NEWS AND NOTES

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4458, 17 October 1933, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES

With dramatic suddenness that startled not only Europe but the world, Germany on Sunday announced her withdrawal from the Disarmament Conference and from the League of Nations. This precipitate action raised a tension stated not to have been equalled since August, 1914.

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith arrived at Melbourne on Sunday afternoon, thus ending his record-breaking trip from Lympne, Kent, England. He was met by a great welcoming crowd, including his wife.

Lewanai, known as the Indian frontier's "mad fakir," and who has been prominently associated with recent disturbances, was arrested at Torkham with two nephews. He has evaded capture for over two years.

The discussions between the Lancashire and Japanese cotton trade delegations have not so far resulted in any points of mutual agreement.

The Soviet has ordered all German engineers to leave Russia immediately. They will be replaced by Frenchmen.

German bondholders of colonial loans floated before the war to develop German colonies, have decided to bring an action to recover their money against the mandatory Powers. They expect that the German Government will support their claim.

Sir Alan Cobham is purchasing two more air liners and converting them to refuelling tanks for a four-day, non-stop flight to Australia.

Manchukuo troops are concentrating at Hailar, 110 miles west of Manchuli. Mr. Slavutsky, Soviet Consul-General, has lodged the fifth protest concerning the detention of Soviet railway employees, again demanding their release. The commerce and trade of Harbin are completely at a standstill while the population anxiously awaits a solution of the present impasse.

The war debt negotiations between Britain and America have reached the stage of a discussion of methods for solving the intricate problem.

The Washington correspondent of the New York Times says Mr. Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, indicated that the United States Government places squarely upon Germany the blame for slowing down and impeding the movement toward general disarmament.

Feeling at Geneva and Rome favours the complete adjournment of the Disarmament Conference, but the French Press recommends calmness. Sweden regards Germany's resignation from the League as a move that endangers world peace, because it entails a resumption of the armament race.

Wild scenes at Belfast followed the fatal shooting of a publican, Dan O'Doyle. The infuriated crowd attacked houses, breaking windows in the course of a search for the three assailants. The police quelled the consequent faction fight,' in which several people were injured and sent to hospital.

Germany has not notified actual withdrawal from the League, but the delay is not interpreted as a change of mind.

The late Mr. Andrew Gibson, a Liverpool shipowner, has left an estate valued at £699,913. Included in the bequests is one of approximately £IOO,OOO to his cousin, Mr. John Anderson, of Christchurch-

Mr. J. Bridgen, director of the Bureau of Industry, computes the cost of producing wool in Queensland at approximately 12y 2 d per lb. He adds that even if 15d per lb. were guaranteed, seven of eight years must elapse before growers recoup the losses of the past four seasons.