BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1926, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

(Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] A NEW PHASE. LONDON, Eeli. 25. All nil ton is focussed oil the aspect of Empire Settlement, which, hitherto lia.s not received much notice. At a dinner of the Knights of the Round Table, when Kir .John Ferguson (the banker and director ot B.A.W. R.A-) said that- of late the great British bankers bad .sought to broaden the base of their operations by activities in foreign fields. ’I bey knew tlieie were limitations to what they could Ho in foreign fields, but be was of the opinion that there was no limit to what they could do in the Lmpiic. Already some of the great British bankers bad formed alliances of affiliation with banks working in the Do-

minion-. If the right direction was given to the activities of these newly formed relationships. Sir John Ferguson said ho had no doubt, that thee would contribute largely to building up Empire trade and drawing closer the bonds of Empire. FRENCH TRADERS' PROTEST. PARIS, Feb. 23. This afternoon saw the repetition of an event that is becoming common, namely, the closing of shopping in the main thorough fare while the tradesmen held a meeting of protest against the so-called fiscal inequalities of the new kill promoted by the Government. THE YEN. TOKIO, Feb. 23. ,M. Hnmnmukhi stated officially that the Government does not intend to lift the gold embargo till the yen reaches par through natural and healthy causes. TCK FOR THE HOUSEHOLD. LONDON, Peh. 23. A remarkable invention was demonstrated to doctors and scientists at the Savoy Hotel. By the turning on of all electric switch a continuous supply of i<e was produced. This should solve the problem of domestic refrigeration as three kilowatt hours of electricity daily and 120 gallons of water, costing three-pence daily is

enough for the household in l sale. Ibis had three shelves at different temperatures suitable for various produce. Kir Arhuthiioi Lane ileserihed the

invention as an important contribution to the public health. Tts basic idea, is the application of the law of the partial pressure ol gases, which was discovered by Dalton. THE SPROSTON CASE. LONDON. Feh. 25. Air Justice Ak-rivale found for the Crown in the Kproslnn ease. He held the wile’s father had not substantiated bis claim that the husband bad died first, on which point doctors expressed diffeitent opinions. MAN WITH TOO FACES. (Received this day at 11.25 a.m.) PARIS. Feb. 25. Known as the man witli 100 names and laces owing to bis skill at disguises and manufacturing identity papers, George Delormel, revealed his secret, before the Magistrate. He said he was I'lvsse Rucl. horn at Valence in 1885. ||,. married in England, hut his wife committed suicide with a revolver in a street in Versailles in 1011. lie was condemned at Algiers in 1012 lor forgery and embezzlement. lie married again in 1015, but had not seen his wife for live years.

While serving in the war Delormcl was suspected of having tried to desert, and imprisoned. He escaped, lor though innocent, be knew be would be sentenced to death. He did not know (be result of the court martial. Since then be bad liv'd under false names and had committed a- many thefts. “I’m not going lo make a lull confession,’’ said Delormcl. ‘’but il you have anv definite (barges f will confess them.” The Magistrate told the prisoner that as the result of tin? court-mar-tial be bad been sentenced to death. Inquiries show ho was llie son of a pastry-cook. He was a. brilliant schoolboy. The police ana convinced that he i.s member of a. famous gang. AUSTRIAN FORGERIES. BUDAPEST. February LI. A report of the Parliamentary Committee which investigated the forgeries lias concluded regarding the political aspect of the affair. Neither Government nor any national assembly member in any way was connected with the crime, which the Government had done its utmost to dear up.

ROMANCE OF A PAINTING. LONDON, February 25. The romance of a painting purchased for £25 from a London dealer under the belief that it was a copy ol Raphael, hut which subsequently turned out to he a genuine old master valued at £25,000 was related by Sir Robert Thomas in a claim against one of Lloyd’s underwriters for the payment of an insurance policy on the picture, which was destroyed by lire at Lady Thomas’s home. Anglesey. Sir R. Thomas gave evidence that lie valued the picture greatly because of its romantic history. When purchasing it he told the dealer to renovate it!' The dealer later communicated with Sir Robert Thomas offering to give him £SOO to release him troiu his bnrgain. Sir Robert Thomas subsequently compensated the dealer to the extent of L" 100. He regarded the picture ns the most valuable of his possessions. AYl u .it ho was absent the picture was a 1 wavs removed to a room where somebody was constantly in attendance. The defence maintained that the picture destroyed was not the one insured; further, when the insurance was effected it. was not revealed that Sir Robert Thomas had bought a copy of Raphael for .£25. It was also maintained the picture was merely a reproduction. The hearing was adjourned. EIFFEL TOWER TRAGEDY

LONDON, February 25. \|. was under orders not to attempt the flight which was against the regulations. A group ot cinema operators filmed the whole incident. There was ample room for the plane to pass through the base, but it requires a careful manoeuvre to avoid the wires anchored to the concrete beds two hundred yards from the tower. AIRMAN’S CRASH. PARIS. February 21. Witnesses to Callot’s crash state the pilot made a contract with a foreign kinematograph firm to fly twice undei Fidel Tower while a parachutist was Hung from the second platform of the tower, after the aeroplane’s second passage. A search is now being made for the kinemntographer and painchutist who disappeared after the accident. QUESTION OF VOTING. LONDON, February 25. Lord Burnham has given notice in the House of I.ords asking whether the Government will create a select committee to inquire into the desirableness of adopting the system of compulsory voting,