CABLE BREVITIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1947, Page 8

CABLE BREVITIES

Death Demanded The public prosecutor demanded -the -death -.penalty for the Agrarian leader, Petkbv. He characterised Petkov as “a bearer of civil war flames” and “a war-monger.”—Sofia, August 12.

Radio-Controlled Taxis .The first radio-controlled taxis in Britain are operating in Cambridge. Within a 12-mile radius of the town centre the-cars are in touch with the office. Each taxi’s transmitting and receiving equipment costs £125, and the fixed station, in the office costs about £IGO. It is claimed that 25 per cent, more work can be done with the same number of cars and drivers as was used before the introduction of the service. There is less travelling by empty taxis, and quicker direction to new appointments.—London, August 12. Russia's Outstanding

Since the breakdown of the British-Russian trade talks another instalment of £2,400,000 sterling became, due from the Russians on July 31 under the civil supplies credit agreement of 1941, but only a little more than half that sum has been received. The British Government has declared that it cannot accept what amounts to a unilateral decision on Russia’s part to cut the debt payment. It would be willing to discuss credit on the basis that any agreement would be retroactive. The Government meanwhile is pressing for a reply to its message on the resumption of trade talks.—London, August 12.

Expenditure Of Dollars The Washington correspondent of The Times says: “The British negotiators in the coming loan talk? with the United States will, it is understood, be aslied to explain in detail how the dollars have, been used. It is not felt that Dr Dalton’s recent statement in the House of Commons gives a clear enough picture, of where the money has gone. “This demand will not be made out of lack of sympathy with the British position, but because the American Administration must walk warily if it attempts to reinterpret the loan agreement without consulting Congress.—London, August 12.

Australian Girl Stowaways Three girls who stowed away on an American ship, were kept in custody on arrival in the United States, and absconded in Hawaii from the aircraft which was returning them to Australia, are proud of the fact that they have been “to. America and back for a dime.” An American official told one of them before she left America that the detention of the three girls in the United States and their return to Australia had cost the shipping- company that . owned the ship aboard which they stowed away, 7000 dollars. Charges against one girl of harbouring a suspected person, ’and of being in possession of articles thought to have been stolen, have been dismissed. Vagrancy charges against the 'others were heard in closed Court because they were first offenders,— Sydney, August 15.