ROYAL GRIEF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 240, 10 October 1934, Page 7

ROYAL GRIEF.

NEWS IN BRITAIN.

Late King to Have Attended Prince's Wedding.

RELATIVE OF PRINCESS,

(British Official Wirelcs».)

(Receivod 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, October I). Official circles in London, and the whole public, were intensely shocked when the news became known this evening that King Alexander and M. Barthou had been assassinated. King Alexander was driving through cheering crowds in the Place de la Bourse, when a fusillade of revolver shots was fired. The car proceeded at all speed to the hospital, but King Alexander died within a very few minutes. Press reports state that one assailant was lynched by the infuriated crowd and a second man, believed to be implicated, who is said to bo a Croat and a native of Zagreb, was arrested. King Alexander was on the way to Paris, where he was to have had an important political conversation with the French Government. The King was in his 4(jth year. He succeeded to the throne in August, 1920. He married in the following year Princess Marie of Rumania. Relative of Princess Marina. The late King was a relative of Princess Marina, the latter's sister having married Prince Paul, the nephew of King Alexander. lie had intended to visit London for the marriage of Prince George and Princess Marina. The news of the terrible events was conveyed to the King and Queen at Sandringhani. Their Majesties sent a personal and private telegram to the bereaved Queen, expressing their profound sympathy. To the President of the French Republic the King sent the following message:' "I learned with horror of the cowardly assassination of M. Barthou. I hasten to express my profound (sympathy to you on this tragic occasion. Please convey to the late Minister's family, on behalf of the Queen and myself, our sincere condolences on the grievous loss which they have sustained." Britain's Condolence. Immediately after receiving the news Sir John Simon called at the Yugoslav Legation and afterwards visited Queen Marie of Rumania, mother of the Queen of Serbia, and the French Embassy. He telegraphed to the British Embassy at Paris: "Please convey to M. Barthou's colleagues and relatives the heartfelt sympathy of the Prime Minister and myself at this dreadful news." Mr. Anthony Eden also called on the French Ambassador.

ATTITUDE OF CROATS. ANTIPATHY OF LEADERS. A prominent member of the Yugoslav community in Auckland informed a, "Star" representative this morning that the feeling among the Croats towards King Alexander and the Royal family was quite friendly. His Majesty generally walked through the streets of Zagreb unaccompanied. The hostility to the King was mostly amongst certain political leaders, many of whom are in foreign countries, but whose influence is exerted in some circles. Many of these former leaders were now resident in Italy, where camps had been formed to harbour fugitives. Yugoslav criminals and political offenders, alleged to have left their own country and been trained in the Italian concentration camps, are continually being arrested on re-entry into Yugoslavia at the border and in the Croat capital of Zagreb (Agrain). Some 60 of these criminals have been arrested this year and sentenced to terms varying from death and "life" to five years. Latest papers from Yugoslavia indicate that a batch of 22 men was taken only a few weeks ago, two of tliem being sentenced to death.