NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3500, 12 April 1921, Page 36

NEWS BY CABLE.

The total population of British India and the Native States, according to the census taken on March 18, is slightly over 319,000,000, as against 315,000,000 in 1911. The death is announced of Archbishop Walsh, of Dublin, aged 80 years. The retail butchers in Par:s have reduced beef and mutton prices by 20 per cent., and the price of veal by 15 per cent. The Governors-General of Canada, South Africa, and Australia have offered the National Rifle Association challenge trophies in connection with the Imperial Challenge Shield competitions, to he awarded to the school or formation in each dominion gaining the most successes in the shield competition in proportion to their strength. Acting on the Inter-Allied Commission’s authority, a French police officer and four men at Gleiwitz attempted to arrest Captain .von Demining, charged with provoking anti-Polish and anti-French agitations. Von Demming shot three policemen dead and seriously wounded the officer. France is demanding an explanation and reparation. Commander Crump Johnston, who served as chief engineer on the battle-cruiser Australia, is claiming £4OOO before the Inventions Commission for a process for drenching magazines and smouldering debris in gun positions. Counsel for the Admiralty said that the Ordnance Committee made an award on the subject, and the present claim was an appeal. Sir J. D. Connolly (Agent-General for Western Australia) has communicated to the Colonial Office a cabled despatch from Air J. Mitchell, Premier of the State, with reference to the Federal unification proposals, stating; “Feeling hero is against unification cr any interference with State rights.” The action against Whitworth’s executors was dismissed with costs. Mr Justice Eve said the odious and disgracsful conduct charged against defendants had been entirely disproved. The attitude of plaintiffs in persisting in the charges was an outrage. There was no evidence of testator’s mental incapacity. Mr Uniacker’s interests were properly looked after. CONAN DOYLE INTERVIEWED. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, interviewed in London on his Australian experiences, said that public control was a complete failure in Australia, The telephone, telegraph, railway, and post office services were very bad. This was not -due to national slackness, because the few things remaining in private hands were extremely good. The real reason was that the employees were able to apply pressure to the Labour Governments if the latter disagreed with their demands. All these Labour problems were rather dangerous there. Sir Conan Doyle added that the spiritualist movement was vigorous among the poorer classes, though not among the professional classes. FEDERATION OF STATES. The Guatemalan Government has announced that the Guatemalan National Assembly has ratified the San Jose Treaty, creating a federation of Central America. The treaty has been signed by Honduras, San Salvador, and Guatemala, while Costa Rica and Nicaragua have not signed. The treaty is now effective for the three firstnamed States. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. LONDON, April 8. The House of Commons rejected the Proportional Representation Bill, introduced by a private member. Mr lan Macpherson intimated that the Government was divided on the subject. It involved so great a constitutional change that he could not undertake to facilitate the passage of the measure. Major Henderson said the system led to extremes of personal bitterness in Australia. TAUNTON BY-ELECTION. LONDON, April 9. The Taunton by-election resulted as follows: — . Sir A. Griffith-Boscawen 12.994 Air James Dunnon (organising secretary of the agricultural workers) 8,290 AUSTRALIAN NEWS. At the annual yearling sales in Sydney 483 lots were sold, totalling 97,657 guineas. A new cattle disease of French origin, known as petechial fever, has broken out among stock in Central and West Queensland. It was previously known in Victoria. The symptoms consist of enormous swellings. Mr Hughes has announced definitely that he has no intention of taking the High Commissionership. The Australian manager of the Commonwealth Line of steamers contradicts the statement that there is no refrigerating space available till next year. He says that there will be 375,000 cubic feet available in the last quarter of this year. The Queensland Government’s recent loan was over-subscribed, the amount received being £2,017,480. . Large ouantities of material for rat destruction have been sent to Lord Howe Island, where the rat pest, after practically annihilating tho bird life and thereby causing a marked increase of insect pests, threatens the kent.ia palm industry, which is the mainstay of the island. The Labour Conference at Sydney resolved that the Chief Secretary be ordered immediately to appoint women justices of the peace. Tho Labour Conference at Sydney rejected several resolutions proposing the readmission of members expelled over the conscription issue. Mr Bailey is claiming £2OOO from Mr Calls, ALL.A., for alleged slander arising out of the recent Labour Conference differences. In the Federal House of Representatives Air Tudor asked Mr Hughes if it was a fact that over 1.000,000 bushels of wheat had been sold to Germany at from 7s 6;I to 7s 9d a bushel f.o.b. Mr Hughes replied that he was unable to supply the information, but he knew that no wheat had been sold to Germany f.0.b.; it was sold c.i.f. The average price of wheat sold for overseas was above that which the people of Australia had to pay. Tho Wheat Board has announced that ‘wheat will be available for export to the East Pacific, New Zealand, and Africa at 7s 6d a bushel, and there will probably be a further reduction owing to competition from other countries.

An Avro machine crashed at Point Cook Flying School. A mechanic, Corporal Whicker, was killed, and the pilot, Captain Fryersmith, was seriously injured. Mr Hughes was asked by a deputation of producers’ representatives to continue the wheat pool, and that the Government should finance it to the extent of 50 per cent. The Prime Minister is consulting Cabinet, and the farmers meanwhile are taking a ballot on the question. PRICES OF BUTTER. The Queensland Government has cancelled the orders fixing the prices of butter and cheese. The price of butter immediately fell 4£ per lb. A reduction of 2d per lb for cheese is anticipated. The Melbourne dairy produce merchants have decided on a reduction of the price of butter by per lb wholesale and Bjd to 9d per lb retail. The representatives of the producing trade m Adelaide have reduced the price of butter by sjd per lb wholesale. The wholesale price of butter in Sydney has been reduced by 2d per lb. WHEAT FOR GERMANY. The Labour Conference at Sydney de cided to ask the Government to inquire thoroughly into all phases of the wheat industry. The Minisetr of Agriculture, who was present, stated the price at which the wheat was sold to Germany, adding that c ° u , ld n °k be. landed in Germany under 1-3 6d. Justifying the sale, he said if it was right to export breadstuffs to Germany it was only right that imported German goods should be allowed into Australia. He trusted that the Federal Government would remove the embargo from German imports. A NEW ZEALANDER’S INVENTION. The Melbourne Postal Department has completed a contract for the installation of the Murray multiplex telegraph apparatus between Melbourne' and Brisbane. Mr Murray, the inventor, is an ex-New Zealander. . THE MOSS VALE TRAGEDY. At the Labarte trial in Sydney medical evidence was submitted in support of the plea that Major Labarte was temporarily insane and unable to recollect was occurred at the time of the tragedy, as a result of his experiences at the war, where he was injured, and of his excessive drinking. The Chief Justice, in summing up, said that any sentiment regarding accused’s war services must be set aside. Drunkenness did not absolve a man from criminality, though intent to -murder was not to be attributed so readily to a man under the influence of liquor. Labarte pleaded not guilty to the second charge of murdering Constable Mitchell, but the hearing of this charge has been indefinitely postponed. Labarte was found guilty of the manslaughter of his wife, and was remanded for sentence. [After shooting his wife in the presence of her maid, Labarte telephoned to the police and\ informed them of the tragedy. Yhen they arrived he opened fire upon them, and 6hot Constable Mitchell dead.] A DOUBLE TRAGEDY. A double shooting tragedy occurred at Redfern, Sydney. Miss Merril was shot dead by Allen Lloyd, to whom she was previously engaged. Lloyd then shot liiiitself dead. It appears that Miss Merril broke the engagement, and Lloyd went to her house in the early morning and committed the shooting. TRIAL OF MRS MORT. At the trial of Mrs Mort the Crown Prosecutor said that Mrs Mort’s letters and actions showed that she was strangely neurotic and passionate. She allowed friendships to develop into passionate love. Possibly Dr Tozer’s distinction at the war and as a cricketer were part of the charms exercising this influence over her. Then when informed that Dr Tozer intended to marry she came to the decision that if she could not have him no other woman should. Doctors gave the opinion at the time of the tragedy and subsequently that accused was emotionally insane. Under examination at the hospital she made remarkable rambling statements. Amongst others she expressed elation at the crime. A moving picture producer who gave Mrs Mort a part in a picture 6aid the first time she came to act she was not rational. She spoke of two men who followed her and wanted to kill her, and added that they were sitting on a seat in the room, though the seat was empty. She also spoke of committing suicide. The jury returned a verdict of guilty whilst of unsound mind. The Chief Justice directed this to be changed to not guilty on the ground of insanity. This was done, and the Chief Justice ordered Mrs Mort’s removal to the penitentiary until the Governor’s pleasure is known. COST OF FOODSTUFFS. The Statistician’s report shows that during March the cost of foodstuffs in New South Wales was 4.5 per cent, lower than <jn February, while the decline on the past 6ix months is 12] per cent. COCKATOO ISLAND OPERATIONS. In the House of Representatives Mr Mahoney, speaking on a motion for the adjournment, stated that the light cruiser Adelaide was to have been launched at Cockatoo Island within eight months of her keel being laid down. Thousands of pounds’ worth of material had gone astray, and private shipping companies had had work done which had been charged against the Adelaide. Sir Joseph Cook replied that the charges would be sifted to the bottom. He admitted that the cost of reconditioning a transport had been wrongly charged against the Adelaide, but he said the Adelaide was being built as cheaply at Cockatoo Island as she could be in England. He regretted the wholesale dismissals from the dockyards, which were not warranted. It was stater] in reply to a question that the cost of the Adelaide would be £1,050.000, and a further £IOO,OOO was required for her completion. DETAINED IN AN ASYLUM. Following upon an order obtained ex parte by Dr G. Thompson from the judge sitting in Lunacy in Sydney, relating to the detention in Gladesville Asylum of Claude Farr, wife of Professor Farr, of Christchurch, several alienists attended the Lunacy Court, but Mrs Farr was too unwell to attend. Counsel for Professor Farr stated that the latter was anxious for the fullest inquiiw into his wife’s mental condition.

The judge directed that she be examined medically on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of next week by four doctors, and an oral examination is fixed to take place on April 19, MR STOREY. Mr Storey will leave Liverpool for Australia by the Cedric on April 23, returning via Canada and Japan, and arriving at Sydney on July 4. VESSEL IN A CYCLONE. The Camilra has arrived at Townsville in a battered state owing to a cyclone. Three hundred stud rams were washed overboard.