NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3854, 24 January 1928, Page 49

NEWS BY CABLE.

ASSISTED MIGRANTS. LONDON, January 19.

Th Q . Rotorua carries 124 assisted migrants; including 28 sheep owners’ scheme .hoys. .

/../ ;■ JAPANESE ELECTIONS. ?: ■“ TOKIO. January 20. A special session of-Cabinet resolved to dissolve the House of Representatives today. The general elections will be held on February 19.

NEW LABOUR RECRUIT.

.s. . LONDON, January 20. Labour’s latest recruit, Lady Clare, is contesting the West Bristol seat. The by-election is due to the Hon. G. A. Gibb’s.'elevation to the peerage.

QUEEN OF JUGO SLAVIA. LONDON, January 19. The British United Press at Berlin reports’ that a telephone message from Belgrade states that the Queen of Jugoslavia has given birth to a son.

COST OF LIVING.

RUGBY, January 17.

Tire official cost of living figures in Britain show a further slight decrease. On December 31 the average level of retail prices of commodities was approximately 68 per cent, above that of July, 1914.

PENNY POSTAGE. LONDON, January 20. The annual conference of the Association . of the British Chambers of Commerce adopted a resolution in favour of the speediest adoption of Imperial penny postage.

NEW EASTERN CABLE.

LONDON, January 20. The Eastern Extension Company opens the first Palestine cable next week. It is installing a regenerator at Port Said and Suez to accelerate communication to India.

RUSSIAN OIL.

WASHINGTON, January 16

Mr H. C. Hoover (Secretary of Commerce) declared that the Commerce Department did not intend to interfere in the reported dispute between the Standard Oil and the Royal Dutch and Shell Compainies. *

SERBIA’S INFANT PRINCE.

LONDON, January 20.

The Belgrade correspondent of The Times states that the’ royal baby will retain the name of Andreas until the second christening, when a definite name will be chose by the Duke of York as godfather to the Serbian Royal Family. .

ENGLAND AND WALES. LONDON, January 19. ’The births in England and Wales in 1927 were 16.7 per 1000, the lowest recorded. The deaths were 12.3, which is above the 1926 average. The deaths of children under 12 months were 69 per 1000, which equals the lowest recorded.

LORD BYNG’S VISCOUNTY. LONDON, January 18.

Lord Byng’s long-deferred Viscounty has been gazetted. It was conferred in October, 1926, but Lord Byng refused Inpayment almost £lOOO in fees for the honour, for which politicians pay nothing The Treasury paid Lord Byng’s fees.

HANGED AT THE BRIDGEHEAD. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 18. The notorious Circassian bandit Hadji Samy and two confederates, who secretly landed in Smyrna with the avowed object of assassinating Mustapha Kemal Pasha, Were hanged at the bridgehead at Stamboul. A large crowd watched the gruesome spectacle. CRIMINALS IN SICILY. ROME, January 16. Following the Mafia sentences there has been a big roundup of alleged criminals n Sicily. Three hundred persons were arrested and charged with many murders and attempted murders, and 160 thefts. There are also 80 charges of incendiarism. Other crimes are also alleged. p'.i THE BRITISH NAVY. LONDON, January 17. The Government has decided in reference to further cruiser construction that instead of laying down three 8000-tonners in 1928 29 only two will be laid down, thus saving £6,500,000. It is understood that the army estimates save nearly £1,000,000. |? ■ DOMINIONS’ SECRETARY.

VANCOUVER, January 19.

When Mr Amery reaches Toronto he will be asked to refrain from discussing British preferences. Ontario manufacturers say that they find more interest in naval contributions than in British goods. Mr Amery’s advocacy, of Hudson Bay is causing unfavourable comment. 1-, , THE FLINT MURDER. NEW YORK, January 18. .Adolf Hotelling, who is charged with the murder of Dorothy Schneider at Flint, Michigan, was arraigned in a farmyard

to avoid a mob of 6000 who threatened to lynch him. A plea of not guilty was entered for him owing to his present state of confusion, due to hysteria.

Hotelling was sentenced to life imprisonment on the grounds of insanity. He previously confessed to two other outrages on children.

MARKING IMPORTED GOODS.

LONDON, January 16. During the application by the Board of Trade for the compulsory marking of imported enamelled zinc sheets under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, it was disclosed that the Marketing Board used Belgian sheets for its stall at the Olympia Exhibition, believing that they were of British manufacture.

EX-SERVICEMEN. PARIS, January 17. At the reception to the executive of the International Ex-Servicemen’s Federation the president of the German section, representing . 500,000 members, assured M. Briand that ho could rely on 6,000,000 members to support the ideal of an international entente.

“ SEEING-IN.”-RUGBY, January 19.

The Baird television experts announce that television will be definitely estab lished between London and New York during the next few weeks. Experiments have enabled faces and hands to be seen across the Atlantic, and, although the features were indistinct, it is anticipated that this will be overcome in the near future.

ARMY CONSCRIPTION

LONDON, January 20. Tire Paris correspondent of The Times says that the Chamber of Deputies adopted November 1, 1930, as the date for the introduction of the one-year period of military service, provided that soldiers, in the event of th e necessity to fight, agree to serve for a further term. The Bill was adopted by 410 votes to 23.—A. Bill was adopted by 410 votes to 23.

BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

RUGBY, January 17. The legislation to be foreshadowed in the King’s Speech at the opening of Parliament on February 7 will be dis cussed at a Cabinet meeting to-morrow. The coming sitting will be the last full session before the general election, and it is anticipated by the press that the Government will avoid a long legislative programme.

THE FORD COMPANY.

NEW YORK, January 17. At Detroit Federal Judge Tuttle ordered the Ford Company to pay the Parker Rust-Proof Company 367,000d0l and 10 years’ interest at 5 per cent., in reply to the Parker Company’s demand for the organisation to pay 1,000,000d0l for an alleged infringement of the rights on a process for treating iron and steel to prevent rust.

FUNDS EXHAUSTED

BERLIN, January 20. Dr Marx caused a sensation in the Reichstag by admitting that the secret funds of the Ministry of Finance were completely exhausted by subsidising the Phoebus Film Company’s patriotic films. The total involved is £300,000. The Chancellor declared that while Dr Gessler was responsible as head of the Ministry, the transaction was carried out by minor officials without his knowledge.

THE ARMY AND NAVY.

RUGBY, January 18. The newspapers anticipate that reductions will be made in the estimates of the army and navy expenditure for the coming financial year. It is stated that these will mean a saving of nearly £1,000,000. Further curtailment of the cruiser building programme, which would effect still greater economy, is reported but lacks at the moment official confirmation.

AUSTRALIAN APPLES.

VANCOUVER, January 18. At the British Columbia Fruit Growers’ Convention at Kelowna, Mr J. H. M‘Donald, who recently visited Australia, said that with British Columbia orchards freed from fireblight the Australian embargo on apples would be lifted. He advocated as sisting Empire trade by buying Australian apples during April, May, and June, instead of United State sfruit. He urged sending a trade representative to Australia to advertise British Columbia fruit.

BRITAIN’S UNEMPLOYED.

RUGBY, Januarv Unemployment continues to show violent fluctuations. The latest weekly return shows that the unemployed of January 9 totalled 1,232,100. This was 104,203 fewer than the week before, when there was an increase of 232,000, as the result of the discharge of workers who had been employed in the Christmas trade. As compared with the same time last year the latest return shows a decrease of 199,914.

FRANCHISE IN BRITAIN.

LONDON, January 20. There is a possibility that the Government may take advantage of the drafting of the new Franchise Bill conferring votes on women of 21 to revive a former

provision under which persons in receipt of poor law relief were not allowed to vote. It is urged that the Bill will thus be rendered more agreeable to those Government supporters who are not en thusiastic about the extension of the fran cliise. . AMERICA’S PRODUCTS. WASHINGTON, January 20. Representative Dickinson has introduced a measure amending the Fordney-M‘Cum-ber Tariff in order to secure the additional protection of American agricultural products. Five cents per pound would be placed on imported dry-salted hides, 4c per lb on wet-salted hides, 16c per lb on dry-salted calfskins, and 10c - per lb on wet-salted calfskins. These items are now free. -

The rates on meat, fresh and prepared, would be increased from 20 per cent, to 40 per cent, ad valorem.

ENGLISH FARMERS.

LONDON, January 18. The proceedings at the annual meeting of the National Farmers’ Union indicated a possible development similar to Australia’s by the creation of a separate Farmers’ Party. The union decided to instruct the council to consider seriously the selecting and supporting of Independant Agricultural candidates at the general election, and ordered the preparation of a concise policy statement for a propaganda campaign. It was revealed that the union already has £11,500 as the nucleus of a political fund.

NOVEL ADVERTISEMENT.

LONDON, January 21. Mr T. P. O’Connor has personally written to the Home Secretary and the Treasury officials, stating that he is aghast at the audacity of a dog-racing bookmaker advertising himself on the back of Treasury notes. There ar e hundreds of these in circulation in North-east London with the bookmaker’s name, followed by the words, “ Safe as the bank ” on them.

It is stated that the law at present has no grounds for prosecution, But the Treasury is consulting legal experts.

AN INSPIRED PICTURE.

LONDON, January 18. Lord Woolavington has purchased Sir John Longstaff’s inspired picture, “ Ghosts of Menin Gate,’ - which he states he is “ proud to offer to Australia in remembrance of her gallant soldiers and as a mark of esteem for the Commonwealth. I am impressed by the picture,” he adds, “ and the only condition is that it be suitably hung at Canberra.” It is understood that Sir John Longstaff originally asked £3OOO for the picture. but was willing to accept less provided it went to Australia.

GENEVA NAVAL CONFERENCE

WASHINGTON, January 20. The Geneva Conference was described in Congress to-day by Representative Wood, of Indiana, as a complete fiasco, because the United States hacl no ships to scrap or construction work to stop. He asserted that failure came in spite of the fact that England might have abandoned the further construction of additional cruisers, thus maintaining in . greater degree the ratio agreed upon five years ago. He declared : “ The time has arrived when we must embark upon a mer cantile marine programme that will establish the United States in the eves of the world.”

THE FILM WORLD

LOS ANGELES, January 5. A sensation has been caused in the film world by Rex Ingram, ranked as the world’s second greatest producer, turninn Moslem.

Ingram Jias retired to Nice, where he has built an Oriental, mansion and surrounded himself with Arabs and Buddhistic sculpture. .. o, ’e reason given is that his artistic ideals are at variance with hj s box office mentality. An alternative reason advanced is that Ingram has seen the great D. W. Griffith become a screen shadow, and he has left before a similar fate overtakes him.

TOWN PLANNING.

RUGBY, January 17. Town planning made record progress in Scotland and Wales last year, according to figures compiled by the Ministry of Health. The total area of the schemes is now over 3,000,000 acres. All the urban authorities with populations of 20,000 or more are compelled to townplan, and 157 authorities are already pledged to schemes, while 236 local authorities that are either rural or have populations smaller than 20,000 have voluntarily decided to consider future developments;

SERIOUS GAOL RIOT.

DELHI, January 21. A serious revolt has broken out* among Indian prisoners at Naini Central, Jain Allahabad, a battle with armed warders lasted several hours after a rising, which began at a given signal. The convicts overpowered the warders and armed themselves with weapons from the gaol stores. They cut off the nose of the chief overseer, and disembowelled the cook.

The gaol superintendent summoned assistance, and drove the convicts to the roof, where they showered tiles and stones on the heads of the warders, who fired a volley, killing the ringleader and injuring 17. Several warders were hurt before the riot was suppressed

AMERICAN TARIFF. WASHINGTON, January 16. The United States Senate is in favour of a reduction in the existing Republican tariff schedules, having adopted Mr M'Master’s resolution stating that such a revision should.be made in order to establish agriculture on a basis of equality with industry. The voting was 54 to 34. Twelve MidWestern Republicans joined with the almost-solid Democratic forces to ‘secure an adoption of the resolution, these being Messrs Blaine, Borah, Crookhart, Capper, Frazier. Howell, La Follette, M‘Master, Norbeck, Norris, Nye, and Pine. Only two Democrats voted against it. BRITISH BY-ELECTION. LONDON, January 18. Mr Ernest Hailwood, who has already stood as an Independent Conservative at two by-elections, losing his deposit in each case, is standing similarly for Faversham. When leaving the Guildhall, where he handed in his nomination papers, he was angrily attacked by a group of orthodox Conservatives shouting: .“ You’re not a Conservative ; you are a Socialist! You will lose your £150.” Mr Hailwood retorted: I am a Conservative. You l>lighter s ar e not fit to be Conservatives, Socialists or anything else.

The by-election will consequently be a four-cornered one.

CANADIAN PRODUCERS.

OTTAWA, January 18. The annual convention of the Canadian Produce Association at Montreal pasesd a resolution asking the Government to adjust the creamery tariff to afford uro tection to producers who were finding increasing difficulty in competing with” mi ports from the Southern Hemisphere. Sir Edward Hallman (Toronto) said that the tariff permitted the importation of He made special leijr ence to toe trade agreement with Anstra. ia and claimed that butter same into Canada fiom Australia selling at a price sometimes lower than home produce.

PRESIDENT COSGRAVE IN NEW YORK.

NEW YORK, January 20. President Cosgrave, of the Irish Free State, arrived to-day on a goodwill visit. Three thousand police guarded the route to the City Hall in case of a demonstration by oppositionists, but no disturbing incidents occurred. _ t. CHICAGO, January 21. President Cosgrave arrived and was greeted by the Mayor, “ Big Bill ” Thompson, who gave a luncheon in his honour, despite the protests of various Irish societies of Republican leanings. He will proceed to Washington to-mor-row.

PENSIONS IN BRITAIN. RUGBY, January 17. The new section of the contributory pensions scheme, whereby persons become eligible for the old age pension of 10s a week at the age of 65 instead of 70, as hitherto, has now been in operation’ for a fortinght. The estimate of the Government actuary when legislations providing for the new pensions was being passed was that 466,000 persons, of both sexes would be entitled to them. This figure will prove to be very accurate, for 460,000 claims have already been admitted, and there remain 10,000 claims which present some difficulty, and have still to be decided.

RUSSIAN SECURITIES.

NEW YORK, January 20. It is understood that the Russian Soviet Government has devised a method of selling its securities here without conflict with State Department policies, and as an initial effort has begun selling direct to- American investors portions pf 30,000,000d0l of Russian railway bonds, the issue of which was recently authorised.

The Soviet has arranged for the payment of interest and principal in dollars through credit banks here, at Chicago, and at San Francisco. Bonds at present will be delivered by mail from London, but eventually there may be arrangements for their immediate delivery here.

ZOUBKOFF AGAIN.

BERLIN, January 21. Rumour is busy concerning M. Zoubkoff, the young husband of the exKaiser’s sister. Since it has been discovered that he is in a sanatorium at Ahrweiler, one newspaper alleges that he is a drug addict, and has been spending his evenings at night clubs. In a recent carousal in a tavern he emptied his revolver at the ceiling and pictures. The Princess placed him under a specialist. The Princess, however, says he is in a sanatorium recovering from his recent motor cycling accident. “My relations with my husband are the best imaginable,”' she says. “ When he is better we will travel together.”

THE ADMIRALTY STAFF.

LONDON, January 17. Substantial reductions in the Admiralty staff can be made without impairing the navy’s efficiency, declares the Select Committee on the Estimates. After pointing out that, while the personnel of the navy decreased from 151,000 in 1914 to 102,275, and the number of ships in commission or on the reserve, from 618 to 394, the Admiralty staff increased from 1900 to 3026.

Sir Oswyn Murray, permanent secre tary to the Admiralty, in reply, says that the navy, though smaller, is very much more complicated. The labour entailed in making a contented navy and by the

elaboration of the equipment of modern ships of , war is beyond all comparison greater than it was in 1914. I. ’

HIS LAST LETTER.

■ LONDON, January 21. At the Grenadier Guards’ dinner/, which the Prince of Wales attended, a Sergeant told how a young guardsman in the war was shot in the chest. In his dying moments he. gasped that there was a letter in his tunic pocket, and asked, was anynody going back to the second line? • ••"

Nobody was going. Even the cooks of the Genadiers had forsaken their ordinary work for rifle work. A young officer who had come up had heard'the dying man's question, and saying that he had to go back to Divisional Headquarters he took * the soldier’s letter.

The officer was the Prince of Wales, the letter was for the boy’s mother, and j it was the last she would ever get from ' her son.

A GALLANT TRAMP. LONDON, January 21. The Yorkshire Post features a thrilling / story of heroism related in Hyde” (Cheshire), A lonely tramp, walking along an em-« bankment, heard screams, and saw a boy, ‘ Herbert Knowles, with his foot wedged’ in the points in a railway cutting. The, tramp vainly tried to release the bej,! by undoing his boot. Then the Manchester train whistled, -j and the tramp twisted the boy’s boot | parallel with the earth, lay down beside /’ him, and pressed him between the rails. .3. The train whizzed overhead, and both > were unscathed.

Rescuers collected a few shilling's and gave them to the tramp, who declined to’’ f give his name.

RADIO TELEPHONY. WASHINGTON, January 19. A radio telephonic service between Continental Europe and Washington was in- i augurated by a three-minute conversation! / between Mr Kellogg and - the United ; States Ambassador (Mr Gibson), also with’J the Belgian Minister of Communications, in Brussells.

LONDON, January 20. World-wide telephonic conversation has been brought appreciably nearer by an important development. Hitherto the United States, Cuba, and Canada were able to speak to the chief cities of Britain, but now they are in direct communication with Brussels and Antwerp. It is the consummation of many months of research and experiment. The messages from Antwerp to Cuba travel by land line and' cabl e to London, thence to Cuba, via New York, by cable and land line without interruption.

UNINHABITED ISLANDS

RUGBY, January 17. The Colonial Secretary announces that Johan lasmussen and Co., of Sandefjord, Norway, are being granted an exclusive license to occupy certain islands belonging to his Majesty. They are Bouvet Island and Thompson Island, which ar e uninhabited and situated in the South Atlantic Ocean in or about latitude 54deg 26min south and longitude 3deg 4min east. The license permits the company to take and treat whales in the territorial • waters of the islands and remove guano, subject, inter alia, to the payment of a yearly rent for the islands and royalties on the whale oil and guano exported. The license is for a term of 10 years. LONDON, January 21. The Norwegian Minister has presented a Note to the Foreign Office informing it that' the Norwegian flag has been hoisted on Bouvet Island. GERMAN FINANCE. BERLIN, January 19. “ Reparations are the root evil with which the German people are faced,” declared Dr Koehler (Minister of Finance) in the Reichstag during a review of the financial position. He -aid the Dawes plan did not provide the final solution which Germany demanded in order to realise the exact nature of her obligations. “The present Reich Budget balances without an increase of taxation, but in my opinion the business boom has reached

a climax, and a gradual falling off in trade is already noticeable. The Government is considering the renewal of credits for the development of exports. The outlook for 1929 is gloomier, as an additional £15,000,000 will be required for the Dawes payments. The Treasury will then lack the funds needful to balance the Budget, and, as an increase in taxation is impossible, the strictest economy is essential.”

GERMAN DEFENCE.

BERLIN, January 19 Wilhelm Groener has supplanted Dr Gessler as Minister of Defencd. He sprang into world prominence during the war. He controlled railway operations until 1926, when he took charge of the economic mobilisation of the civilian population. He succeeded Ludendorff in 1928 ?s quartermaster-general. He played a <7ecisive role in the ex-Kaiser’s flight to Holland, for which the Nationalists are still reproaching him, alleging that he misle.d the Kaiser.

January 19. In connection with Herr Groenor’s appointment as Minister of Defence, the Berlin correspondent of the Daily Express says that President Hindenberg has made a remarkable choice in selecting an ' old comrade in arms, one of the ablest men in Germany, de>spit e the violent opposition of the Nationalists. The appointment will probably result in Herr Groener becoming the next President. He is not only a staunch upholder of the Republic but a courageous patriot and a great soldier. It was on his advice that the Kaiser abdicated.

THE COTTON TRADE. LONDON, January 17.

The first meeting of importance at the round-taole conference of cotton manufacturers and employees ended in a startling manner. The employers had not made any secret for some "days of their ideas of improving the trade outlook, which entailed a 25 per cent, reduction of wages and an increase of hours to 52, instead of 48 weekly. •The end of to-day’s meeting was that the employers’ secretary wanted the employees to agree to a communique merely stating that they had conferred and adjourned, but the employees’ representative promptly announced that the unions had straightaway informed the employers that under no circumstances would they even consider increased hours or reduced wages, but that they were willing to co operate with any effort to improve trade arid discover the root causes of the prolonged depression, and suggested a request for a government inquiry.

FORGERY OF RELICS.

LONDON, January 17.

Hunter Charles Rogers, the most spectacular art imposter of the century, was sent to goal for a year for forging of relics of famous men.

He obtained considerable notoriety by claiming to have dug up Shakespearean relics and treasures in a garden in Warwickshire, and claiming that a humble cottage at Slough was packed with Shakespearean manuscript, a marriage certificate, and even cloaks alleged to have been worn at theatrical performances. Experts were induced to visit and inspect the collection, and one after another pronounced them forgeries, though so clever that it took time to arrive at definite conclusions. Nevertheless Rogers persisted, and continued to gather together collections of alleged relics of Milton, Penn, Gray, and many others, pursuing his strange hobby until he found himseli in gaol to-day.

. AMERICA AND NICARAGUA. NEW YORK, January 18. .Senator Wheeler, speaking at the Economic Club, said: “To all intents and purposes President Coolidge and Mr Kellogg are waging an undeclared war agrainst the people of. the litte Republic of Nica- ' ragua, serving the purposes of a small banking group. No person of sound judgment can review the utterances and the activities of the State Department and the President in recent dealings with our southern neighbours without coming to the conclusion that moral chaos reigns in the department and moral confusion in White House. The waters surrounding the country are'churned up by- a procession of American battleships, and marines are being landed in the manner of the Roman Cohorts when Rome was over-running the world. Our aeroplanes are being used to drop bombs upon noncombatants—men, women, and children. Our boys in the marines are being killed upon foreign soil without war being declared.” MURDER OF CONSTABLE. LONDON, January 21. • The week-end witnessed considerable police activity in investigations into the brutal murder of Constable Gutteridge, a policeman, of Essex, last September. An intercepted telephone message resulted in the- most elaborate plans to surprise motorists returning from a garage at Battersea. The plans were successful. One man, who was taken to the police station, attempted suicide in his cell. A search of the garage and the car revealed a service revolver, loaded with dumdum bullets, and a number of surgical instruments and drugs. The police then went to a house in Tooting, and there discovered another service revolver, fully loaded, returning to the garage they found a third revolver. •lome reports say that three men are now detained.. The search is still proceeding. At the time of the committal of the crime the murderer of Gutteridge was supposed to have stolen a doctor’s car, wherein were drugs and instruments.

PAN-AMERICAN CONGRESS. HAVANA. January 20. The proposal of the International Law Committee of the Pan-American Congress to submit all questions in dispute between the United States and Latin-American countries to the International Court ib The Hague is not proving acceptable to America, although it is believed it will obtain a majority support of the South and Central American delegates. It s feared that this may prove the rock on which the congress will break up. HAVANNA, January 21. Mr Hughes (ex-Secretary of State), in addressing the Pan-American delegates at a dinner, said: “America is n Nicaragua in the interests of peace, order, and the fair election,” and she will retire as soon as possible. He pointed out that if, the United States cherished an Imperialistic purpose she would not have withdrawn from Santo Domingo when she entered that country several years ago. “ The United States is keen in trade, ’declared Mr Hughes, “ but the ideals of independence and democracy dominate its people.” : . UNITED STATES TARIFF. WASHINGTON, January 17. The House practically nullified the Senate’s tariff policy when it side-tracked the Macmaster resolution urging’ tariff revision by laying it on the table, where the Republican leaders are determined that it shall stay. A motion by the Republican floor leader (Mr Tilson) tabling th© resolution was carried by 183 votes to 164 after the Democratic floor leader (Mr- Garrett) had attempted to send the

resolution to tho Ways and Means Committee. Mr Garrett's motion did not come to the vote, due to Mr Tilson's motion to table.

A previous message stated: The United States Senate is in favour of a reduction in the existing Republican tariff schedules,-having adopted Mr Macmaster’s resolution stating that such a revision should be made in order to establish agri-, culture on a basis of equality with industry. The voting was 54 to 34. Twelve. Mid-Western Republicans joined with the almost solid Democratic forces to secure an adoption of the resolution, these being Messrs Blaine, Borah, Crookhart, Capper, Frazier, Howell, La Follette, Macmaster, Norbeck, Norris, Nye, and Pine. Only two Democrates voted against it.

AMERICAN SHIPPING. WASHINGTON, January 17.

The Shipping Commissioner presented to the United Shipping Board a resolution to terminate the provisional contract under which Swayne and Hoyte have been operating the America-Australia Orient Line. The Commissioner proposed that the line should be returned to the Emergency Fleet Corporation for operation until it is sold to private interests.

A previous message stated that the board had adopted a resolution cancelling the contracts between it and Swayne and Hoyte, managing agents of the AmericaAustralian Orient Line, which operates several vessels between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, on the ground that Mr W. S. Hill, one of the Shipping Board commissioners, rcepted a loan on a note from Swayne and Hoyte. The resolution stated: “In the opinion of the board the offer and the acceptance of such a loan constitute a grave impropriety.” Mr Hill issued a statement in which he said he never dreamed that the loan would be improper, and was extremely surprised when he learned that the agents of the Department of Justice were investigating the matter. ENGLAND’S HEALTH. RUGBY, January 20. Evidence of the high level at which the health of England and Wales had been maintained during the past year is provided in the vital statistics published today by the Registrar-general. The general death rate was 12.3 per 1000, which is slightly above the 1926 record, owing mainly to an epidemic of influenza early in the year, but the infant mortality rate was the lowest ever recorded. The remarkable decline of the infant death rate since the beginning of the century is one of the most satisfactory features of the tables published during the first, 'four years of the present century. Deaths among infants under one year fell from 154 to 132 per 1000 births. The decline has continued, and last year it stood at 69 infant deaths per 1000 births. This saving of the infant death rate within 25 years is generally regarded as the most remarkable instance of progress in national hygiene. The reduction in infant death rate has kept pace more or less with the fall in the birth rate, which, at 16.7 per 1000 in 1927, was the lowest ever recorded.

A WARTIME PLOT. DELHI. January 20

The story of how, during the war, Calcutta and Rangoon were saved from attack by German warships is related by a former high official of the India Secret Service.

In the autumn of 1915 10 enemy warships were interned in Ssbang, a small port in Northern Sumatra, near the Nicobar Islands. Information was received that the German naval headquarters had formulated a plan. that a German warship should sail from a port in the Western United States to take supplies of anti-British propaganda to a base in Java, thence proceed to Sabang to release the interned vessels and make a concerted attack on Calcutta and Rangoon.

Organised revolutionary outbreaks took place in India and Burma, obviously due partly to enemy propaganda, and meant as preparation for a possible landing. A meagre British naval force was hurriedly summoned and patrolled the Bay of Bengal during Christmas week, when the attack was expected to materialise. The Far Eastern routes were watched, but the German warship from America never reached Sabang.-

THE WESTMINSTER FLOOD. LONDON, January 18

At the inquest on the 10 Westminster flood victims, the Coroner, giving his verdict. said that he was 'not satisfied that sufficient attention had been paid to the safety of certain sections of the Empbank ment.

A policeman gave evidence of the water often jetting from the walls in high tides. He did not report it because he did not think it dangerous. The Town Clerk of Westminster said that there was a breach of 165 ft in Grosvenor r<qd. and two breaches in the Duke of Westminster’s property. The council controlled neither.

The County Council’s chief engineer gave evidence that the river front was regularly surveyed and showed no instability. The tide at Westminster on January 7 was at least Ift above th e century’s record, and was unexpectedly pheromonal Water tats had never occurred sufficiently -to cause alarm where the walla were now collapsed. ■

The Coroner emphasised that, the disaster was due to unprecedented conditions. Tlie .water,, heaped at, the mouth of the Ili’m-t.y simultaneous 'with an unusual tide a; enormous ampqnt of water was desceU ng therefore it would be unreasonable «,e blame anybody.

SOUTHERN EUROPEANS IN AUSTRALIA. ~ , PERTH, January 18. The Premier (Mr P. Collier) stated that his Government viewed with growing seriousness the position which had been created by the continued influx of Southern Europeans. Despite official assurances, there did not seem to be any slackening in the rate at which these foreigners were entering Australia, and Western Australia seemed to be receiving more than a fair share. From June, 1925, to the end of June last 4335 foreigners arrived in Western Australia. These figures did not indicate that the provision that all alien migrants arriving after July 1, 1925, must be in possession of £4O landing money or a guarantee of employment had had any material effect in preventing the influx. There were, Mr Collier said, probably more unemployed in the State at this time of the year than ever before. Reports from all parts of the State showed that foreigners were being given preference, because in many cases they were prepared to work for food only. The State Government had made repeated protests to the Federal Government, but as this was entirely a Federal matter it was not possible for the State Government to regulate the influx of foreigners.

PRESIDENT COOLIDGE. HAVANA. January 16. Joumeving outside his homeland for the first "time since he became President, Mr Coolidge, in a speech keyed to a note of international confidence, helpfulness, and goodwill, opened the Sixth American Congress to-day by urging the nations in the Western Hemisphere to join in the task of assuring all its people the freedom that Columbus had bequeathed to them in an equal measure. Without mentioning the League of Nations or the Monroe Doctrine, he assured the congress that the Pan-American union did not involve antagonism to any section of the world, or to any other organisation, but he declared that the American nations were. committed to the principle that they were better fitted to govern themselves than anyone else was. The United States was prepared to encourage all peaceful pursuits tending to bring the various units of the American family of States closer in more perfect harmony. There was no intention in that hemisphere by any nation of building up a great military establishment to overawe or subjugate its neighbours. He enunciated the doctrine that “ all the nations in this hemisphere are determined to adjust their differences not by resort to force, but by the application of the principles of justice and equity.” In their speeches Mr Coolidge and General Machado (President of Cuba) joined in advocating a policv of mutual goodwill and respect for the American nations. They disclosed, in somewhat veiled terms, the respective views of the Latin-Ameri-can nations and tb e United States regarding the destiny of the Western Hemisphere. General Machado took the occasion to stress Cuba’s complete independence.

FRANCE AND AMERICA. WASHINGTON, January 20.

Pending the arrival of a new French Note on the proposal submitted by Senator Kellogg for a six-Power multilateral treaty renouncing all wars as an instrument of national policy, the State Department officials refuse to discuss the latest turn in the situation, but there is evident disappointment over a Paris forecast that the new Briand Note will b e tantamount to a rejection of the latest American plan. If, as is reported, France will not consent to extend the principle from being merely aggressive to all wars, it is felt here that practically all hope for the success of the project will vanish and, in such circumstances, attention here will probably be concentrated on a FrancoAmerican Arbitration Treaty. NEW YORK, January 21.

The New York Times Washington correspondent says that M. Briand’s reply to Senator Kellogg’s note has been received. Although cordial and friendly in tone, it impressed officials as vague, marking no progress in the negotiations. Opinion is inclined to the view that the multilateral treaty proposal should be dropped for the present, and that it may later take the form of a proposal for a declaration to be' issued simultaneously by the Powers to the effect that they consider war an unfortunate and unwarranted instrument for the settlement of international disputes. ■ It is understood that tbe French Note intimates that in view of France’s European commitments, she cannot subscribe to a pact against all wars, and suggests that the United States might take up the question with other Powers, leaving France out for the present. The State Denartment. however, is ' not inclined to such action. THE LEWIS MURDER. „ LONDON. January 21. A somewhat sensational development has taken place in the Lewis murder case. A definite medical challenge has been issued that Lewis did not die' ag the result of injuries, but from heart failure. Documents bearing on the matter are now at the Hom e Office, where Sir Austen Chamberlain is acting for Sir W. Joynson-Hicks, who is on the Continent. The -new evidence is stated to be the outcome of a Harley street doctor’s personal interest. It is said he motored 900 miles from tire Riviera .in two days to take up the case of the. condemned men, who are dtie to be executed next Friday. ■ Th e specialist in the case does not want his name associated with it. He .admits it is strong action to take, but when the facts ascertained by the doctor who conducted the post mortem were brought to

his knowledge it was the only course pos sible.

lhe defence hopes that the intervention will not only cancel the execution but liberate the accused men. The case has caused immense exitement in Wales, wher e petitions have been signed by hundreds of thousands of people. A cable message from London on November 20 stated that four racecourse frequenters—John Rowlands, Edward Lowlands, Daniel Brisco!!, and William femitli—had been charged at the Glamorgan Assizes with the murder of David Lewis a Cardiff footballer. The prosecu--IQn described it as the most brutal and beastly murder imaginable. The four surLewis, who was a fine athlete, . ? IS arm . 3 behind his and deliberately cut his throat. Then they lett him to die by the roadside. The prosecution contended that the whole four were guilty of murder. The jurv found dLt'Si B ” lty - ""p* B ™'"- «*»»« AUSTRALIA’S TWO NEEDS. PERTH, January 18. , A passenger by the steamer Narkunda is Sir Robert Horne, who, after a month in Australia, is returning to England via New Zealand and Canada. In an interview he said: “As far as one can see the two things needed in Australia are the addition of the right kind °- people and a certain amount of capital. If you think of the Empire as a unitj you must be startled by the irregular and unscientific distribution of its citizens throughout the available areas. The situation to-day is more anomalous than ever. We have too many people where they are not wanted, and too few where they are vitally necessary to the progress of development. A distinguished American once asked me why we could not shift the population to the places where it could render the most valuable service; but the problem is not so easy as it looks, and if one desires to learn how hard it is, one has only to remember how many schemes there are in existence promulgated both by the Home and by the dominiqu Governments, and individual States, involving considerable expenditure of public money. Nevertheless, the problem must be solved, not merely because of the uneconomical distribution of our population, but for reasons involved in the second consideration. The welfare of any community and its progress depend upon utilising the full productive elements which exist within its shores. If the raw resources of the earth are neglected the market within which the manufactures of the country can be sold is to that extent limited. The more you increase the number of the people on the land the greater is the market which you create for the sale of the products of the towns.”

AMERICAN PRESIDENCY. WASHINGTON, January 19

As a result of a fierce debate in th« Senate between Senators J. T. Heflin and J. T. Robinson, the Democratic Leader, in which the former bitterly attacked tht Roman Catholic Church and Governor Smith, a situation of political importance has arisen which will probably lead a a definite expression of opinion from the Democratic senators whether Roman Catholism renders Governor Smith ineligible for the Democratic nominatiu.* for the presidency. The Democratic senators will to-morrow, in caucus, deal with Senator Robinson's resignation of the leadership r.s a protest against Senator Hefflin’s speefi , and it s expected that Senator Robinson will be chosen again by an overwhelming majority. This will put all the Democratic senators on record on the religious question. WASHINGTON, January 20.

A movement has been started in some New England States to send delegates to the Republican National Convention, which will keep up the effort to draft Mr Coolidge as the Presidential nominee, and cast their votes for him at least during the early balloting. A group of leaders at Connecticut were reported to-day as the latest to join this programme, which was said to lihve the sanction of Chairman Butler, of the Republican National Committee.

Another aspirant for Democratic nomination was approved to-day, when the Tennessee Congressional Delegation announced Mr Cordell Hull as candidate for Presidential honours. Mr Cordell Hull, who is a native or Tennessee, is bZ years of age, and has been a member of Congress' from 1907 to 1921, and from 1923 to 1925. He was admitted to the Bar "in 1891, and became a judge attached to a Tennessee circuit in 1903. OBITUARY. LONDON, January 18. The death is announced of the Duke of Richmond. The Duke of Richmond wag born in 1845, and was educated at Eton. He entered the Grenadier Guards in 1865. He was A.D.G. to Queen' Victoria, King Edward, and King George. From 1869 to 1885 he was member of Parliament for West . Sussex. He served in the South African War. and in 1917 was Chancellor of the Aberdeen University. His heir is the Earl of March -

NEW YORK, January-. 21. Major-general Gocthals died luddenly on Saturday. George Washington Gocthals, whose military career was associated with, the army engineers, was 70 years of age. He was born in Brooklyn and .entered the army after graduating at the , United ' States Military' Academy in 1880. ; He •was an instructor in civil and military engineering at the academy for several

years, but in 1888 he took charge of canal construction on the Tennessee! River. From 1907 to 1914 he was chief engineer for the Panama Canal construe? tion, and from 1914 t 1910 he was the first civil engineer of the Canal zone. From that time on he occupied prominent posts in the United States military headquarters staff, and in 1919 he re, tired. He received recognition of his great engineering feat r.t Panama in the form of decorations from his ovfff and the French Governments.

( RUGBY, January 20. Sir Dyce Duckworth, the eminent physL cian, died to-day at the age of 87. He was a close friend of King Edward, tq whom he was medical adviser when thq King was Prince of Wales. The death is announced of Admiral Sir John Michael de Robeck, at the age of 65 years. Admiral de Robeck died suddenly of heart failure while dressing for dinner at, bis London residence.

■. General Sir lan Hamilton, paying tri, bute in the Evening Standard, says: “ Little did I ever imagine myself pen, ning these words, for de Robeck wa s a man of outstanding physique and energy; athletic and hard as nails. We were both up to our necks in the great adven, ture at tbe .Dardanelles, and in the end, carried off our feet by the current, but so long as we could hold on the vital necessity was that we should hold on to, gether. Among the four leading actors in this enterprise—de Robeck, Sir Roger Keys, Sir Walter Braithwaite, and my, self—there may net have been unanimity of opinion, but there was complete loyalty one to another, as well as unity of action, For this the credit was De Robeck’s. He was a man in a thousand.”

Other writers recall de Robeck’s words: “ I am sad at the loss of ships and the heart aches when one thinks of it. One. must do what he is told and take risks, otherwise we cannot win.” Sir John de Robeck was born in Ire. land, and entered the navy as a cadet in 1875, after being educated on the H.M.S, Britannia. In 1885 he became a lieutenant, 12 years later he became a commodore, and in 1902 he reached the rank of captain. In 1911 he was made rearadmiral, and in 1917 his position was raised to that of vice-admiral. In 1925 he became admiral of the fleet.