BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australian «fc N.Z. Cable Association.] ECHO OF CROYDON DISASTER. LONDON, Feb. 25. An echo of the terrible areoplaue disaster at Croydon on Christmas Eve, 1921, was heard in the Probate Court when the Crown applied for letters of administration in the estate of Archibald Sprostou and a declaration that he left no widow. Sprostou and his wife and the former’s uncle were killed in the crash. If the wife had survived the husband she would have, been entitled to the estate and if Sprostou had survived the uncle he would have inherited five thousand more. A model of tho plane was exhibited in 11 io Court, also photographs of tho actual wreckage. Tho evidence submitted showed that the bodies were all in a heap. Mrs Sprostou was underneath with a deep hono wound in the forehead resulting in the laceration of the lobe of tho brain sufficient to cause instantaneous death. Sprostou received a fractured pelvis which was not necessarily the ■ cause of immediate death. A doctor who was on the scene Ik?- % fore the flames were subdued gave evidence that the woman’s body was the ouiv one likely to have life, hut he found no heartbeats. He could not say who had died first. Another Doctor who had conducted the post mortem examination repeated the opinion that lie had expressed at the inquest that tho wife predeceased her husband. The hearing was adjourned. TONS OF GOLD. JSOVIET EXPLOITING DIGGERS. LONDON, Feb. 25. The “Daily News” states twelve thousand semi-starved gold seekers arc feverishly working near Klondykc oil the banks of the River Aldan, one ot the remotest and wildest regions in North-Eastern Siberia, three hundred miles from a railway. The Soviet estimates that there is a ton of gold to every fifteen square miles in the total area of six thousand square miles. The Soviet lias removed all the Japanese and Koreans and lias decreed tho fields must lie worked exclusively by Russians who are forced to sell the dust and nuggets to the Soviet tor 70s per ounce. Aeroplanes are conveying limited supplies of foodstuffs to the field. FR VXCO-TURKISH AGREEMKNT. LONDON, Feb. 25. The Paris correspondent of tho “Times” states a Franco-Turkisli agreemciit is expected by the Quai R’Orsay on Wednesday. Tho agreement provides for a reciprocal undertaking of neutrality in the event of conflict with a third party; the Baghdad railway remains Turkish territory, hut is under Franco-Turkisli policing fifty kilometres on either side. M. Do Jouvenal’s (French Syria Commissioner's) policy is to establish good neighbourly relations with the British and the’Turks, especially aiming to restrict the Syrian internal disorders that are being aggravated by frontier disorders. MEAT CONTRACTS. LONDON, Feb. 25. It is announced that the Australian Meat Export Company has secured the whole of the AVer Office meat eontracts. LONDON, Feb. 25. Tt is officially stated that the meat contracts wore awarded to Swifts Australian Meat Export Company. It is understood the amount is roughly thirty thousand sterling. This is the first time Australia has been awarded the whole contract which amounts to a million and a half of twelve ounce tins, compared with three hundred thousand tins which Australia secured in 1925. THE RIFF AVAR. LONDON, Feb. 25. Spaniards are despatching a force to capture Riff guns which have been bombarding Tetuaiie. ’I he bombardment- is now becoming intensified.

TRAGIC END TO BET. PARIS, Feb. 25. A bet made by the airman Lemen Kallot, with nil American that he would t fly beneath Eiffel Tower had a ending. The airman, who is a pupil at the army aerodrome accomplished the actual feat, but when attempting to rise his machine became entangled in the aerial of the wireless station and dropped like a stone over Champ De Mars, crashing through a tree to the lawn below. Flames broke out and. the pilot was burned to death in his seat, still gripping the levers. A large crowd including the airmail s brother, witnessed tb.e tragedy.