CABLEGRAMS AND WIRELESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1933, Page 8

CABLEGRAMS AND WIRELESS

MURDERER CONVICTED.

[BY CABLE —PEESS ASBN. COPYEIGHT.]

PARIS, March 8

Pierre Delafait has been seentenced to death for murdering his family of six. There is intense public feeling against the accused. Troops were stationed outside the law courts to prevent an excited crowd from lynching the self-confessed murderer.

SLUM CLEARANCE

RUGBY, March 7

The Government’s Housing Bill received its third reading in the House of Commons.

Sir Hilton Young gave details of a plan for slum clearance. He proposes to call on the Council authorities to prepare surveys of slums in their areas and also programmes which will distinguish between reconditioning and clearance, and will impose some limit for their completion. Sir H. Young said it was the intention of the Government to see the work through.

FRUIT MARKETING • i’ LONDON, March 8. Senator Grant (Tasmania) after investigating the prospects of the coming fruit season is apprehensive of the New Zealand decision to place all fruit in the hands of one firm, and also of the general tendency to sell fruit at auction instead of by private treaty. This has a bad effect on prices. The possibility of eliminating the spirit of competition between the various firms previously handling Australian and New Zealand fruit might adversely affect the growers. PROHIBITION DEAD. WASHINGTON, March 8. The United States Prohibition Bureau has issued orders to its agents not to molest speak-easies in future. LATER. Henceforth the United States Government will concentrate almost entirely on liquor manufacturers and transporters, to enforce Prohibition, leaving speak-easy prosecutions to the States. As announced by Amos Woodcock, enforcement director, the new plan puts into immediate effect the restrictions laid down by Congress to apply after July 1. This means no more ’wire tapping, or purchase of liquor as evidence for consumption by agents. Mr Woodcock placed the decision on tho grounds of economy, necessitated by the huge cuts in the enforcement funds, made by last Congress.

PRESS CABLE RATES

LONDON, March 8

Major Astor, in his Presidential address at the annual meeting of the Empire Press Union, regretted that Press telegraph rates between Britain and the Empire had not been cheapened. “I am not satisfied that this is inevitable. A few years ago, the cables were congested but. the new Empire’s telegraphic channels are not filled. Surely it is reasonable to ask whether the surplus capacity could not. bo used for Press traffic, which would be expanded by lower charges.'’ he said.

AIR FORCE ESTIMATES

LONDON. March 8

The Air Force estimates total £17.426,000, which, allowing for trnnsl'er from other estimates of .£:;6O,oiiO, mean;; u reduction of .£3 10,mm compared with last year.

The gross total of Civil Aviation is .£1063,000 of which Imperial Airways subsidy of ,C 1165,000 is for the extension of the route, India to Australia. Lord Londonderry's memorandum hopes in the absence of unforeseen delays, that regular communication with Australia, will be established in the late summer or early autumn.