CABLE NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23686, 19 December 1938, Page 10

CABLE NEWS IN BRIEF

Refugee Fund Lord Baldwin's refugee fund now amounts to £125.879.. Belgian Aerial Defence * The Belgian Cabinet has approved the expenditure of -£4,286,000 for active and passive aerial defence. Freedom Society Dissolved Herr Himmler, chief of the secret police, has dissolved the German freedom society, the Geusen League, which is linked up with the adventists. He explained that the decision was due to the desire to protect the State and the people. Pig Iron Dispute The pig iron dispute is still unsettled, awaiting the outcome of week-end conferences at Port Kembla, where union and Government representatives are trying to reach a compromise. Coal for France The Anglo-French coal agreement has been signed. Britain's exports to Farnce have been increased by at least 5,000,000 tons. The public services have agreed to purchase 50 per cent, of their coal from Britain. Right Wing Action Four hundred and thirty Right Wing newspapers throughout France have openly appealed to Parliament demanding dissolution of the Communist Party on the ground that it advocates civil war and wants to involve France in a foreign war. New Short Wave Transmitter It has been announced that the first short wave transmitter west of the Mississippi River will be erected at the San Francisco Fair, and will be opened in February, broadcasting to South America, the Orient, and Australia. Australia will be able to pick up programmes every day. Empire Tea Centenary A ceremonial auction and a reception will be the features of the celebration on January 10 of the hundredth anniversary of the first auction in London of tea produced within the Empire. In connection with the centenary a sample of the finest teas so grown will be selected by a blenders' conference and presented in a golden casket to their Majesties. Rothschild Generosity Baron Rothschild has offered Tring Park, including the mansion and certain parts of the grounds, as a gift to the trustees of the British Museum. The uncle of the present peer, on whose death last year he succeeded to the title, bequeathed his natural history collections and private museum just outside Tring Park to the British Museum as an annexe to the Natural History Muesum. New Laboratory Opened Sir William Bragg, president of the Royal Society, opening the new metallurgical laboratory for naval ordnance at the inspection department in Sheffield, described it as most up to date and effective in every way. Testing to-day was really a fine art, he said, and an increasing number of skilled men were required at the head C the testing establishments. The Director of Scientific Research at the Admiralty appealed to outstanding men at the universities to take up this work.