FLASHES FROM OVERSEAS

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1936, Page 5

FLASHES FROM OVERSEAS

“UNDER THE THUMB OF FRANCE.”— Sir lan Hamilton, speaking at the Gordon Highlanders’ dinner, described the itlea that France and Belgium were in any military danger as fantastic, yet the French and British General Staffs were to confer. “That is how it happens that we fought from 1914 to .1918—entirely under the thumb of France,” he added.

♦ * * * 1>: LIKE A TIDAL WAVE.— A cyclone caused ,heavy damage to seaside suburbs at Brisbane and held up shipping and plane services during the weekend. Rain, a sprihg tide and cyclonic winds combined like a tidal wave and swept the seaside suburbs, leaving a: trail of wrecked buildings at Crabb Island, and minor damage at Nudgee, and Sandgate. Serious delays have been caused to shipping.

BUILDING IN SYDNEY.—Figures released by the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board, Sydney, revealed that since 1915 165,000 buildings have been completed in Sydney and suburbs at a cost of £175,000,000. A number of new suburbs have been opened up.

STUDY OF KING GEORGE.—Mr. Ernest Henry Short, honorary librarian of the Authors’ Club, London, has written an intimate study entitled, “King George, the well beloved,” which is being favourably reviewed. Queen Mary has .graciously accepted) a copy. Her private secretary has written: “Her Majesty is much pleased) to receive the volume.”

GIRL BORN IN 'PLANE. — A girl baby was born in an ambulance aeroplane, which was conveying the mother from Overtornia, on the frontier between Sweden and Finland, to a hospital at Boden. A legal decision will be necessary to decide the infant’s birthplace.

DANUBE VALLEY CONFERENCE. —The conference between representatives of Italy, Austria, and Hungary, the object of which is to reaffirm Italy’s hegemony in the Danube Valley, was opened today. The delegates are headed by Signor Mussolini, Dr Schuschnigg, and Dr Gomboes.

BRITISH FLEET SABOTAGE.— Following official admission of six cases of damage or attempted sabotage to warships undergoing refit, it is learned that another suspected case occurred on the destroyer Griffin, which arrived at Devonport on March 7 after her trials., No details are available, but the “Sunday Express” says that during the trial three brass bolts were discovered in the machinery, fortunately before they had caused serious damage.