A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 255, 25 July 1935, Page 7

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

New South Wales

The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of New South Wales is to be celebrated in 1938. The name “New South Wales” was given to the eastern part of Australia on its discovery by Captain Cook in 1770, but the first organised settlement did not come until 1788. at Port Jackson, under Captain Phillip. The capital was named after Viscount Sydney, who was Secretary of State for Colonies when the settlement was formed. New South Wales was then held to include the whole eastern portion of the continent. The first newspaper was established in 1803. Merino sheep were introduced in 1797, but progress for a time was slow because a passage over the Blue Mountains, giving access to the interior plains, was not discovered until 1813. The population in 1800 was 5217; in 1828, 36,598. It increased rapidly with the discovery of gold in 1851, and to-day it is about 3,000,000. Responsible government was established in 1856, and on January 1,1901, the Colony of New South Wales was united with the Colonies of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania into a close political federation known as the Commonwealth of Australia. New South Wales is three times as large as New Zealand. In State matters it is governed by a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council. Meat Feast in Abyssinia.

The Emperor of Abyssinia presided over a meat feast for 5000 warriors. The chief diet in Abyssinia is raw meat. When an Emperor or Empress gives a banquet, all the warriors sit on the ground in the courtyard, while slaves carry round bleeding earcases. Each guest in turn draws his sword, makes a ceremonial bow to tl e Court, bites into the flesh, and cuts off a piece in dangerous proximity to his nose. The amount of raw meat consumed on a high occasion is almost incredible. Its general use as a diet produces ser-jous diseases. The drink is more attractive, a fermented honey which tastes like very weak white wine, but goes to the head very quickly. There is likewise beer. Terre Haute.

Terre Haute, where martial law has been declared because of a sudden strike, is a city of Indiana, United States. It stands on the Wabash River, 72 miles south-west of Indianapolis, and is served by the Cleveland. Cincinnati, Chicago and St Louis railways. It is the centre of an agricultural and coal-mining region, and has foundries and manufactures iron goods, cars, clothing and glass. Terre Haute dates from 1816, and became a city in 1833. The population is 63,000. The Wabash River in its lower course forms the boundary of Indiana and Illinois, and links up with the Ohio River. The Wabash and Erie Canal connects the IVabash River with Lake Erie. Ending the Chaco War.

The British Government has congratulated the Chilian Government on the important part it took in ending the war between Bolivia and Paraguay over the Gran Chaco. The first clash of arms was reported on July 7, 1932. Argentina advocated intervention by the League of Nations on November 19. 1932. The League Council considered the dispute on March 7, 1933. Paraguay formally declared war against Bolivia (the first declaration of war since July, 1914) on May 10, 1933. Paraguay having refused to accept arbitration as a means of settlement, the League of Nations Chaco Committee decided unanimously on January 16. 1935, that the international embargo on arms should be raised for Bolivia and enforced against Paraguay, and that on February 24 Bolivia would have the legal right to wage war on Paraguay. Paraguay resigned from the League on February 23. On May 16 Bolivia agreed to discuss peace terms: Paraguay had already agreed to a discussion. Peace was signed on June 12. both countries agreeing to submit the matter to arbitration. Neutrality.

It is stated that Japan will observe neutrality in the event of an ItaloAbyssinian war. Neutrality is a term used in international law to denote the condition of a State when there is a war, and that State is not at war with either belligerent. It dates from the Fifteenth Century. The duty of a neutral, put generally, is to abstain from taking any real part in the war, on either side; but there is nothing to prevent a neutral from doing something which will, even inevitably must, strengthen one of the belligerents. Thus, a neutral must not, when a place is besieged, ‘introduce supplies into that place, because that would be interfering with a military operation; but he may carry on general commerce with either or both the belligerent States, even to the extent of supplying them with munitions of war, as the United States supplied the Allies throughout the Great War. On the other hand, by long usage, a belligerent has the right to seize, on the high seas, any contraband of war aboard a neutral ship but bound for an enemy destination, and to stop and search neutral ships for that purpose. A neutral ship which evades or resists such visits and search may be treated as an enemy. A neutral ship which tries to break a blockade is liable to capture. A neutral State must not allow belligerent ships of war to use its harbours except under stress of weather, and then not to replenish their armed stores. Bristol Channel.

An aeroplane fell into the Bristol Channel, and another into the Firth of Forth, both with fatal results. The Bristol Channel is the largest inlet of the United Kingdom. An arm of the Atlantic Ocean, jt separates South Wales from the English counties of Devonshire and Somersetshire. It extends from the estuary of the Severn to St. George’s Channel, a distance of about 85 miles, and has a breadth varying from five miles to 43 miles, and an extreme depth of 40 fathoms. The rapidity of its tides, which rise 35 feet at Bristol, produces bores and rollers caused by their meeting with the outcoming tides of the Severn. Firth of Forth.

The Firth of Forth is the name given to the estuary of the river Forth on the north-east coast of Scotland. It is about 51 miles long and varies in width from one to 17 miles. It is spanned at Queensferry liy the Forth Bridge. The Firth has a great strategic importance, and during the Great War was a base (at Rosyth) of the Grand Fleet.; many defences, forts, protective booms, were constructed. In the Firth of Forth, off Inchkeith. the Germap fleet surrendered in November, 1918. that being the appointed place of surrender to which the fleet steamed from Kiel.