WIDE WORLD NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14702, 1 June 1920, Page 5

WIDE WORLD NEWS.

Suddoh panic seized upon a big throng assembled at an open-air fete at Messina, Sicily, lately. So far the origin of the scare is not clear; but the confusion was intensified by the failure of the electric light supply., In a mad rush down the hills towards the city in the dark 11 people leaped over a precipice and were dashed to death.

Princess Marie Beatrice Massimo of Bourbon lias been taken into custody at Modane for attempting to smuggle art objects out of Italy. Her Highness was travelling from Rome to Paris on the train-de-luxe, when suspicions were aroused at the frontier station, which Italian Customs officers to search her berth towards midnight in the wagon-lit. There, stealthily hidden beneath a mattress, they brought to light a valise containing two precious paintings and 45 mediaeval miniatures valued at over £20,000. These works of art have been sealed and sequestrated; and the Princess' personal fate depends on the decision of the Rome Ministries of Fine Arts and Finance.

The physical condition of the German people, especially the children, goes from bad to worse. Still 25 per cent, of Berlin's children, between one year and 14 years, are badly underfed. In the city's schools. .100,000 children are, according to the latest statistics complied by neutral authorities, so underfed as to be unfit to receive instruction. Of 485,000 Berlin children 29,000 are suffering from tuberculosis, and, according to the same neutral authorities, 77,0u0 are suffering from various illnesses brought on by long underfeeding ; while 120,000 are described as "badly underfed." In the January figures for 43 big towns of Germany, there were stated to be o-ver 200,000 children suffering from tuberculosis, and nearly 850,000 ill and badly underfed. All the great towns report a big increase in the death rate.

; A sensational statement by the. Bavarian Premier, Dr von Kahn, is re>ported by the Tageblatt's Munich oorlespondent. It was made, the correspondent says, in a speech to the leaders of the Munich Civic Guard before Dr von Khan went to Stuttgart to attend the Conference of the South German States. "Bavaria must," the Premier said, "most energetically oppose the disbandment of the Civic Guard,/' and he had, he declared, definitely demanded of the Berlin Government- the cancellation of the disbandment order. As things are, however," the Premier added, "we must unfortunately reckon with the possibility that the German Government may not absolutely share our standpoint. Bavaria would, in such a case, proceed on her own course, even at the cost of temporary separation from the German Reich. The situation is extremely serious. We do not know what the next few days or even hours may bring forth, but, should the Berlin Government not- act in accordance with our representations, we know our ways would part and that we must reckon with a temporary separation."

The annual conference of the New York State Methodist Church, held at Kingston on April 10th., unanimously adopted resolutions demanding that America should apologise to Britain for "unfriendly meddling in her domestic affairs" in regard to Ireland. Bishop Luther B. "Wilson, the head of the New York City Methodist Diocese, in his speech, strongly condemned the fact that the freedom of the city had been conferred on de Valera, and declaTed that Britain had shown magnanimity by not taking offence at_ this act. "The Irish question," he said, "is a domestic ■question for Britain, and if Ireland has. [not been able—as Ireland has never yet [been able —to adopt a programme itself, it is altogetehr wrong for America to give advice to England. ~ I pray God that the hands of Britain and America, clasped together in the great war, shall never be separated. It seems to me that a great prophet should arise and proclaim, 'Whom God hath joined, let no man put asunder.' These great forces must &e united if the world is to

advance." Mr James R. ' Day; the j famous chancellor of Syracuse University, supported Bishop Wilson. He criticised America for receiving "the pretending President of the Irish Republic," and added, "But Great Britain is showing us her magnificent self-control and patience. Our Government' should send immediately an unqualified repudiation and apolgy for these unfriendly meddlings with her domestic affairs "

The futility of investigating the causes of the high cost of living so far as prices are concerned has been recognised in the United States. So we learn from a prominent newspaper, which says: —"The average householder who has grown weary of looking for the promised turn in prices that is always just ahead will readily subscribe to the statement of the Federal Trade Commission that the cost of the food inve-s tuitions is too great for results necoirmlish.ed, which to date have been practically nil, and that if relief is to come it will have to be brought about in some other manner. One of the first moves, whether in high or humble quarters, is to investigate. The mania has spread in every direction until the nation has run wild with investigations that {ret nowhere. Either it is found that, the body which undertakes to probe, conditions has no authority to enforce its findings, or there comes the excuse that there is no law under which to proceed even though guilt may be apparent. To date about all that investigation of the food situation has done is to more firmly entrench those whom there is reason to lock upon with'susnicion, because it has heen brought forth'that while the spirit of the law was being flagrantly violated they were cnreftil to Jieep clearly within the letter, and therefore were immune."

Sixty persons were taken seriously ill at Haslemere, Surrey, suffering Irom arsenical poisoning, and the town Ims narrowly escaped widespread poisoning. The first cases occurred in a house. where ~ three people becanie violently sick with drinkjng tea. A fourth member of the. party, was not affected, and qn an investigation being made it was found that he had had no sugar in his tea. The -Medical Officer of Health at once- got into touch with the grocer who had supplied the sugar and stopped further sales. Forty pounds of the sugar hadalready been delivered to customers in all partss of the town, and these people were immediately warned not to use the sugar. In every case where the sugar had been used' symptoms of arsenical poisoning followed. A number of babies became ill, but not seriously. Investigations were made, "and it was discovered that the sugar was heavily saturated with an arsenical preparation. But this ; did not carry them very much further, for the had n6thing in his shop of the kind. The sugar had been recently delivered in -n barrel by the railway company, and inquiries were made; at the station. Way-bills were examined, and it w:is found, that a consignment of weedkiller had been, conveyed in the same van as the sugar. 'Examination of. tbcvan proved that some of the weedkiller had leaked, and as it was largely- composed of;* ..arsenic the mischief was at last traced to its source.