BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1927, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] AFRICAN POLITICS. CAPETOWN, Jan. 28. Lord Athlone’s speech at the opening of Parliament contains no outstanding feature. Tho results of the Imperial Confernece are referred to as a source of much gratification to his Aliuisters which are believed to be shared by the people of South Africa. He expressed the hope that the recent India conference would lead to A satisfactory, amicable solution of the Indian question. Tne speech refers to tho continued success of the policy widening the sphere of employment for civilized labour. Schemes for rehabilation of rural employed and training of South African youths in industry. Beyond the Flag ‘and Sedition Bills introduced in the last session, no legislation of a contentious nature was. foreshadowed. The Sedition Bill is bitterly opposed by the Labourites and will probably appear low on the order paper, and not he reached while legislation affecting Indians has been dropped in view of tiie recent conference with the Government of India dele-

cration. It is understood Air llertzog s. four bills dulling with the most vital native problem, which is certain to lead to very lengthy debates will be referred to a select committee. WORST AIR IN THE WORLD. PARIS. January .23, The city with the worst air in the world is Prague, says a commission appointed by tbe International Forestry Commission. The air there is in;pi<?gliated with oxide ot sulphur.

FARMERS’ BANKS. LONDON, January 28. One of the most interesting recommendations of the Irish free State Currency Commission is to follow the example of the Australian Agricultural hanks, by establishing agricultural credits. guaranteed by the Government. This recommendation is due to the initiative of Air Champion, the former’s Alanagers of the Commonwealth Bank, who is a member of the Royal Commission. The Free State is giving immediate legislative elloct to the recommendations.

‘‘AYHISPERING GA LT ,ERV.” LONDON. Jan. 29. The Chairman, in summing up in the Hesketh Pearson case, said: “The AYhispering Gallery was like a great many reminiscences published to-day, some of which were chiefly distinguished by vulgarity, hut the jury had not to decide that, nor whether the lour thousand purchasers of this book had been defrauded. The real questions were whether l’earson falsely represented the manuscript- as Rennell 'Rudd’s diary, and whether Lane’s firm relied upon this in undertaking publication. The defence admitted that Pearsou was a romancer, who lied continually, but was not necessarily a defrauder. contending that lie simply believed that he produced something appealing to the modern taste, which would bring profit to himself, and greater nrofit to lame’s firm.

The jury found that Pearson made false representation without intent to defraud. NINE' MURDERS BY SMUGGLERS. LONDON. Jan. 29. A remarkable parallel to the famous case of the ship “Marie Celeste” (which was found afloat in perfect order after the whole of her crew had abandoned her) is disclosed liv a story from Berlin. The Norwegian steamer “Istienuan.” engaged in walrus fishing, was found abandoned in 1924 off the Norwegian coast. No one was aboard, but (like the Marie Celeste) the table was set with food and the lamps were lit. 1 he mystery was never cleared up. and it was thought that the crew of nine had abandoned the ship for some unknown reason and were drowned. Now there has died in a hospital at Hamburg a German sailor, who confessed that he hoarded the “Istionnan” in company with liquor smugglers, and a fight ensued, in which the crew were all killed, and their bodies thrown overboard. The murderers then prepared the table and lit the lamps as a blind.

NEW BRITISH GUNS. LONDON. Jan. 29.

The “Daily News” says: “The new sixteen inch guns, of which the warships Rodney and Nelson are mounting nine each, are believed to outclass the world’s naval ordnance in range, accuracy. and destructive power. A shell weighing 2.130 pounds loaves the muzzle with a velocity of thirty miles a minute. It would pass clean through a block of wrought iron five feet thick. Excluding its mounting. the gun weighs 108 tons. The Imre is 60ft long, over which are wound over one hundred miles of steel wire. It takes a charge of 380 pounds of cordite, and despite the heavy weights, it can he loaded and fired in thirty seconds. Thus the Rodney can discharge approximately eighteen tons of shells a minute. The Bange is 25 miles,