BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2311, 14 March 1914, Page 3

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COPYRIGHT. London Times —Sydney Sun Services (Received March 14, 8.0 a.m.) STEFANSSON HEARD FROM. New lork, March'l3.

Stefansson, in a message brought by trapers from Macpherson, states he believes the Carluk, - the expedition's vessel, is on a polar drift, and grave fears are entertained for the vessel's fate. AGAINST OIL TRUST. The United States are taking action against the Standard Oil Company of California and nineteen other companies to regain possession -of California oil lands worth £2,000,000. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. SOME GENERAL ITEMS. London, March 13. In the House of Commons, - tho Government's majority fell to 37 on an amendment desiring more generous" treatment of soldiers' married "off the strength." Col. Seely promised concessions, but ih c Unionists unexpectedly called for a division. A number of Labourites who had supported the ameiidThe Carranza Commission, which ment. voted for tlie Government, was investigating Benton's death in Mexico did not confirm the report. It discovered" that Major Fierro was the act'iial murderer, and he has been arrested. Mr Bryan has written insisting on foreigners' rights being observed. Tlie Catholic paper, Tablet, says thas Ireland has no use for a coerced and conquered Ulster, which would becom e an Irish Alsace. It would be : - impossible to control events at the end of the sexenmum. Nationalists should make a virtue of necessity. The death of Mr George Westinghouse, the inventor of the Westinghouse brake, occurred in New York. Death was due to heart disease.A sensation has been caused at Sheerness by a code book (enabling the possessor to decipher confidential

signals) being abstracted from a safe, and an imiatation volume substituted. The only clue is certain finger-prints. The late Mr Elward : Wright, son of Dr Alm.roth Wright (an opponent of the Suffragettes), has bequeathed to the National Women's Suffirage Societies £500. Prof. William Bottoniley, at the Society of Arts, described a wonderful series of experiments at King's College, producing 'bacterised peat, which becomes perfect manure, absorbing the nitrogeneous wealth of the atmosphere. It gives a new stimulus to exhausted soils. The Imperial Press Conference for 1915 has been fixed for Ottawa. Trie Canadian committee is anxious to secure full representation from Australia and New Zealand. A terrific gale" has been experienced on tlie African coast. Seventeen vessels are *ashor c near Melilla, and war-hips are in great danger. Two hundred persons have been rescued from various snips. It is feared there has been considerable loss of life. A wireless message received at Suva reports that the steamer Ventura is in a hurricane 250 miles distant. The Taviuni advises a heavy blow, with lOin. of rain last night. No damage has yet been reported. Suva is threatened and alarm signals have been hoisted. (Later news says the gale is abating.) - ■ (Received March 14, 8.55 a.m.) .MISSIONARIES SAFE. The C.I.M. has received, a cable from China stating that Mr Agerguist and his family and the lady missionaries are safe.

THE WALLACE COLLECTION. Mr Wibener, of New York, is negotiating with Lady Sackville for the remainder of the Wallace collection. He has offered £800,000. MARCONI ENQUIRY OPENED. The enquiry into Viscount Murray's dealings in Marconi shares has commenced. In reply to counsel's query as to whether they had not better hear Viscount Murray's statement first, Lord Halsbury said it would be quite outrageous for Viscount Murray to make a statement. It was for his accusers to establish their case. The Committee did not give directions about the course counsel should take. The sitting was adjourned.

FRENCH NAVAL MANOEUVRES. Paris, March 13. Naval manoeuvres will be held in the Mediterranean in May on a grand ' scale, 85 battleships and cruisers, 50 destroyers, and 31,000 men being engaged. They, will occupy seventeen days. - '