NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3806, 22 February 1927, Page 49

NEWS BY CABLE.

MEMBERS’ PRIVILEGES. BERLIN, February 14. Members of the Reichstag enjoying free rail travel privileges are now demanding free passages on all Berlin air lines. t FATAL SNOWSLIDE. F VANCOUVER, February 16. A message from Fresno (California) reports that 10 persons were killed and 21 were injured by a snowslide at Big Creek, 75 miles east of Fresno. A SECRET MEETING. LONDON, February 15. The British United Press correspondent in Berlin states that Dr Stresemann and Signor Mussolini met secretly at San Remo on Monday. t ri , TORNADO IN LOUISIANA. '■ NEW YORK, February 17. A message from Pleasant Hill '(Louisiana) reports that 11 persons are dead as the result of a tornado. LABOUR MEMBERS’ GLEE CLUB, h LONDON, February 15. . The Labour members of the House of Commons have formed a glee party. They have been offered £lOO a. week if they will star in music halls during the Easter recess. ADELAIDE STORE DESTROYED. ; ADELAIDE, February 16. Fire destroyed the premises occupied by the Oversea and Inter-State Trading Company. The building contained large stocks of barley and agricultural machinery. A FRENCH LOAN. 1 PARIS, February 15. Within a few hours the public subscribed £4,(XX),000,000 francs’ worth of an issue of 15-year 7 per cent. Treasury bonds offered with a view to consolidating the floating debt. PARIS OPERA. PARIS, February 17. The Australian baritone, Mr John Brownlee, has signed a year’s agreement to sing in opera in Paris, opening on Saturday. He is the first British subject to appear in Paris opera. CANNIBALISM. BRISBANE, February 18. The police have received advice of a case of cannibalism at Brocks Creek, Northern Australia, where a native boy was murdered by other natives and parts of his body were eaten. Two arrests have been made.

, HONOURS CONFERRED. LONDON, February 18. Lady Hoare has been appointed a Dame of the British Empire. Sir Francis Aglen has received the Grand Cross of St. Michael. . A knighthood has been conferred on Dr Henry Head, physician. !>’ ’ RETURNING HOME. FREMANTLE, February 15. The passengers by the Narkunda, which arrived from London to-day, include the New Zealand Rugby League team, and also Messrs Parata and Gemmell, of the Maori Rugby Union team. Mr Parata has recovered from the illness from which he suffered in France. MOERAKI DELAYED. MELBOURNE, February 17. When the steamer Moeraki was due to sail for New Zealand yesterday afternoon she was again held up for over an hour owing to three firemen being missing at the time of sailing. Eventually two of these men were found, and another fireman had to be picked up. CARGO-BROACHING. SYDNEY, February 16. Cargo-pillaging has reached such alarming; proportions that the Sydney Chamber of . Commerce has decided to seek the cooperation of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire, in order to formulate a scheme to check the ramifications of cargo broachers. r INCREASE IN CRIME.

SYDNEY, February 16. -According to the annual report of the Commissioner of Police, which was tabled in the Assembly, there was a large increase in serious crime ' and crime of all classes, including offences by persons under the age of 21, in New South Wales during 1926. The total increase compared with 1925 was 14,298 cases. TASMANIAN HAILSTORM. HOBART, February 20. A hailstorm swept the Midlands, Derwent Valley, Hobart, and Huon districts. It was accompanied by torrential rain, which swept the main shopping thoroughfares of Hobart. Extensive damage was done both in the country and the city. In the country districts the hop and apple crops suffered severely. ' OIL AGREEMENT SIGNED. . TOKIQ, February 19. A Russo-Japanese oil concession agreement has been signed. The announcement is.' particularly welcomed by the Japanese naval authorities as assuring an ample supply of fuel.

APPROACHING COMET.. MELBOURNE, February 18. For the purpose of observing the comet Pons Winnecke, which will be visible from Australia in June, July, and August, the lalge telescope at the Melbourne Observatory, which has not been used for forty years, is being put into commission again. The instrument is 166 feet long, and its movable section weighs nine tons. It is the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere. NOTABLE FLIGHTS. ' LONDON, February 20. . Bert Hinkler is making plans to fly jjn a light aeroplane to Australia. He intends to use a two-seater light airplane fitted with a 60 horse-power engine. "EUROPEAN AIRWAYS. VIENNA, February 19. The International Air Traffic Association has agreed to establish three basic European airways, north and south from Malmoe, Berlin, Vienna, and Venice, to Rome; east and west from Paris and Berlin, to Moscow; and diagonal from Geneva, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, and Bucharest, to Constantinople. Services will be open in the spring. FRENCH WAR DEBTS. LONDON, February 17. In the House of Commons Mr Churchill informed Mr Philip Snowden that M. Poincare had intimated that in. view of the delay in obtaining parliamentary ratification of the debts agreement the French Government had decided, without prejudice to ratification, to pay Britain £3,000,000 on September 15 and £3,000,000 on March 15, 1928. EMPIRE - AIRWAYS. LONDON, February 17. “I prefer aeroplanes to Pullmans,” said Sir Samuel Hoare (Air Minister), on returning to London from Paris overland owing to the fog. “The flight to India fulfilled everything we intended, .because there was never a forced landing, delay, or breakdown. Even repairs were not necessary, although we encountered severe weather. Though I did not officially discuss an extension of the flight to Australia, I had many talks with air officers in India on the subject.”

OBITUARY. PEKING, February 14. The death is announced of Bishop Scott. The Right Rev. Charles Perry Scott was born in 1847 He was educated at Cambridge, and was ordained in 1870. He was missionary at Chefoo from 1874 to 1880 and bishop in North China from 1880 to 1913. < LONDON, February 18. The death is announced of Sir Frederick Green, founder of the Orient Shipping Line. GOLF FOR THE RICH. : LONDON, February 15. In order to avoid the usual week-end congestion on the golf links steps have been taken to establish a “City Millionaires’ Club” at Pine Hills, near Croydon. The membership will be limited to 150. The entrance fee will be £5OO, and the annua] subscription £lOO. The cost of buying 180 acres, laying out the course, and erecting the clubhouse is estimated at £68,000. MOTOR CAR VICTIM. VICTORIA (8.C.), February 2. Fate, in the form of a reckless taxidriver, intervened in the world tour of Mr William Raynes Hopkins, - who was killed in the street in the presence of his wife. Mr Hopkins, who was a well-known retired insurance actuary, of London, arrived in Victoria in December, after he had been for 14 months on a visit to Australia and New Zealand.

SALE OF BRITISH GOODS. LONDON, February 17. A large group of manufacturers has completed plans for a great industrial selling campaign of British goods, for which they are organising within the next year. Representative exhibitions of goods will be made in Britain, Canada, and Australia. The first of these will be opened at Montreal bn August 28. The Prince of Wales is expected to visit it. - PORTUGUESE REVOLT. - LISBON, February 14. The Government has issued a decree stating that the Revolutionaries will be tried without a jury, but the sentences will be subject to confirmation by a Court of Appeal. Moreover, the instigators will be made; responsible for the damage caused by the bombardment. The Republican Guard will be disbanded, and all political clubs and associations concerned in the revolt will be dissolved. WOOL PRODUCTION IN N.S. WALES. SYDNEY, February 16. The Government Statistician estimates that the' wool clip of New South Wales for the 1926-27 season will equal 451,600,0001 b of wool, an increase of nearly 25 per cent, and greater than any. year hitherto recorded. The number of sheep in the State at the end of 1926 was 54,G30,000, an increase of 6,760,000, com-, pared with the previous year, and was the greatest’total since 1894.

AN AIR TRAGEDY. MELBOURNE, February 13. While making a solo practice flight at the Point Cook air force station, a machine piloted by Flying Cadet Alexander Dix, aged 20, crashed. Dix was badly injured, and died en route to the hospital. The machine, which was a fighting scout plane, and was the fastest in use by the Australian air force, was completely wrecked. “COME TO BRITAIN.” LONDON, February 15. ‘'The ‘Come to Britain’ movement fills a much-yyanted place in the national life, enabling the dominion people and Americans to know Britain better,” said Mr Sydney Pascal! at a luncheon to Rotarians. “It is estimated that 25,000 firstclass visitors from Australia last year spent £3OO each, and 25,000 second-class visitors spent £lOO each, totalling £1,000,000. This is an amount of business which is not to be sneezed at, even in these capacious times.” FIVE DAYS OF FOG. LONDON, February 15. Five days’ continuous fog have resulted in the almost complete dislocation of London’s shipping business. The Mooltan left Tilbury Dock on Saturday, but was compelled to anchor below Gravesend, where she still lies with her passengers on board, including Princess Beatrice, who is bound for Gibraltar. A similar fate attended many other vessels. The Mooltan’s mails will be delayed for at least three days, for, even if she is able to leave to-night, she cannot depart from Marseilles before Monday. DOMINION GOVERNORS. LONDON, February 17. ‘ The parliamentary correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says it is learned that Mr L. S. Amery (Secretary for the Dominions) will take advantage of the presence in London next summer of a number of colonial Governors to hold a formal conference, at which one of the subjects will be whether it is desirable to hold a conference of colonial Governors regularly each year, immediately following the meeting of the Imperial Conference, for the consideration of questions affecting the colonies.

MODERN JUGGERNAUT. SYDNEY, February 16. The Commissioner of Police, in his annual report, states that the motor accidents t in the State during 1926 totalled 1339, resulting in 258 persons being killed, and 4580 injured. Of these 144 deaths and 3660 injuries occurred in the metropolitan area. The revenue collected under the Motor Traffic Act totalled £1,120,000, compared with £866,278 for 1925, The motor traffic licenses issued numbered 458,441 — an increase of 84,800. On December 31 156,078 motor vehicles were licensed. WONDERS OF TELEVISION. LONDON, February 19. John Baird, of Glosgow, a leading research student in connection with television, has announced that in consequence of widespread internr tional interest, including that of America, Germany, and France, he is constructing a full-sized model of his new blaek light, which consists of a powerful ray like a searchlight, invisible in darkness, yet brilliantly illuminating anything on which it is thrown. It even penetrates fog. Baird says he will be able to pick out aeroplanes over London at the height of 6000 ft. A FAMILIAR ROLE. LONDON, February 17. The Labour members of the Glasgow municipality decline to participate in the ceremonies during their Majesties’ visit to open the Kelvin Hall in July. They declare that it is immoral to expend £lO,OOO on the ceremony. If the money is available it ought to be utilised in taking poor women to the seaside or entertaming'the unemployed and their children.

The Glasgow Council decided ‘o continue the preparations for the Royal Visit.

THE ORMISTON DIVORCE. NEW YORK, February 15. At Los Angeles Mrs Ormiston was granted a divorce in an uncontested suit on the ground of desertion. Ormiston did not appear. His wife was awarded custody of the son, also 75 dollars monthly for her six-year-old son’s support and education until maturity. Kenneth Ormiston was radio operator at Mrs M'Pherson’s Angelas Temple in Los Angeles, and disappeared at the time of the famous evangelist’s conspiracy trial, which resulted in the charges against her, Mrs Kennedy (her mother), and Ormiston being dismissed. NICARAGUAN REVOLT. WASHINGTON, February 15. After a conference between RearAdmiral Latimer, the United States commander in Nicaragua, and Juan Sacasa, the Liberal Leader, the Navy Department on Tuesday ordered the transports Henderson and Philadelphia to sail tomorrow for Guatemala with 800 bluejackets. ’**' February IG. The Navy Department to-day ordered u division of aeroplanes and a company of marines from San Diego, California, to proceed to Corinto, Nicaragua, with the destroyer tender Melville. • February 17. -- The United States Navy Department decided to-day'to reinforce the marine expeditionary force in Nicaragua so that .1600 men" will be on duty there.

POLISH BLUEBEARD. WARSAW, February 17. Mestivim, a wealthy Polish farmer, was arrested at Rozan and accused of six murders, which recall those of Landru. Mestivim was living in a big mansion with a mistress, who was a well-known Warsaw society woman. She disappeared. Her daughter went to the mansion to look for her, and she also disappeared. Then a friend of the daughter vanished. She was followed by a chambermaid and governess. - .... .Finally a Danzig engineer went to stay with Mastivim, and he disappeared. There were sensational developments, as a large quantity of jiuman bones was discovered. MEAT FOR THE ARMY. LONDON, February 15. In the House of Commons, replying to questions why the recent Army tinned meat contract was given to Argentina, Sir L. Worthington-Evans (Secretary of War) said that the two Empire tenders were respectively 26 per cent, and 45 per cent, above that accepted, and, consequently, they were prohibitive, even after allowing for the preference normally given. The Government. was anxious to obtain Empire meat, but there was a limit to what could be paid in the form of preference. Neither 26 per cent, nor 45 per cent, dearer permitted the contract to be given to the Empire.

SIR JOSEPH COOK'S SUCCESSOR. LONDON, February 18. There is considerable interest in local Australian, and also official, circles, as to whom will succeed "Sir Joseph Cook as Australian High Commissioner. It is reliably understood that the latter’s term will definitely end in May. The Australian Press Association has authority for saying that Sir Mark Sheldon is not a candidate. Discussions here centre around Mr Brudeneil White and Mr Earle Page. If the latter is chosen it is known that Sir Neville Howse wil] be a strong candidate for the Treasureship. DOMINION SECRETARY. LONDON. February 19. Plans are now being discussed for enabling Mr L. S. Amery (Secretary for Dominion Affairs) to fulfill his ambition to visit Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa officially. This tour would occupy at least eight months, which his colleagues may deem overlong for him to be away from the Dominions Office. In that case Mr Amery would do Australia and New Zealand in one year, and the others in rotation. If it proves possible to do the grand tour “in one bite” Mr Amery will leave London next July, and be in Australia at the end of the year.

“OLD CONTEMPTIBLES.” LONDON, February 15. The Prince of Wales inspected 250 of “The Old Contemptiblcs” at Hackney, including Private Godley, the first man to win the Victoria Cross in the war. The Prince happened to detect him, and extended his congratulations. On going to the British Legion Club the Prince of Wales signed the book as a full member of the “Old Contemptiblcs’ Association.” As he pinned on his badge a bystander growled: “'Ow does ’e get that?”. Like lightning came the reply from another East Ender: “Why, ’e came out in October, didn’t ’e? ’E's as much a Contemptible as you.” STABILISING TRICES. LONDON, February 16. Mr F. N. Bartram, New Zealand Labour member for Grey Lynn,--addressing the Commonwealth group of members of the House of Commons under the auspices of the Empire Parliameptary Association, urged a system under which dominion products could be marketed in Britain at a' price giving the producer a reasonable return, thus automatically ensuring a stabilisation of prices. Under the proposed system the producers would give Britishers the most favourable terms, qualities, and prices, provided that Britishers traded reciprocally.

MONOPOLY OF THE ETHER. ’ LONDON, February 17. The Paris correspondent of the Daily Express says that by the Government’s orders a speech by the president of the French Funding Commission, telling how M. Poincare saved the franc, will be broadcasted throughout the world on Friday night. Engineers have made secret arrangements to transmit the speech from the Eiffel Tower in such a manner that all other wireless broadcasts will be “jammed” ; but Professor Low, the wireless expert in London, declares that it is impossible, and fantastic to suggest that any country in the world could carry out such wholesale “jamming.” ASSISTED MIGRANTS. LONDON, February 14. The Overseas Settlement Department is asking for the following supplementary appropriations for assisted passengers for the fiscal year ending March 31 next: — Australia, £90,000; New Zealand, £20,000; Canada, £40,000. It is anticipated that the coming year will require further Canadian increases owing to the operation of the £2 scheme. New Zealand is expected to remain static. The Department is satisfied that New Zealand is absorbing to the limit of her capacity. " Regarding Australia, it is expected that the activities of the Development of Migration Commission will ultimately quicken the flow of migration.

THE FRENCH FRANC. ’ PARIS, February 19. “I defy anyone to say that the franc can be stabilised at present.” This was how M. Poincare met the insistent demands of the Chamber of Deputies that something should be done toward “stabilisation. “Stabilisation,” he said, “demands numerous conditions whicli are not yet fulfilled.” Simultaneously with this announcement came the unemployed returns showing an increase of 10,000 in one week. The total in Paris alone is 33,000; and demonstrations there are more frequent. Several to-night led to minor clashes with the police. REAL BRITISH FILMS. LONDON, February 1. ' The Association of British Film Directors, in a letter to the Board of Trade, states that a genuinely British picture must be at least 4000 ft long. It must be filmed by a British company, 75 per cent, of the shares of which are British owned. - The story must be written by a British author, or be adapted from a British scenario, made in a British studio (unless necessities demand otherwise), and directed by a British person, while 75 per cent, of the salaries must be paid to British people. The meeting unanimously supported th<i quota principle.

FEDERAL ELECTORAL LAWS. SYDNEY?" February 17. Among the recommendations of the Federal Electoral Commission is one debarring members of the Federal Parliament from making any gifts or subscriptions to any individual or body of individuals, such as sporting or charitable bodies. Such gifts, in the opinion of the Commission, amount to bribes and should be prohibited. Another recommendation is'That when a member of Parliament is attacked in a newspaper his reply-should be given the same space and prominence as the article of attack. The Commission also recommends the abolition of the signature of newspaper election articles and reports, and an extension of the residential qualifications to three months. COVENT GARDEN. LONDON, February 16. The directors of the Beecham estates have abandoned the project to remove Covent Garden market.

The directors of the Beecham estates, who are the owners of Covent Garden, applied to Parliament for powers to remove the market to a site occupied by the Foundling Hospital at Bloomsbury. The Covent Garden Tenants’ Association decided to fight the proposal and to organise a vigorous campaign to increase the present market area and improve exist-; ing facilities. The chairman of the association said that if the market were moved rents would be increased threefold, and the livelihood of the producers in the dominions and elsewhere would be vitally threatened.

SUZANNE TO VISIT ENGLAND.* LONDON, February 18. The Daily Express says that Mlle. Suzanne Lenglen is expected in London shortly to discuss the financial details to stage a series of tennis matches in which' she will play in England. The promoters are planning that, first, Suzanne will play twice daily at the Albert Hall, afterwards a series of games in every large town in Britain, and then in all the European capitals. The promoters declare that professional tennis is bound to grow, and shortly there will be professional tennis championships in every country. “If we could arrange the final to be played in London,” they said, “it would be at least equal to Wimbledon as an attraction. We want Mrs Godfree, the only woman in- the world who ever worried Suzanne, to be«. come a professional.”

NEW PETROL PUMP. LONDON. February 19. A new petrol pump desigued by an Australian, Frank Hammond, has been' installed in the Royal garages :*t Windsor, Sandringham, and Marlborough House. It transpires that Madame Melba interested herself in Hammond's . invention, and introduced him to Professor Low, who pushed his interests and secured patents on behalf of Hammand. Its virtue is unfailing accuracy, it being correct to within eight drops. Tests with' ordinary pumps revealed that the inaccuracies vary from a quart short to it quart over. A Board of Trade investigatoin revealed that Hammond’s pump retained its accuracy without inspection or adjustment. STANDARD OF LIVING. LONDON, February 13. ' Sir Max Muspratt, speaking at a Colonial Institute luncheon, emphasised that the high standard of living, which the dominions maintained meant a high consumption of chemicals. China’s population was fifty times that of but she imported from Britain only onethird more chemicals than Australia. Despite their troubles the Chinese were developing a. consumption of chemicals, but as the population of Australia increased it would become a potentially infinitely greater consumer of Britain's chemical products. Sir Max Muspratt, a former Lord Mayor of Liverpool, was chairman of the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers and president of the Federation’ of British Industries last year. He is a director of several chemical and other industrial companies.

BRITISH MOTOR CYCLISTS DELAYED. LONDON, February 16. Captain Malins and Charles Olliver, the two British airmen who are motor cycling round the world, and who after traversing part of Egypt left Suez on February 7 for Jerusalem, have not yet arrived. They are a week overdue, and it is. feared that they have met with a mishap in the Sinai Desert. CAIRO,. February 17. Malius and Olliver left Nakhl for Beersheba on Wednesday,. February 16. 'They encountered trouble after leaving Suez. The Petroleum, Company sent a. motor to their assistance, and it escorted them to Nakhl, where they were held up for five days. The motor cyclists have arrived at Kossaima, on the Palestine border. CLEVER FORGERIES. LONDON, February 15. For the cleverest note forgeries of re- . tent years Arthur Southgate was sentenced at the Manchester Assizes, to seven pears” penal servitude and Fred. Green to 10 years. IK was stated that 1065 forged Treasury aotes were actually traced to the two accused, who must have manufactured several thousands. A diary kept by one of the prisoners showed that they worked in .over 50 towns distributing the notes, which, an Expert stated, were the best forgeries he had seen in his 33 years’ experience. Tbe police stated tliat many of the notes actually passed through the Ban I: of England. Mr Justice Wright confessed that he could not himself distinguish between the forged and the genuine notes.

WAR HISTORY. LONDON, February 15. In an exclusive interview with tlie British United Press, M. Painleve, a former French Minister of War, discussing the extracts published in London from Mr Churchill s book, “The World Crisis,** said: — “Mr Churchill states that entire French regiments revolted in June, 1917, and started to march to Paris, but in reality there was only a vague tendency that way. There certainly were spasmodic refusals to return to the ranks and vehement demands for leave, but in order to reduce these painful events to their true importance it is only necessary to recall that discipline was. entirely re-established after five weeks. Unhappily General Petain was obliged to authorise 23 executions, but it should be remembered that an army of 4,009,000 men and a front of 200 miles were at stake.” ATLANTIC COAST FOG. NEW YORK, February 17. An unusually dense fog covered the north-eastern coast of the United States from Northern New Jersey to Boston. Shipping in New York Harbour is disrupted. the fog being so thick. Observers at Ambrose Lighthouse are unable to see even the silhouettes, of four ocean liners which are due. It is. presumed they have dropped anchor in the outkirts. ' Many river vessels have anchored, and the New York ferries are either greatly delaved or not operating, the latter including that to the Statue of Liberty. -Lc ferry boat operating betwen Brooklyn and New York “side-wiped’’ a barge, causing intense excitement among the 300 passengers, but there were no” inj urics. Another ferry boat was swept up the river by the tide, and narrowly averted crashing on to the sea wall.

LIBERALS’ WAR CHEST. LONDON. February IT. In spite of his great age of nearly 30 years, the Earl, of Rosebery, who. it is reported. still takes a great interest iu public affairs, has thrown, a bombshell into the Liberal camp by asking in a letter to the press for information about Mr Lloyd George’s cleetoral fund, which is reported to amount to over £2,000.060. Lord Rosebery bluntly asks how much the fund is, and from whom it was obtained. An official in Mr Lloyd George’s office said yesterday: “We do ftot think it necessary or ’ desirable at. present to reply, further titan to say that the fund which Mr Lloyd George controls was raised in a way which does not differ from that followed by the Conservative Party or the liberal Party in the days before the coalition, and tliat all along it has been devoted to legitimate party purposes.” SHORT SKIRT VOGUE. • LONDON, February 16. The present vogue of knitted goods and the short small skirt were factors fn the depression of the worsted trade, said Mr Wood (secretary of the Woollen and Worsted Trades’ Federation) in the course of a, paper before the Rova] Statistical Society. The wool industry, he said, did not usually meet the'depression bv dischargingtrained workpeople, but by* short time” and the/mere figures of unemployment, therefore, did not tell the whole tale cf depression. Reckoning the decline both in the numbers of the employed and the average earnings the wool textile industry as a whole, showed a reduetion of 25 per cent, in 1926, compared with May, 1920. That depression had lasted for three years, and it showed no signs of lifting. There were 47,500 fewer persons employed*in woollen worsted manufacturing last year than in the. hosiery section. j CHAMBER OF SHIPPING JUBILEE — LONDON, February 16; In the presence of Mr Baldwin as chief guest at the Chamber of Shipping jubilee banquet at the Hotel Victoria, the Hon. Alexander Shaw, president designate,

explained the Government's attitude towards the mercantile marine by telling the story of a Scottish constable who recovered the body of a drowned man, and was asked by the coroner if any steps had been taken to secure resuscitation. “Ay,” replied the constable, “I searched his pockets. Despite the depression from which shipping at present was suffering, the Hon. Mr Shaw sounded a hopeful note for the future. Mr Baldwin, who removed a cheap cherrywood pipe from his mouth in order to respond, gave an admirable sketch of the progress made by the mercantile marine, and paid a tribute to the heroic behaviour of its members during the war. AN ECONOMIC BOYCOTT. WASHINGTON, February 16. Senor Jose Miguel. Bejarano, of the Mexican Chamber of Commerce in New \ ork, protested before the Senate Foreign Relations. Sub-committee, that the financial and economic boycott of Mexico by American. bankers and business men was. having a deadly effect upon the country. He de” clared that American bankers were- influencing diplomats, in the relations, between the two nations, and said that the United States was fast approaching a serious crisis, in which it was in ..danger of losing the friendship of all the Latin-American countries. An American bank was refusing to renew loans to Mexico, and in many other cases had recalled loans. It was the general belief that this financial boycott was conducted at the direction of the State Department. Mexico was not afraid of armed intervention by the United States. Senor Bejarano, declared that the boycott was far more deadly.

EMPIRE AIRWAYS. .. LONDON, February 15. Though it is considered that it will.be at least two years before the new airships are likely to voyage to Australia, the Air Ministry is anxious to have the meteorological data completed as quickly as possible. A tendency has arisen among the advocates of airships to conclude that certain masts should 4>e erected at Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, but the Air Ministry’s preliminary meteorological survey, as outlined at the Imperial Conference, definitely limited the masts to Perth and Melbourne as offering the most stable conditions. It is expected that the delegation of Experts which is about to leave will endorse this view, after which it is hoped Mr Bruce will indicate the extent to wtf ch Australia is willing to co-operate in the preparatory work, and also in the erection of masts.

GROSS SUPERSTITION. PARIS, February 20. An appalling story of country folks’ superstition comes from the village of Ballots, where Auguste Guillot, aged 78, became suspected of sorcery because he did not attend mass, and also because horses and sheep stampeded at sight of him. Finally he fondled a baby, which died of convulsions next day. Later he was crossing a field, when the sheep stampeded. The shepherdess cudgelled him, and knocked, him down. Her brothers then joined in battering !iim, and thev left Guillot apparently dead.. Next morning. fluillot crawled; to another farmhouse and. begged attention to his injuries, but the farmer’s wife savagely attacked him, gouging out one of his eyes with, a pitchfork.. Sire smashed his nose, and pushed the unconscious man under- a hedge, where he was found three days afterwards. Guillot lingered for three months, and has just died a physical wreck. MARCONI’S COMPANY. LONDON, February 19. The Financial Times says that it is officially announced by Marconi’s Wireless Telegraph Company tliat the Advisory Committee, consistng of Lords Ashfield and Buckland, Sir Hugo Hirst, and M. Szarvasy, is now not prepared to act in that capacity, the Shareholders’ Comm it - tee being tin willing to accept as a cardinal condition, that the recommendations of the Advisory Committee should be supported by the board, and by the Shareholders’ Committee. A statement issued on behalf of Marconi’s shareholders points out that the Board of Directors agreed to accept all the Advisory Committee’s decisions when formulated, but the Shareholders’ Committee demanded the right to reject or accept the Advisory Committee’s decisions, as ft thought fit. The Advisory Committee therefore refused to act. Tire Shares holders’ Committee is preparing its own proposals for the general meeting. BENGAL RAILWAYS STRIKE. DELHI. February 16. A strike, whieli had been threatening for some time, commenced in the BengalNagpur Railway Workshops at Kharapur, and led to disorder. * Thirteen persons were injured in a collision between the strikers and the loyal employees. Subsequently the strikers attacked * the police, and it is reported that the latter fired on the strikers. The station is now patrolled by armed police.; All goods traffic via,Kharapur is suspended. Later, in the Legislative Assembly, it was stated that the police did not fire, but were compelled to use their bayonets. The Railway Workers’ Union has called a general strike all along the line. Serious communal disturbances occurred at Indore, six persons being killed and twenty wounded. February 18. The strike on the"'Bengal-Nagpur railway is gradually dying out, and only the Calcutta-Kharagpur section is affected. Recruits are thronging the Labour office.

Professor H. B. .Lees-Smith (Lab.) moved an amendment declaring that the proposed cha'nges in ■ the House of Lords were intended to gerrymander the constitution ip the interests, of the Conservative Party. Mr E. Thurtle (Lab.) who. seconded the amendment-, emphasised the fact that the Labour Party stood for single-chamber Government. It would, however, rather have the honest stupidity of hereditary peers than the enlightened cunninv of ennobled industrialists. ° Mr Ramsay MacDonald said that the Tones wanted to remain in power after they were kicked out of office. They were beginning, to see the end of their tether. Sir W. Joynson-Hieks (Home Secretary) declined to outline the Government’s policy in the matter,, but he said.it was determined to carry out its pledges. The debate ended without a division. CHINESE GENERALS’ PLIGHT.

SHANGHAI, February 15. An amazing trial that could only happen in China is taking place in Wuchang : City, which was besieged for 40 days. The anti-Red generals who were respon- ! sible for the resistance are being charge ! ! with defending the city against the Cani tonese army. The judges are fourteen Nationalist appointees, and include , women from the Women’s Political Kuomintang Party and assorted union, delegates. The prosecutor announced that he was representing the people of Wuchang, who ■ were forced to suffer by military resistance. .They were starved and ate animals, trees, anil babies, and their homes were burnt. Other charges are: First, fighting the revolutionaries ; secondly, killing members of the people's army; thirdly, opposing : revolution. During the cross-examination of the i generals strenuous attempts were made I to collect the admission that British gunI- boats assisted the anti-Rcds, but the I defendants denied this. [ The consensus of opinion is that the 1 death penalty will follow, as the trial is merely a formality.

SOUTH AFRICAN AFFAIRS. CAPETOWN, February 17. The elections of provincial councils, which are fought on the same voters’ role ; as the Assembly elections, are progressing. While the duel between the Nationalists ; and the South African Party in the rural areas shows no decisive trend, the • Labourites suffered severely, losing teu seats to the South African Party, and being practically wiped out in Natal, while a number of so-called Independents’ who generally supported the Government, lost their seats. On the whole the present Opposition has been maintained in the rural constituencies, but the urban centres, where Labour is naturally strongest, show a definite set against the Government. With the exception of the Witwatersrand the whple of the voters appeared apathetic. A feature of the campaign har§ been the inutsiial appearance of Cabinet Ministers in the fray, showing tke importance attached to the result of the Government. ' TRADE UNION LAWS. LONDON, February 15. In the House of Commons the debate on the Labour amendment to the Adress-in-Reply criticising the Government’s proposed industrial legislation was continued. Mr J. H. Thomas taunted the Government that when it was in difficulties it always looked to Sir John Simon to come to the rescue. It was absurd to talk about the danger of the Labour Party's finance. Personally, he suggested that all parties, of the House should not onlv produce balance-sheets of party funds, Out state how the money was produced. He advised the Government not to go cn with this measure, bitt if it did the Labour Party would substitute another at the first opportunity. Sir Douglas Hogg (Attorney-General) closed the debate.. Referring to mass picketing, he pointed out that there had been 6000 convictions under the emergency regulations. The Government would be willing to consult labour opinion in regard to trade union legislation, but if the proposal for consultation was refused the Government would not hesitate to protect trade unionists and the whole nation from injustice, tyranny, and abuse. Sir dynes’s amendment was defeated bv 313 votes, to 135, and the Address to the Throne was agreed to.

SUICIDE EPIDEMIC. NEW YORK. February 14. An epidemic of suicides among young students of the universities and high schools during the past eight weeks has shocked the nation.The series of deaths came to a head yesterday when a young college man shot himself, leaving a despondent note, and to-day when three high school students committed, self-murder, making the total 11 in two months;' Several of these were members of prominent families who livein comfortable circumstances. Oue left a message saying that he was going on a glorious adventure. Another said he believed he would become a burden. A third, wrote that lie feared he would lose his mind. A fourth destroyed himself after amateur theatricals in the school auditorium, at which he had been received with great applause. The most affecting case was that of the son of the noted American poet, M* Louis Untermeyer. The youngster killed himself shortly after being visited by his father.- ''

A GLARING FAILURE. - LONDON, February 17. The Hon. Alexander Shaw, in his presidential address at the jubilee meeting .of the Chamber of Shipping, said.:. “The shipowners have seen with some interest the actual operation in the shipping world of those theories of public ownership and control which are so widely advocated to-day. We challenge those who urge them to point to one corner bf the earth where Socialism has even been applied in practice to shipping under normal conditions without sterilising effort, while the expense is piling up, and the loss is adding to the burden which the taxpayer has to carry. The failure of Socialism at sea is written in glaring letters, so that all who are not blinded by prejudice may discern the unwisdom of attempting to nationalise the business, which by its very nature is international, and, moreover, depends perhaps more than any other upon the quick ingenuity of ' private effort.” TENDERS FOR CANNED MEAT. LONDON, February 18. Apropos of the Admiralty inviting tenders returnable on April 4 for 1,000-,ooolb of canned meat, Mr Hassan, the Australian Meat Council’s representative, states that unless concerted aetion is' taken the naval contract, like the army ouc. may be lost to the Empire. Questions in the : House of Commons had only resulted in the Secretary of War supporting the Director of Army Contracts and- indicating the Government's policy to continue giving the dominions the cold shoulder. The Minister had admitted that he did not know if the Government’s clauses relating to fair wages and conditions were imposed upon the Argentine producers. The fact that there were only two tenders from the dominions for the last contract, added Mr Hassan, was evidence that the meat producers were being ; gradually eliminated from the field owing to their inability to compete with the paralysing odds which resulted from production served by native labour. THE HOUSE-OF PEERS. LONDON, February 15. In the House of Commons during a de bate on the Estimates a discussion arose on the reform of the House of Lords. Mr Gerald Hurst (Con.) moved a motion in favour of reducing the hereditary character of the Upper Chamber. FOREIGN GOLD. LONDON, February 18. x In the House of Commons the whole day was spent discussing a private member’s Bill, introduced by Mr R. Mitchell-Banks, and seconded by Mr Basil E. Peto. The Bill is designed to prevent any person or association from inviting, accepting, or using funds from foreign sources for the furtherance or maintenance of industrial disputes. Mr Mitchell-Banks, anticipating the Government’s aloofness from-the Bill, said it was all very well for the Home Secretary to say he could not stop money, but he did so during the general strike, and sent it back to Moscow. Undoubtedly foreign money prolonged the disastrous coal strike. * i Mr Kelly Rose (Labour) moved the rejection of the Bill, saying he was always opposed to strikes. He would welcome any Bill which was really a blister in Communism, but this Bill would not hurt Communism a little bit. Sir W. Joynson-Hicfcs said that the Ministry was of opinion that the Bill should be left to the decision of the House. Personally Le thought, the Bitt would not achieve the object of its promoters.

The second reading was defeated bv IS.” to 75. TALKING PICTURES' NEW YORK, February 3. Talking pictures will soon be an actuality on theatre screens. . 'Die General Electric Company, which produced the new photophone, is working on several contracts for the immediate production of projection machines. At a second demonstration of the new pictures it was explained that the directors find difficulty in excluding from the film extraneous noises. This means that in talking pictures the actors •wtst not make unnecessary noise and must speak their parts exactly at the proper moment. One demonstration showed the use of music with the picture, the strains of a 100-pieee orchestra flooding every corner of the exhibition room. Low frequency tones, which in the past have been- difficult to reproduce, were easily identified The first pictures will not be in dramatic form, because of the studio problem and the human element, but pictures of bands and speakers with incidental sounds will be produced. As the high technique is. developed the production will turn to dramas.

AN AMBITIOUS VENTURE. LONDON. February 18. The Sensible Heat Distillation Company has been registered with a capital of £250,000. It is learned that the company is arranging for the immediate development of the Maryvale and Morwcll coalfields. The' preliminary activities cover the ininstallation of excavators to remove the top bed of soil preparatory to mining the surface coal. A portion of the raw brown coal will be sold, and the rest will be made into briquettes Meanwhile the company is arranging to secure machinery similar to that used in Germany to distil the brown coal. This machinery- is expected to be available, for assembly in Australia early in 1928. The company anticipates that- the system will ultimately be able to supply all

the oil requirements of the Commonwelth both refined spirit and heavy oils. Maryvale is situated on the Macquarie River, and. is. about 250 miles from Syd-, ney by rail. Morwell is a small town in South .Gippsland, 88 miles east of Mel- . bourne. The diamond drill has proved the seaun of brown coal near the township to be. 810 ft thick, one of the largest known - seams in the world. CANADIAN MINISTER IN ': WASHINGTON. ' WASHINGTON, February 16. With the arrival of Mr Vincent Massey, the new Canadian Minister to the United States, three permanent envoys of the British Commonwealth met to-nio-ht in Washington for the first time in history. The British Ambassador. Sir Esme Howard, and the Irish Free State Minister, Mr T. A. Smidxly, greeted Mr Massey upon bis arrival. Mr Massey will present his credentials fo the Secretary of State to-morrow, and ,on Friday he will be formally received by President Coolidge. Mr Vincent Massey was born in Toronto on February 20, 1887. He is the eldest son of Chester Daniel Massey, and was educated at St. Andrew’s College and the University of Toronto, where he took his B.A. in 1910. He pursued a post-graduate course at Balliol College, Oxford, famous as a training school of statesmen, being graduated with honours :in modern history. He was lecturer in modern history in the University of Toronto from 1913 until 1915. In 1.919 he entered the Massey-Harris Manufacturing Company (makers of agricultural implements) as secretary and director, and later became its president. A strong Liberal, he accepted the invitation of Mr Mackenzie King in September. 1925;.- to enter bis Cabinet without portfolio. Mr Massey gave up liis business interests, ■ took a leading part in the ensuing campaign and in the Ontario constituency of Durham, regarded as a Conservative stronghold, but failed to do more than reduce kis opponent’s majority below the 1000 mark. During the war Mr Massey was in command of a school of musketry, beiug promoted temporary lieutenautcolonel in October, 1916. Iu January, 1918, he became associate secretary of the war committee at Ottawa. He married a daughter of Sir George Parkin, and they had two sons. Mr Massey’s personal qualifications for his present post are recognised on both sides of the border. They include his wide range of interests, his political and business experience and his cultural' interests. Although only 40 years of age this month, lie has crowded a wealth of experience and training into Iris* life that would seem to fit him eminently for the position of responsibility he has assumed. Mr Massey has that desireratum in diplomatic circles, a fortune. One of his main hobbies is architecture, and another; is the theatre. — •

February 1* Mr Vincent Massey, Canadian Minister ; to Washington, was received by President Coolidge at White House to-day, when he presented his credentials. After a brief address, in which Mr Massey expressed . the friendliest relations with the United i States, President Coolidge greeted tire . Minister, and promised the co-operation of his Administration in the new diplomatic relationship between the two countries. I MENTAL TELEPATHY. LONDON, February 16. The Society of Psychical Research has organised a remarkable experiment in mass telepathy by means of wireless with the assistance of Sir Oliver Lodge and a party of leading scientists. The scientists were locked up in a room in Bloomsbury, and they endeavoured to project a series of thoughts into space in the hope that ti'steners-in would pick up the thoughts In order that the test might be beyond suspicion the scientists will remain locked in Bloomsbury until after the first pest to-day. Sir deliver Lodge, addressing millions of listeners-iri, pointed out that much evidence ef telepathy was possible in times of emotional distress, such as death, and also if persons were in close sympathy with each other, but tlie object of the experiment was to see if telepathy operated over a distance on a mass scale. Personally he thought tlia't the mind would be so screened by the body that mass telepathy would be unlikely. First, the iocked-up scientists thought of a certain playing card for three minutes, and then asked the listeners to write down which was the card. Secondly, they thought of a picture ; thirdly, of an object, of which they asked the listeners to record an impression other than sight; fourthly, another plavtng card ; fifthly. a repetition of the third test. The listeners were finallv asked to nost their answers immediately.*- Sir Oliver Lodge pointed out that every allowance would be made for chance. February 18; The Society for Psychical Research has received 15',000 letters recording impressions of the telepathy tests. These have not yet been sorted. «