A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 22, 21 October 1937, Page 9

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Haile Selassie It is reported that the small fund that Haile Selassie took, with him to England after his forced flight from Abyssinia is exhausted. While Haile Selassie was in Abyssinia, and before the attack on the country by Italy, he had several sources of income. One of these was by selling “concessions,” these being authorities to deal in certain things that in most countries were obtainable under licence. He was also interested in national commercial undertakings. He owned the one private banking firm in the country as well as the national bank. He also had an interest in what might be termed “oriental chain stores.”

Although, by means of his business acumen, Haile Selassie made for himself a. large fortune, when the Italians launched their campaign he personally paid for practically the whole of the imported arms and munitions of war, as well as paying the soldiers. After bis flight his sources of income ceased. 3 Johannesburg “Star”

A milestone in journalism on the Rand has been reached with the publication of the golden jubilee number of the Johannesburg “Star.” Johannesburg, almost from the outset, has been well served with newspapers ; indeed, at one time there were seven. The first was a Dutch’journal, of which even the name is now forgotten. It was followed by “The Diggers’ News and Witwatersrand Advertiser,” the first number of which was published on February 24, 1887. The next day “The Transvaal Mining Argus,” which later became Johannesburg’s first daily, was published, followed a fortnight later by “The Standard and Transvaal Mining Chronicle.” Both the “Diggers’ News” and the “Standard,” became daily papers, and in 1890 were amalgamated. “The Star,” Johannesburg’s important evening paper, was transferred in 1889 from Grahamstown, under its former name “The Eastern Star,” and was. sold by George Sheffield to the Argus Company. Its first editor was F. J. Dormer, who left the “Cape Argus” to assume the position. “The Star” and “The Standard and Diggers’ News” were politically opposed, the former supporting the Uitlanders and the latter President Kruger. Because of its attitude toward the Republican Government “The Star” was suppressed in 1897 for three months, and during this period appeared* as “The Comet” * The “Rand Dally Mail,” Johannesburg’s notable morning paper, was founded in 1902' with Edgar Wallace as editor. In 1915 it incorporated “The Transvaal Leader.” Johannesburg has also a “Sunday Times,” first published on February 4, 1906.

Habitual Criminals For the third time in his criminal career, which dates back to 1904, a man aged 49, was declared in Sydney an habitual criminal He was twice previously declared an habitual criminal in New Zealand. For the purpose of declaring a man an habitual criminal crimes are divided into three groups: (1) Sexual offences and abortion; (2) wounding, robbery, false pretences, burglary and house-breaking, extortion, forgery, and mischief ; (3) certain offences under the Justices of the Peace Act, namely, vagrancy, armed and wearing disguises by night, rogues and vagabonds, incorrigible rogues. A judge may declare an accused an habitual criminal if (a) he is convicted on indictment of an offence included in Group 1, having already been twice convicted of any such offence (whether the same description or not); (b) on his conviction on indictment of any offence included in Group 2, having been already four times convicted of any offence in Groups 1 and 2, whether the same description or not It matters not whether the conviction take place within or without New Zealand. Kilimanjaro

Fraulein Albinus has created a. record by climbing the south-west side of

Mount Kilimanjaro alone. Kilimanjaro is an isolated mountain mass in Tanganyika Territory, formerly German East Africa. It stands between Victoria Nyanza and the coast, aud consists of two peaks, or rather craters, Kibo and Kimawenzi, connected by a broad saddle (14,000 feet), studded with lava hills.

Kibo was climbed by Dr. Meyer iu 1889. Its highest point is 19,680 feet above sea-level; its crater is 650 deep and 6500 feet in diameter. He also climbed Kimawenzi, and found it to exceed 17,250 feet The crater rim of both peaks is covered with a thick crust of ice. The mountain is clad with a forest belt from five miles to seven miles wide, 6000 to 10,000 feet in height The surrounding country is exceedingly fertile, and highly cultivated.’ Kilimanjaro was first seen by the missionaries Rebmann and Krapf to 1847. The district was explored by Sir Harry Johnston in 1884 and by Dr. Meyer in 1889. It was prominent in the British campaign against the Germans in 1916. “Daily Telegraph”

Lord Camrose was awarded £12,500 damages and the “Dally Telegraph” £7500 from Sir Oswald Mosley’s Fascist newspaper “Action” on the ground that the paper suggested that Lord Camrose was unscrupulous, unpatriotic, and a Jewish financier, and that he was running the “Daily Telggraph” in the interests of Jewish finance. The “Daily Telegraph” was the first penny newspaper published in London. Founded in June, 1855, by Colonel Sleigh, it was bought soon after by Joseph Moses Levy, the printer. Levy appealed to his brother, Lionel Levy, who had changed his name to Lionel Levy-Lawson, for financial assistance. Levy-Lawson received half the profits but took no part in running the paper, Moses Levy being the editor. Throughout the ’sixties and ’seventies the paper strongly supported William Gladstone, but transferred its support to Lord Beaconsfield from 1878. The son of Levy-Lawson became Ijord Burnham.

In 1027 Lord Burnham sold the “Daily Telegraph” to Sir William Berry (who, in 1927, was created Baron Camrose of Long Cross), Sir Gomer Berry, Bt., and Sir Edward Iliffe, the present proprietors.

The “Daily Telegraph” has always specialised in foreign news, and has many famous correspondents in all parts of the world. It also specialises in the issue of special supplements, many of which are of permanent value.

Lord Camrose was born in 1879 and was educated privately. He has been associated with journalism practically all his life, founding “Advertising World” in 1901. and owning and running several other publications. He is one of the largest newspaper owners in England to-day.