OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19857, 30 January 1928, Page 9

OBITUARY.

SENOR BLASCO IBANEZ. (Received January 30, 12.30 a.m.) A, and K.Z. LOIfDON, Jan. 20. The death has occurred at Nice of the Spanish novelist, Senor Blasco Ibanez, from bronchitis and pneumonia, aged 61. Vicente Blasco Ibanez, who owed his fame to his novels, won notoriety of an- v other kind in later life through his attacks on King Alfonso. Bor.i in Valencia in 1867, he came of a well-known family. He studied law and while a student joined th' 3 Republican movement in Spain. His work for the Socialist Party led to hi 3 being imprisoned on various occasions. Later he founded the Republican paper, El Pueblo (The People), ;\nd was several v times elected to the Chamber. As an author he was very prolific and has been described as a sort of Spanish Balzac. His works were translated into a number of languages, and filmed, notably "Blood and Sand" and "The Four Horsemen of the -Apocalypse," a war book directed against Germany, which earned him warm recognition during his travels in Europe and America. . His storifsa brought him great wealth, and, as he had made Spain impossible as a place of residence, he bought a fine villa at Mentone, the garden of which was adorned with Moorish fountains and look-out towers. It had a small film theatre where he showed his friends the pictures made from his novels, including "Enemies of Women," one of the best stories ever written about Monte Carlo. Another of his books is "The Pope of the Sea," which deals with the lust Pope of Avignon. Early in 1927, after protracted travels with his wife, » charming Chilean lady, he completed 1 * A lour of the World," which was at the same time as his novei on the on * quisfcadores. He then presented his Mentone villa to the -French nation-. The campaign by pamphlet which he conducted against King Alfonso and General Primo de Rivera came to a head in 1024 when he published his book "Alfonso XIII. Unmasked." He declared that he would not rest until he had led the Republican movement, to victory in Spain. His onslaughts resulted in several Spaniards challenging him to a duel, but his reply was that he would fight only with the King or the head of the Military Directory. . The book, which was confiscated m Spain, asserts that, whatever party is in power, the King pulls the strings, as faithless to Conservatives as to Liberals, if necessary, and thaS he gives orders to his ambassadors and generals which override those of his Ministers. The disastrous! war in Morocco is laid at his door and he is said to regard Spain as merely a "box of tin soldiers." During his visit to the Pope in 1924 he is stated to have assured tlu Holy Father that the struggle in Morocco was destined to impose Christianity upon the Moslems there. > ; SIR FREDERIC WISE. A. and N.Z.-Sun. LONDON. Jan. 27. The deat'n has occurred of Sir Frederic Wise, Conservative member of the House of Commons for Hford, aged 57. Sir Frederic Wise, who started life ;n a bank, afterwards founded the stockbrcking firm of Wise, Speke and Company, of Newcastle-on-Tyne. He travelled .extensively all over the world in the interests of his business, and during the war he gave his services voluntarily in many capacities. He was sent to Franco to address the troops on the food question, and in March, 1919, he w<|S despatched to Berlin by the Peace Conference to report on the posi tion of Germany He was financial ad viser to Lord Byng s Committee oi United Service Fund, of the Daily Express. He lea\es a son "Si ctefw Sir Frederic Wise gU necessitate a by-elcct!on f" r ■ voting at the last election was as joi lows Sir Frederic Wise (Conservative) 22.825 Mr. D. Chater (Labour) . • » * ''/ Kit Gspfc. J. W- Morns;* (Liberal), . * * . . ...,J