BRIEF ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 15, 12 October 1927, Page 12

BRIEF ITEMS

FROM FAR AND NEAR Punitive Expedition.—The Australian cruiser Adelaide has sailed from Sydney to Malta on a punitive expedition. The Veronica is not sailing.—Press Assn. Death Duties on Lord Iveagh’s Estate. —The death duties on the late Lord Iveagh’s estate, estimated at something in the neighbourhood of £20,000,000, may amount to £8,000,000, states a Press Association message from London. Alleged Theft of Harbour Board’s Funds. —Detectives at Dunedin last night arrested a man on a charge of stealing £129 from the Bluff Harbour Board. He will appear at the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when it is likely that a remand to Invercargill will be asked for.—Press Assn. Population of Commonwealth.—Accprding to tho figures of tlie Commonwealth Statistician, the population of the Commonwealth on June 30 last was 6,167,429, an increase during the year of 123,505, of which the excess of births over deaths accounted for 75,412. New. South Wales heads the list of States with a population of 2,370,623. —Press Assn. Body Found Hanging—Albert Edward Tappenden, a farm hand at Mr. R. Harding’s Raukawa Station, Hawke’s Bay, single, 50 years of age, was found dead hanging from a rafter in the engine room on Monday afternoon. The deceased, who had been employed at the station for the last fifteen years, had never displayed suicidal tendencies. The sum of £52 and a Post Office Savings Bank book were found on the body.— , Press Assn.

Water Pressure Still High.—Not long ago ten days’ dry weather would have made some difference to the pressure of the Wellington water supply. Since the establishment of the new pipe line, however, that is altered. The water supply is being drawn from the Morton .dam instead of from Wainui. Pressure yesterday stood at 1121 b., the same as: it -was a week ago, and the dam was still overflowing.

Communist Printing Office Raided.— The Paris correspondent of the London "Times” says the Lille police raided a Communist printing office and arrested the manager, Fourcade, and seized Communist papers and pamphlets ready tor dispatch to forty-three centres whence they were to have been distributed to youths about .to be called up for military service. Fourcade, who lives in Paris, is charged with inciting soldiers to disobedience. —The "Times.”

Westland County Council’s Plight.— A meeting of the Westland County Council yesterday discussed at considerable length questions of loss of revenue arising from the operations of btato forests, which - it was shown amounted to over £47,000. The council resolved to authorise the chairman to present a legal claim against the Crown for the recovery of sums accruing from time to time from reservations—Press Assn.

“School Classes Too Large.”—That large school classes were the principal cause of retardation was the opinion expressed by Mr. W. A. Swinbourn, headmaster of College Street School, Palmerston North, in an address to committeemen last night. He urged that a national protest should be made to the authorities, and the committee decided to do all in its power to get the size of classes reduced to 35 as a maximum. Press Assn.

The Rising in Java— According to advices from Batavia, sixteen natives were hanged for murders committed during the Communist rising in Java last year, and twenty others are to bo hanged in Sumatra. The Governor-General of. the Dutch East Indies reprieved a number of natives previously condemned, but tlie popular outcry against this action prevented further reprieves. Ihe executions had a marked effect on the political situation, which is now quiet.— Press Assn.

“Tin Hare” Racing in Sydney.—One of tho first promoters of electric here racing in Australia, Mr. L. Hinks, was a passenger to Auckland from Sydney by the Manama yesterday. Mr. Hinks sold his shares in a company recently, making a considerable profit, and stated that tho value of the shares was still soaring the sport proving increasingly popular. At some meetings as many as 300 bookmakers were present, and the attendance of the public often exceeded 50,000.— Special Service.

Discouraging Bicycle Thieves. —"Hundreds of bicycles are stolen every year in Christchurch, and I am going to do my little bit towards putting it down when men come before me on this chaw. There is only one thins for it, and that is gaol.” Thus Mr. E. D. Mosley. S.M., at Christchurch yesterday, when sentencing Ivan Murdoch to one month’s imprisonment with, hard labour on a chars’© of stealing a bicycle valued at £5.— Special Service.

Fracas at 'Chatham Islands—News reached Christchurch yesterday of'a fracas which occurred recently at the Chatham Islands. The men involved are Natives, and the fracas took place at Big Bush, a Native settlement. It is reported that after an argument one Native attacked the other with an axe. When the police constable arrived he found one man securely tied up, and,»be other was suffering from two wounds in tho thigh—Special Service.

British Troops Returning from China. —lt is officially stated by the War Office (hat men of section A of the Army Reserve, who were called up last January for service in China, will return Home between the middle of October and the end of November; These men number some 1650. According to a message from Shanghai, the Karmaia, which leaves then for England on Friday will bring Home reservists of the Middlesex and Border Regiments the Green Howards and the Cameron Highlanders—British Official Wireless.

Dispute Over Chinese Flags.—Differences of opinion among Chinese residents in Wellington as to whether the flag of the Republic or of the revolution should bo flown at their annual sports meeting last Monday, to commemorate the founding of the Chinese Republic, were reflected in the failure to carry out the sports programme. About fifty supporters of the present revolutionaries celebrated on the Hutt Park. Tho proceedings at Athletic Park took the form of a friendly game of Soccer. It is stated that the onlv Chinese flag recognised by the British Government is that of the Republic of China.

Australian-New Zealand Trade Relations.—"l found a genuine desire on the part of rnanv Australian business men to extend trade relations with New Zealand," stated Mr. F. Goldberg, managing director of the Goldberg Advertising Agency. Ltd., who returned from a business visit to Australia bv the Manure which arrived at Auckland yesterday. Mr. Goldberg said there were several marVeHnir schemes afoot in the Conmionweaßh which would benefit both countries. Tho fact that the Labour Party was now in a minority, and the endowment scheme, which was detrimental to business houses, wined out, made the outlook considerably brighter. New Zealand could look forward to increased trade, especially from Australian manufacturing concerns.-—. Special Service... .