CABLEGRAMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 24

CABLEGRAMS.

BRITISH A*ti FOREIGN LONDON, July 21. A large gathering of leading business men celebrated the centenary of the city of Birmingham. The members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Agentsgeneral for the oversea dominions held an inaugural meeting in the Town Hall, at which Sir George Reid, who was the chief speaker, outlined the remarkable advance Birmingham and the Empire had made in the last 100 years. Several thousand pounds’ worth of damage was done on the battleship Exrnouth owing to the fusing of the switchboard, which caused a fire. The magazine was flooded and the electrical equipment destroyed. The estate of the late Mr Fry, the cocoa manufacturer, has been proved at £700,000. He has bequeathed £52,000 to foreign missions, £47.000 to hospitals, £43,000 to charities, and legacies to all employees who have been five years in bis service. The Ulster Yacht Club, on behalf of Sir T. Lipton, has signed the conditions for the America Cup contest. The first race will be run on September 10, 1914. The challenger will be named Shamrock IV. July 22. South Australia is underwriting a million 4 per cent loan at £97, repayable in 1940 or 1960 with accrued interest. A parcel of New South Wales honey, realising a price equivalent to f.o.b., is so good in quality that Mr Coghlan, Agent-general for New South Wales, intends to enter it for competition in a dairv show against English honev. July 23. Mr Hayes Fisher (Unionist), on behalf of the Football Association, has introduced in the House of Commons a Bill to prevent advertisements and circulars relating to coupons and ready-money betting. Arthur Newton, solicitor, whose peculiar transactions have been repeatedly before the public, was sentenced to three years' penal servitude, and Berkeley Bennett to 18 months’ hard labour, for defrauding Dr Hans Thorsch of £23,000. July 24. Fell and Stephen Sharman were sentenced to 14 years each for the Berkeley Hotel robbery with violence, James Sharman to 10 years, and Arthur James to seven years. Many protests are being published against the Liverpool Athenaeum selling to an American millionaire for £SOOO the well-known Glen Riddell manuscript of Burns's poems and letters. The Wolseley Committee has resolved to

erect a monument to the late field marshal in St. Paul's Cathedral. The Scott Fund Executive has contributed £SOO to the Captain Oates Regimental Memorial Fund for the benefit of sick or old non-comm is ion ed officers. Mr Havelock Wilson is suing the Shipping Federation and others on a charge of conspiring to make him a bankrupt. Counsel for the plaintiff alleged that bankruptcy proceedings were instituted in 1906 in order to prejudice Mr Wilson s seat in Parliament, and again in 1911, when Mr Wilson was most active in connection with the maritime crisis. July 25. The underwriters will receive about 75 per cent, of the South Australian loan. it is officially announced that the wed ding of Prince Arthur of Connaught will take place on October 15 in the Chapel Royal at St. James. The Prince of Wales will act as best man and Princess Mary as bridesmaid. July 27. The King and Queen of Spain have arrived at the Ritz Hotel, London. The Admiralty is spending £40,000 cn a laboratory at the Rosylh naval base. The Photographic Society of New South Wales won the British amateur photographers’ competition. The individual awards included a silver plaque to Mr Gerald E. Jones, of New Zealand. Sir C. H. Reid, on being interviewed regarding the rumours of the King's visit to Australia in 1914, said he knew nothing about the. matter. PARIS, July 24. j The number of French officers awarded aviation pilot certificates has declined during the year from 80 to 32. | July 28. ! The Franco-German Convention for the regulation of air traffic contains a provision that if the weather forces army airships across the frontier they will not be detained if they report to the nearest military authority, BRUSSELS, July 23. The first international congress for the , prevention of infant mortality has opened ; at Brussels. Thirty-five States, including : Australia and New Zealand, are represon ted. BERLIN, July 21. A severe earthquake is reported from Wurtternburg. The inhabitants of Stiau- | burg rushed into the streets, and many chimnevs collapsed at Stuttgart. July 27. | The International Miners Congress adopted the British resolution in favour of the nationalisation of mines and railways. ‘ ST. PETERSBURG, July 24. Eight hundred monks were arrested at Mount Athos and deported to Russia.

Fifty of thorn were slightly wounded in resisting capture. CAIRO, July 22. It is officially stated that the new Legislative Assembly will comprise Ministers, 66 elected and 17 nominated members. It will be empowered to initiate legislation except that affecting the Constitution. NEW YORK, July 21. The steamer Tremper, laden with passengers, struck a reef off Eosopus Island. The passengers became panic-stricken and the officers were almost overpowered amidst the disorder, but tire steamer was beached in the Hudson River in tin; nick of time. July 23. The resuscitation of a. negro who was hanged is reported from .Starke (Florida). Mitchell, who murdered another negro, was sentenced to death and hanged for half an hour in the county gaol. On the physicians declaring that he was dead he was placed in a coffin, where he revived, and lived for half a day. Then lie suddenly expired. The Town Council of Rochester (Pennsylvania) has passed a by-law prohibiting women from wearing slashed skirts, transparent hose, or tight-fitting dresses. Members of the council declared it made them blush to see so much immodesty abroad in tile streets. July 24. Mount Katmai (Alaska) is again in eruption, and owing to the falling ashes darkness covers the islands in the neighbourhood. The wireless operators at Wood Island had to desert their post to escape danger. At Kalamath Falls, in the State of Oregon, thousands of frogs have invaded the city, and are hopping‘through the streets en route from one Jake to another—a distance of three miles. Frogs made asimilar migration several years ago. Anglers are busy capturing them in thousands. The scene provides a unique spectacle. July 25. Direct wireless communication lias been established between Alaska and Asia. Congratulations were exchanged by the Russian Governor of Kamtchatka and the American authorities. OTTAWA, July 24. A quantity of nitro glycerine exploded at the works of the Canadian Explosive Company in Montreal. Three girls and four men were blown to pieces. The adjoining town of St. Hilaire suffered heavily. The explosion is believed to be due to the carelessness of a girl employee.

BUENOS AIRES. July, 26. A committee of the Chamber of Depu ties has recommended that legislation b‘ introduced against trusts, and that an official inquiry bo made into the international meat trade. CAPETOWN, July 24. The death is announced of Mr J. W. Sauer, Minister of Justice and Native Affairs. Mr Sauer took over General Hertzog’s portfolios in December last on the resignation of the latter.