NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1923, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

h A well-informed correspondent who e has recently arrived in London from . Athens, says, in the ‘‘Daily Ala il’’ : ~ “I can only describe the statu of e Greece as eliaotic. Colonel l’lasiyras is v the act ua 1 dictator, and lie issue* his proclamations quite independently ot the so-called Government. Brigandi age in the outskirts of Athens is ramI pant, and so are burglaries. It is , pure lawlessness owing to the lack ol organisation to put a stop to it. J’reliteering has gone up hy leaps and bounds. Aleut and other articles ot iood, and fish even, have more than doubled in price since the revolution. | Added to this we have serious epidemics lot small-pox. cholera and typhus. The school* have been dosed. Eberybotly is flocking to get iunoculated. 'The .Government ha* no money for anything exeept the army. It is absurd to say that the revolution was a popular movement; it was nothing of the kind. And, most unpopular of all "as the shooting of the ex-M'misters, but no one dare say a. word. The country is sincerely desirous of peace but the army, ofiieeis in which get enormously increased pay. wants war." An astonishing story of callous cruelty was brought under the notice ol the general committee of the Dunedin City Council. Tile allegation was made against an expressman who w as present that he had driven a feeble, old man along the AA'akari road at night, and demanded more money from him. AY hen he did not get it he set down the old niiui and his box far from home or friends, with the result that he wandered about without shelter all night. 'Tile cruelty of such conduct - lie* in the fact that the man so treated is ’93 years of age. The ease was taken * up by a friend of the victim, who told this story to the committee, and further alleged that a roll of 15 notes belonging to the old man had gone mi.**- ] ing. The committee at once handed the matter over for investigation hy the police.

The humours of prohibition are illustrated by the widespread sympathy extended to one of the best known ami j richest of American newspaper proprie- ! tors, who recently arranged for the pnrI chase of 200 gallons of tile finest Bourbon whisky, wrote a New York eertes- ! pondent recently. To facilitate getting liis cargo homo lie bought a brand new petrol lorry bearing the on.blem ai the Standard Oil Company. Into ties | was (inured the precious il'ii'! which in its brightly painted tana, alter a long journey arrived at the cotuir. - ' t*irate of the purchasers slio ,- tiy FelO’e midnight, (living to the la-o hour InI instructed the driver to bncK lhe lorry into liis garage, which lie locked, with i the intention of having the wh:*ky put 1 in casks and (dated iu hi- eelki" H-C 1 following day. Unfortunately ' newspaper owner failed to take account of the zeal of a young mechanic he | had recent ly engaged. At 7 a.in. the : mechanic entered the garage, and .-ec-

ing the Standard Oil lorry, lie pip* i tlie whole of iis content*, to lb." value of 126(50, into hi.* employer's i large underground petrol tank where ir rendered vehicle--, -ati gallons of expensive petrol. I lie mechanic is no" ruminating over the injustice ol his ili*mi*saL 191 s- Bought 1 'ii piano. 1922"'! Jni i re'*i.-. of renl. To a working ' couple who were sued lor arrears “I lent at Wmkiuglou County (curl, and who were said m have nought an L'39 j (daiio in .1918, Judge Tayior said: ‘•Do vial remember what was happen- | ing them? Tin* i* the harvest ol ■airbed expendii lire, incurred when the : of mir boy* were dying mi lbe bat--1 Ilelield. Al o*l wicked mo*', tenableI inn I ilivgra: ei 111. | Landowner* who have shown marked | attachment lo lhe soil of France have j fie n awarded medals, aeennimg La Ihe “journal Allien L" Amnng the iccipi- | e:u* are limners whose ancestors have I tilled the same land lor more than | 70U war*. For instance. Adolphe j (Oiai* am! hi* ancestor* lave held I the -ame laud* sinee the year 1218. j'iliis recipient ol the new Frenh i medal i* aged 79. and is still working, j lie had live son* killed in the war and lias two living.