NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 44

NEWS BY CABLE.

WARNING TO PLEASURE SEEKERS. The Archbishop of Canterbury, in a letter to the secretary of the Imperial Alliance in Defence of Sunday, deplores the growing tendency towards Sabbath games. He says that those in responsible positions must have their eyes opened to the danger of unintended progress from innocent recreation to the encouragement of great competitive games. A word of warning was gravely needed to the whole country, and the public bodies particularly. If Sunday were devoted chiefly to pleasure-seeking the price would be deplorable. A FIERCE ENCOUNTER. A Melilla communique states that the Spanish forces, supported by aeroplanes and artillery, on reaching the Tizziassa position. encountered a Moorish force numbering 7000. A fierce and prolonged engagement was fought. The Spaniards lost 400 killed and wounded, but the Aloor’s losses were much heavier. They were mowed down by artillery. Spanish convoys reaeijed Tizziassa. NEW ZEALAND APPEAL CASE. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has reserved judgment in the appeal case Smalltield v. the National Mutual Life Association. Smalltield, whose life was insured for £IO,OOO with the company, was drowned in the Waikato River at IJamiton while bathing. The company declined to pay the insurance money, and the widow brought suit to recover. The case came before a special jury, and before the hearing was concluded the foreman of the jury announced that the jury was satisfied the company had failed to prove its contention that Smalltield had died by his own hand. An application to amend the defence was dismissed by Mr Justice Stringer, but upheld by the Appeal Court, and it is this decision that is now . before the Privy Council. THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW. An crder-in-Council has been issued extending Part II of the Administration of Justice Act to certain countries, including New Zealand, Fiji, and Kenya (Sourh Rhodesia), where the Legislatures have made a reciprocal provision. This means that judgment henceforth obtained there can be enforced in England, Scotland, and North Ireland. SCARCITY OF FISH. LONDON, June 3. Considerable uneasiness is felt at Hull owing to the remarkable decline in the number of fish on the Dogger Bank. The experts say it is the most serious decline that has been experienced for years. It is not known whether it is due to natural phenomena or whether it is the result of the naval activities in the North Sea during war time. GRIM TRAGEDY REVEALED A grim alpine tragedy has been solved by the discovery on the Alps, near Lent, of the bodies cf Dr Kahrn and his brother! Both were eminent alpinists. An avalanche swept them into a crevasse in December last. The brothers were locked in each other s arms, ami the bodies were perfectly preserved. Their haversacks had been emptied. Apparently they had lived for a week at the bottom of a precipice vainly hoping for lieip. Swiss guides spent a fortnight in endeavouring to locate them running great risks from avalanches. ARCHBISHOP SHOT DEAD The Archbishop of Saragossa was in a, ™°tor c , a L ": hen three unknown men fired, killing him. instantly and seriously woundrog lm friend When Cardinal J. de Soldevila arrived m a motor car at the < onvent of St Vincent Paul, near Sara-gc&-sa, Spain, two persons hiding- in vhe trees fired their revolvers, killing the car. dmal and seriously wounding the chauffeur. LADY CONSTANCE LYTTON Lady ( onstanee Lyttcn, one cf the prominent leaders of the women's suffragist party in the agitation before the war, has died at the age of 54 years. She was four times imprisoned, and vent on hunger-strike twice, being released °u the lirst occasion because of the state ot tier near:.. On the second occasion she disguised herself as a working woman, and was forcibly ice.. fche hat, been an invalid ever since. PROPOSED BETTING TAN The Rev. .T. J. North, a New Zealander, speaking at W hit fields Central Mission, said that if betting were taxed it would be the most disastrous thing that could happen, as it would put the stamp of legality on gambling. Tlie bookmakers would give £IOOO to have such a Bill. When New Zealand tried to stop the bookmakers and installed the totalisator, the Government benefited by a large tax, but in five years New Zealand had five times as many bookmakers as before, and the amount spent was fivefold. Racehorse owners found that

they could make more money by betting with bookmakers, and the machines helped them by attracting many who otherwise might not have spent money in belting. CANADIAN IMMIGRATION. I lie Daily Express publishes a remarkable announcement that Canada is preparing to receive half a million immigrants from Austria for farming purposes. Owing to the . unsettled conditions in Austria thousands aro workless, and are willing and anxious to go to Canada, which is unable to procure sufficient Britishers to counterbalance the heavy departures of Britishers to the United Slates. Although the plan has not reached its final stage, the Canadian officials lit London are not perturbed by the suggestion that it may involve a threat to the future of the British race in Canada. The Immigration Department informed the Daily Express that though Canada was not prepared lo cope with immigration on a national st ale, she would certainly take as many .suitable ex-enemy immigrants as she could find employment for. WAR GRAVES. In the House of Commons Mr W. E. Guinness stated that the number of identified graves on (he various battlefields was 527,C00, the unidentified graves 152.000, and 124,000 headstones had been erected. It was estimated that it would take until 1328 to erect the remainder. LOAN FOR AUSTRIA. The Bank of England is issuing £14,000,000 worth of 6 per cent. bonds, guaranteed by the Austrian Government, of which £3,119,C00 will be issued to the British Government in satisfaction of what Austria owes. The balance, £10.881,000. will he offered for public subscription at £BO per £ICO, redeemable in 1933-45. The issue has been underwritten. A SENSATIONAL ESCAPE. A convict named Cliailes Baker made a sensational escape from Norwich Gaol. It is alleged that he attacked a warder with a pickaxe handle, anil before tlie alarm was given hs dressed in the governor s clothes, taking £l7 (which belonged to the governor). r J ho police, cn horseback and motor bicycles, are scouring the country. The warder is in a critical condition. REFERENDUM IN SWITZERLAND. A referendum to give the Government control of tlie liquor trade with a view to reducing the production was defeated by 357,C00 to 257,009, the majority considering that the proposal would be an undue interference with the liberty of the subject. A POISONING CASE. Astonishing- scenes were witnessed at Florence, Italy, at the trial cf Captain Biselli, who is accused of poisoning his wife's parents in order to obtain a large fortune. The father dic-d. and the mother recovered. The crowd demonstrated against the mother and her daughter. They rushed towards them shouting murder threats. Several policemen were overpowered by the crowd, but ■ hurried reinforcements saved the women from being lynched. T hey were removed prostrated. The crowd unsuccessfully attempted to liberate Biselli. who is considered the victim of a conspiracy by the women. EXPLORING PACIFIC ISLANDS. Nine Follows of the Royal Society and others representing the British Association and ether scientific bodies have chartered the three masted txirquemir.e St. George, of iOCO tons, and will start in September to explore the lesser-known Pacific Islands, including Easter Island. Tahiti, and Rapa. The cruise will last 304 days, and will cover 21.000 miles. Commander Blair will be in charge of the St. George. Jhe cost will be covered by the me,mbers of the expedition. If any profit is made it will be used in organising other expeditions. GENERAL ITEMS. Catherine Dowager Countess of Westmoreland is shortly to appear at the Coliseum as a vocalist. Th e Judicial Committee of the House of Lords reserved judgment in tlie Fiji appeal, llalien versus Spaeth. Ihe Anglo-Afghan trade Convention has been signed at Kabul, giving effect to the obligations of the treaty of November 1921. Miss Leah Myers, of Wellington, New Zealand, made a successful debut at Covent Garden in the name part in Louise. Critics praise her powers as an actress as well as a singer. Mr Ronald M’Neill, replying to a question. said that the reports that Sir Auckland Geddes was retiring from ihe ambassadorship at \\ ashington were entirely unfounded. A consignment, of pedigree cattle for Australia includes the fnur-vear-old Shorthorn bull Draine Monarch, for which Captain MacGillivray, of Ross-shire, paid 3CCO guineas. The leaders oi the Opium Commission in Geneva have adopted the American suggestion in favour of convening an international conference for ihe purpose of aimino- at the limitation of ihe consumption of opium. The Duke and Duchess of York have taken up then- permanent residence at White Lodge. Richmond. The Duchess is making satisfactory progress from an attack of whooping cough. Mrs Deere died at Llantwit Maior (Glamorgan sin rel. aged 105. She prided herself- that she had never been more than 20 miles from her home, and that s f l f„. wcu,cl S' o to her grave not owing a shilling. From June 4 The Times and Daily Telecrann \v«ll increase their prDe from U<l to 2d. The Times says that the cost of tlie nrrdiu lion of newspapers is still at the highest nrint reached since the war. The Egyptian Cabinet is considering a proposal by (he !*nez t'anal Company to es/ablish a new city on the eastern hank or the canal (o be called Port Said East. The company proposes to advance 10,C00,000 francs without interest, refundable from the sale of land. The Danish Commission on the. Punishment Laws recommended the abolition of capital punishment, substituting imprisonment of fir e years and upwards. There has been no execution in Denmark for 30 years, and only four in tlie previous 26 years. The abolition of corporal punishment and of feeding with bread and water is also urged.