NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 24

NEWS BY CABLE.

A FATAL FIRE. A disastrous fire broke out at Grey Nunnety, Montreal. So far 38 charrecl bodie* of children have been recovered. rescued 200 wounded soldiers whweioj commodated in tho budding. I he _ death roll is believed not to exceed 75. The faro was caused by a spark from the X-ray machine. Returned soldiers rescued a number of children, carrying them out two at aTiml A sergeant of the 13th Wandas entered the burning building iivo tirnee and rescued 10 infants. OBITUARY. The death is announced from Constantinople of the ex-Sultan, Abd-ul-Hamid, from inflammation of the lungs.. Born m 184<i, Abd-ul Hamid succeeded his deposed brother in 1876. The treatment of his Christian subjects in Armenia and Crete in 1896-99 exposed him to almost universal execration. In August, 1896, an outbreak took place in Const -intiriople itself, which resulted in the murd-ir of thousands of Armenian Christians in tho city. Abd-ul-Hamid was directly ac cused by the Ambassadors of the Powers of having instigated the perpetration of this massacre. No further steps wero taken, however, and he succeeded in emptying the city of nearly 30,000 Armenians by hist expulsive measures. In 1909 the Young Turka rose against Abd-ul-Hamid, and ho was deposed on charges of bloodshed, corruption, and the violating of the Sacred Law. - The death is announced of Sir Cec:l Spring-Rice, late British Ambassador at Washington. Educated at Eton and Oxford, the deceased "entered tho" Foreign Office, and after serving as Secretary of Embassies at various courts, became head of the Embassy to Persia in 1906. He became Am bassador to the United States, in 1912. Owing to poor health he was recently succeeded by Lord Reading, who as Lord Chief Justice of England was on ,a_ financial mission to America. Tho remains, of Sir C. Spring-Rico will be interred in Ottawa. It has been recalled fcha* in his last public speech in Ottawa he remarked that ho deeply regretted his retirement from Washington, but everyone in this war has his part -to play, and it was very hard to cease playing it; but "my time has come." SOUTH AFRICAN UNION. In Lis Budget speech, tho Minister of Finance for the South'-African Union (the Hon. H. BurtoVi) announced a surplus for tho current yerfr of £464,000. He estimated that next year there would be a deficit of £403,000, but this, he expected, would be wiped out without further taxation. The x Minister emphasised the marked increase in the production of foodstuffs and industries since tho war began. A SOUTH AFRICAN DISASTER. Torrential rains havo fallen in the Transvaal, Natal, and Mozambique. Many -washawaya and collapses of bridges have been reported. The Railway Department is advised that 300 persons have been drowned in Mnzutie (Zululand). A later message states that the Umfolosj sugar district, in Zululand, was the scene of a disaster. Following a great storm, the rivei swept over a village, inundated a largo sugar area, and wrecked a splendid railway bridge Sixtj -three of 300 Europeans in the .Valley are missing, and others have taken refuga on th<! roof of the sugar mill. It is feared that the loss of Indian and natives' lives is heavy.' Rai'way and telegraphic communication is interrupted. AERIAL MAIL SERVICE. Tenders havo been invited for the supply of five aeroplanes for mail services between Washington, Philadelphia, and New York. PLAGUE IN CHINA. Plague has appeared near Pao-ting-fu, and is endangering Peking and Tientsin. So far every caao has proved fatal, and the mortal tty is enormous. GENERAL NEWS. A British warship has rescued from small boats 37 survivors of a steamship collision. British imports for January increased, by £8,465,757, exports decreased by £5,194,607, and re-exports decreased by £5,240,635, as compared with tho previous January. His Majesty tho King has granted Polar medals or extra clasps to members of Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition aboard the Endeavour and the Aurora. Vernon Castle, the dancer, was killed at Fort Worth, Texas. Mr Castle and his wife were the first to introduoe tho tango and other dances which have since become popular to New York society. A railway collision occurred between Barcelona apd Menida, in Spain. Twelve persons were killed and 32 injured. At Rugby tho New "Zealand Convalescent Hospital at Hornchurch (8 points) drew with Australian Headquarters (8). AUSTRALIAN NEWS. The Federal note issue has been "increased to £53,000,000. It is rumoured in Melbourne that negotiations are in progres for tho amalgamation of the Huddart-Parker and HowardSmith shipping companies. Tho Commodities Commission is inquiring into tho prices of dairy produce. The manager of the Dairy Farmers' Milk Company stated in evidence that cows now cost up to £3O, as against the pre-war cost of from £8 to £lO. The cost of the production of milk in pre-war conditions was 6d per gallon,' whereas now it was from 9d to lOd per gallon. Another New South Wales State Government venture is on tho market. Tenders havo been invited for the sale of the State brick and lime works at Botany. A meeting of the National Council in Sydney overwhelmingly defeated a motion calling on Mr Hughes to resign. Mi- W. H Harvey succeeds Mr A. W. Stylos as Minister of Education in South Australia. , Sir John Forrest has adopted the title of Lord Forrest of Bunbury. Polling day for tho State elections in Western Australia has been fixed for May The Premier of Queensland (Mr Rvun) has issued a writ against the Dailv Mail newspaper, claiming £2OOO damages for alleged defamation of character. A second similar writ has been issued by Messrs Ryan and Hunter. The Common wealth Statistician disagrees with tho widely-held belief that babies preponderate during war time.

Tho statistician's investigations show that there is not tho slightest sign of any increaeo of masculinity as the result of the war. DARING ROBBERIES. A daring daylight bank robbery was perpetrated at Sydney on tho 12th. A oustomer entered tho Pitt street branch of the English and Scottish Bank and deposited over £3OO on the counter. A man standing alongside dashed a bag of flour in tho faces of the customer and tho teller, then grabbed £IOO m notes and escaped. Another daring robbery is reported. - A clerk in the stamps office of the General Post Office was counting the cash preparatory .to starting work. He had placed £27 in £1 notes on tho counter, when a man amongst the waiting crowd snatched the notes and. escaped. SOLDIERS AND DRINK. The report -of the committee inquiring into the sale of intoxicants to soldiers shows that Brigadier-general Williams, the Victorian Commandant, stated in evidence that six o'clock closing has reduced disorder amongst the soldiers, although they still obtained drink after that hour. Referring to social diseases, the Commandant stated that in only 3 or 4 per oent. of the cases could contagion be attributed to causes connected with drink. Between 60 and 70 per cent, of those affected are either teetotallers or distinctly temperate. Only a very small percentage of absences at the 'time of embarkation for service abroad were due to drink. Other evidence showed that drink was onlv affecting a very small percentage of the troops before and after their return from the front.