clairvoyant’s description of where the body was to be found.

At the I.L.P. Conference Mr. Ramsay MacDonald replied to criticism from within the party of the work of the late Socialist Government.

MR. J. Ramsay MacDonald, addressing a meeting at Staple Hill, Gloucestershire, criticised the suggested relief in income-tax in the forthcoming Budget.

13 APRIL 1925

M. Briand has been offered the French Premiership.

The Earl of Balfour has left Beyrout for Alexandria. Twelve gendarmes were wounded in the Damascus riots, as well as a rioter and a carriage-driver.

Sir Thomas Hutchinson, Bart., ex-Lord Provost of Edinburgh, died suddenly in Edinburgh from a seizure, which occurred while he was on his way to attend the forenoon service at St. Giles’.

The body of the climber who went amissing on Ben Achallader has been found at an altitude of 3060 feet.

It was announced that, owing to plague restrictions, the visit of the Prince of Wales to Nigeria had been cancelled. The announcement caused intense disappointment in Nigeria, and it has since been decided to carry out practically the full programme, although the landing will probably be made at Port Harcourt instead of Lagos.

The Panchan Lama, or Living Buddha, received in audience at Peking 500 representatives of the world’s most important religions.

The Independent Labour party Conference opened at Gloucester. There was some criticism of the National Council in reference to the Zinoviev letter affair and complaint that nothing had been done by the committee of inquiry set up by the party. The critics succeeded in carrying the reference back of a clause in the report relating to the matter. Later, after rebuking Mr. Shinwell, who raised the question whether it was not a vote of censure on the Council, the Chairman assured the Conference everything was being done to probe the matter. Confirming this, Mr. Maxton, a member of the committee, declared that there had been no desire on Mr. MacDonald’s part to prevent searching inquiry.

12 APRIL 1925

It was announced that the King and Queen would be in residence at Windsor Castle from the middle of May until Ascot.

The King of the Belgians confirmed that he would ask one of the socialist leaders to form a Government.

It was reported that there was one official for every thirteen taxpayers in Germany.

11 APRIL 1925

The Amundsen-Ellsworth expedition, which is to attempt to reach the North Pole by aeroplane, has left Tromsoe for King’s Bay, Spitzbergen, where the expedition will be based. We publish to-day Captain Amundsen’s own story of his preparations for the great adventure.

The French Cabinet were defeated in the Senate after a debate on their financial proposals. Subsequently M. Herriot tendered the resignation of the Ministry to the President of the Republic. President Doumergue accepted the Cabinet’s resignation.

THhe decision of Field-Marshal Hindenburg to stand for the Presidency of the Reich has aroused great interest in Germany. In Rome it is declared to be an event of great international importance.

The Prince of Wales is meeting with an enthusiastic reception in the various West African towns he visits. At Coomassie he attended a Good Friday service at the English Church.

The South African railway budget presented to the House of Assembly by Mr. Malan, showed this financial year an estimated credit balance of £213,148 there had been produced a surplus of £680,707, which wiped out an accumulated deficit of £770,244.

The condition of Mr. Massey, the Premier of New Zealand, shows no improvement.

The two French explorers Tramin and Duverne, who recently crossed Africa from west to east in a small 10 h.p. motor car—a distance of 14,700 kilometres—have arrived at Marseilles.

10 APRIL 1925

The House of Commons, after discussing the industrial situation and the International Labour Conventions, rose for the Easter vacation until April 28.

M. Herriot replied in the French Chamber to criticisms of the Government’s financial policy. The Chamber accorded him a vote of confidence by a majority of 49 (291 to 242).

General Sikorski, the Polish Minister of War, said, in the course of an interview in Paris, that on the day on which a finger was laid on one inch of their national territory the whole of Poland would rise, and would fight without quarter.

Mr. Havenga, South African Minister of Finance, referring to the proposed Imperial Preference changes, said that in taking up this question they were never animated by any anti-British feeling, and that the preponderating factor was that of the interests of their own country first.

The Dutch steamer Jonge Catharina collided with the British steamer Clan Monroe in the Wielingen Channel, off Flushing. The Jonge Catharina sank, and six of her crew were drowned. Four others are reported to be missing.

The Royal yacht Victoria and Albert, with King George and Queen Mary on board, has arrived at Palermo from Syracuse.

The Prince of Wales had an enthusiastic reception when he landed at Takoradi, on the Gold Coast.

9 APRIL 1925

On the Report stage of the Agricultural Returns Bill in the House of Commons, Sir A. Sinclair moved an amendment to Clause 1, having in view a stock-taking of agricultural resources. Mr. Lloyd George, while agreeing that the amendment might be unacceptable as worded, asked the Government to consider an alteration of the clause. The Minister of Agriculture doubted whether provision could be made in the Bill for a general survey, but fell in with a suggestion of Mr. Lloyd George that “sample counties” might be selected for the purpose. He was in full sympathy with the object in view. Sir A. Sinclair withdrew his amendment. The Bill passed Report, and was read a third time.

The Prime Minister stated in the House of Commons that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would open his Budget on April 28, after the Easter holidays.

Mr Havenga, South African Minister of Finance, introducing the Budget in the House of Assembly, announced a revised rebate of £500,000 in the case of Great Britain and £50,000 in the case of the Dominions compared with the present £860,000 and £90,000, as preferential tariff adjustment. Penny postage is restored. For the first time in history the Budget was introduced in Afrikaans.

Details are given by the Colonial Office of an agreement which has been entered into between the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia for the purposes of development and settlement in Australia. The agreement aims at the settlement in Australia within the next ten years of 450,000 assisted migrants from the United Kingdom.

Rumours were current, after what was virtually a defeat in the Senate, that the resignation of the French Government was imminent. At a meeting of the Cabinet, however, it was decided not to resign.

8 APRIL 1925

7 APRIL 1925

Lord Ampthill called attention in the House of Lords to the case of those British officers in the public service of India to whom the Lee Commission report had made no reference, and asked whether their claims were now being considered. The Secretary for India said he had been inquiring into the matter, to see if some alleviation of the present position might not be given, and he would further investigate the matter with the Viceroy on his arrival in Britain. The Circuit Courts and Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Bill passed Committee, and was reported to the House without amendment.

A statement which she made in the House of Commons on Friday concerning Mr. Hayday, the member for West Nottingham, was unreservedly withdrawn by Lady Astor, who added that she had no intention of making any reference to the hon. member’s personal character.

The Ulster Government lost six out of sixteen seats in Belfast—three to the Independent Unionists and three to Labour. They also lost one seat in the counties. The features of the election have been the apathy of the electors and the success of the Independent Unionists, who, however, support the Government on the Boundary question and on all but local administrative matters.

Mr Austen Chamberlain, speaking at Birmingham, said fear brooded over Europe, the fear of war breaking out again, not perhaps in his time, and unless confidence and security in the international sphere could be established Europe was moving uneasily, perhaps slowly, but certainly, to a new catastrophe.

Field-Marshal Von Hindenburg has refused to stand as Nationalist candidate for the German Presidency. It is expected that Dr. Jarres will go forward as the nominee of the Right Block.