MRS. SUN YAT SEN KIDNAPPED

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 304, 22 December 1921, Page 5

MRS. SUN VAT SEN KIDNAPPED

HELD FOR £100.000 RANSOM. (Received 11.30 a.m.) SHANGHAI, December 21. It is reported that bandits kidnapped Madame Sun Vat Sen, wife of the southern leader, at Kweiling, in the Kwangsi province, and' are now holding her in the mountains for ransom of £100,000. It is believed that the bandits disguised themselves as soldiers, seising her while she was en route to join her husband, whose armies are marching toward Peking. She intended to take charge of Red Cross work. She is one of the best educated women in China, having graduated with honours in two American universities.— (A. and N.Z.) ANGLO-JAP. FRIENDSHIP. KING AND THE MISSION. (Keceived 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, December 21. The King in an audience with the Japanese Commercial Mission recalled happy recollections of his visit to Japan forty years ago. He was delighted that his son -was about to visit their great country, endeared to Britain by many tics of friendship and alliance. He hoped that the Mission would 'be successful in mutual endeavours to hasten the transition to normal trading conditions •■ much desired by all nations of the earth. (A. and N.Z. Cable.) PERSIA AND THE SOVIET. RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY (Keceived 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 21. Teheran advices state that the Mejiliss (Persian Parliament) has ratified the Russo-Pcrsian agreement signed in February, subject to the revision of certain clauses as inconsistent with the independence of Persia. The Soviet Minister who attended the sitting of the Mejliss promised to support the revision.— ißeutcr.) INCREASED POSTAGE. CANADIAN-N.Z. RATES. VANCOUVER, December 14. Canada has increased the postage rate to 2d from ljd on letters from the Domi . | nion to Britain, in conformity with th"c new British rate to Canada. The same J increase applies to letters for Australia and New Zealand, but the rate is ! doubled on letters to China and Japan, which formerly were five cents. There is no increase on postage from the United States to Britain, which is still five cents. FIGHTING IN KARELIA. ' BOLSHEVIKS LOSE HEAVILY. (Received 10.30 n.m.l COPENHAGEN, December 21. ; Fierce fighting continues on the Karoi lia front, where the Bolshevists are sus- ; tabling heavy losses.—(A. and N.Z.) FRENCH RAILWAYS. I PRIVATE CONTROL FAVOURED 10.:;o a.m.i I PARIS. December 21. , After inquiring into the condition or , the railway services, a majority of the , Parliamentary committee recommends that the working be handed over to a private company, the State retaining ownership.— 'A. and N.Z. Cable.) i WIRELESS TO INDIA. DIRECT SERVICE OFFERED. , | LONDON, December 21. t, Signor Marconi has made an ofTVr to i i the Government of India to establish -1 direct wireless communication between • I India and Britain and elsewhere. He is •, | willing cither to construct a station at , i his own expense within a year and coni j duct an efficient commercial service, or ij to huild a station and conduct a sarvice , j on joint account with the Indian Governi ir-ent on a similar basis to that approved Jby Australia. The cost of the station is l" | estimated at £400,000, exclusife of patent .j rights.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) ; McCONACHY SCORING WELL. i | LONDON, December 21. r ( . McConaehy, the New Zealand l.ili Hardist, in his match against T. Aiken, l ;hr Scottish champion, to-day made two . breaks of more rlmn 200 and M'vi-ral over » 100. The scores at the close of pla\ r were: — i; Aiken frwjvr* 1000) .3610 j McConachy iscratch) .. 206«