NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3867, 24 April 1928, Page 49

NEWS BY CABLE.

MR CHAUNCEY DEPEW. NEW YORK, April 18. Mr Chauncey Depew’s will disposed of £2,000,000, half of which goes to thacity, including £200,000 to Yale University.

DR BENES IN LONDON. LONDON, April .19. Dr Benes (Czecho-Slovakian Foreign Minister) has arrived in London on a private visit. He will see Sir Austen Chamberlain next week.

MOSLEMS IN JERUSALEM.

JERUSALEM. April 21. Moslem shopkeepers closed their shops and held a monster meeting of protest against th« continued Christian missionary activities.

MONTE CARLO CASINO.

NICE, April 17. 'X. The profit of Monte Carlo Casino for the year is £1,232,000 gross, and £728,000 net. A dividend of 145 per cent, has been declared and £4 shares are now worth £92.

A FATAL JOY RIDE.

VANCOUVER, April 19. Seven Japanese children were drowned on the Fraser River during a joy ride to christen a new gas boat. The vessel hit a mud bank, spilling 12 children into the water. Five were rescued.

THE CRICKET ASHES;

LONDON, April 19. A fund is being raised to place a stained-glass window in Rochester Cathedral, and a fund is also being raised to benefit deserving Kentish cricketers, in memory of the late Earl of Darnley, owner of the original cricket ashes.

"DEAD ” MAN REVIVES. TOKIO, April 19. The vernacular press reveals the strange story of a millionaire industrialist named Kihachiro Okura, 91 years of age, who was pronounced to be dead last night by his physician. Later he revived, ana was able to talk.

GRIM REMINDER OF WAR. PARIS, April 19. A grim reminder of the war was furnished by the discovery in the Aisne department of a cave containing the bodies of 50 German soldiers, who presumably were killed by a gas shell.

NEW GUINEA

CANBERRA, April 21. The Federal Ministry has decided to establish a Legislative Council, for- residents of mandated territory in New Guinea, the members of which will be nominated by the administration, which is also establishing a House of Representatives eiected by the residents.

MR. J. H. THOMAS.

LONDON, April 22. Mr J. H. Thomas and his family arrived at Plymouth from the Gold Coast, where he opened Takoradi Harbour. His daughter Doris is suffering from malaria, and was carried ashore on a stretcher. His wife is ill, and was assisted ashore by a nurse, while his son is also ailing.

INCITING TROOPS. PARIS, April 20. At Valenciennes, the Communist Deputy, M. Doriot, who was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in February while in Moscow for endangering the safety of the State, was arrested while leaving an election meeting M. Doriot’s offence is alleged to be inciting troops to disobedience.

MR HENRY FORD. LONDON, April 19. “ I would rather see engines than colleges,” said Mr Henry Ford when visiting Oxford, where he inspected the Morris motor works at Cowley. He expressed surprise that the British motormakers were more advanced than the Americans suspected. He complimented the industry and the employees.

A DRAMATIC FINISH. LONDON, April 20. A horse has often been accused of not winning a race because he was “dead,” but a dead horse (Ben) actually won the Ledbury Steeplechase He won by a head, and instantly crashed into a fence and broke his neck. The jockey, stiP unconscious, was placed pn the scales, and his mount‘was declared the winner. The lad was then taken to hospital.

> CLOUDS OF LOCUSTS. . JERUSALEM, April 17. Clouds of locusts appeared over Jericho flying towards Jerusalem, but they wereebecked by wind. -Travellers ..from Transjordania report passing through five miles of locusts between Maan and Amman (Palestine). The Department of Agriculture is endeavouring to exterminate them with flame. guns.

LOST ESTATES.

\. BERLIN, April 20. At.. Munich, arguing" depreciation dur Ing .the f Inflation .period,-. the, cx-Crown Prince. Rupprecht.of .Bavaria.-.demanded the revaluation of. the compensation of

£2,000,000 granted to him in respect to his lost estates. He also asked for an additional £1,000,000. The Government refused either to revalue the compensation or to accept arbitration.

THE BRITISH NAVY.

RUGBY, April 21. Mr W ; C. Bridgeman, First Lord of the Admiralty, in a written parliamentary answer, gives a comparison of the number Of officers and ratings serving in the navy in 1913 and this year. In January, 1913, there were 9489 officers and 128,607 ratings, the total being 138,096. In January of this year there were 8515 officers and 93,799 ratings, or a total of 102,314.

COMMANDER DANIEL.

LONDON, April 21. The Daily Chronicle states that Commander Daniel says he is seeking a civil profession. He has no complaint against the Admiralty treatment, .but with such a sentence on his record he has no hope of promotion, and has satisfied himself that his only form of employment in the navy would be of. a nature that would make no appeal to his ambitions.

CANADIAN TRADE

OTTAWA, April 19. During March the imports totalled more than 120,000,000d01., exceeding the exports by 13,000,000d01. For the fiscal year ended March 31, however, the exports exceeded the imports by 140,000,000d01.,. the total exports of Canadian products’ being 1,256,237,000 dollars, and foreign products 22,207,916 dollars, against imports 1,008,821,649d01.

HOME-GROWN WHEAT. LONDON, April 18. Major A. N. Braithwaite has introduced a Bill in the House of Commons to encourage wheat growing by insisting that millers shall mill a minimum proportion of home-grown wheat. Commander Kenworthy opposed it as a pettifogging proposal to deal piecemeal with one trade at the expense of another.The Bill passed the first reading.

TEACHERS OF THE EMPIRE. LONDON, April 20. In the House of Commons, for the first time for many years, a Bill passed all stages at a single sitting. This measure will permit teachers to count up to four years spent in the dominions, colonies, or foreign countries towards the British pensions scheme.

Members of all the parties warmily supported an interchange of teachers between Britain and the dominions.

THE MOTOR SHIP

LONDON, April 18. The striking progress of the motor ship is emphasised by the Lloyd’s quarterly returns of tonnage being built throughout ths world at present. There are 1.490,000 tons, compared with 1,390,020 steam tonnage. Of the 369 ships at present under cons timet ion, 275 are motor ships. British yards are building 1.441,000 tons a reduction of 139,000 tons compared with the previous quarter.

GRANTED A DIVORCE. LONDON, April 20. Mrs Agatha Christie, whose disappearance and loss of memory in 1926 caused a sensation, was granted a divorce from her husband on the ground of misconduct.

Lord Merrivale commented :—“ When a gallant gentleman frequents hotels with an unnamed woman in order to secure release from a marriage he dislikes, a judge has no other course but to grant a divorce.”

OLD AGE PENSIONS. LONDON, April 20. Mr Leonard M'Kenzie, of Wellington, when interviewed, said he had discussed with a number of Scottish societies the establishment of Anglo-dominions reciprocity in the payment of old age pen sions to recipients changing their country of domicile. The societies were interested in view of the increasing migration to the dominions. He persuaded a number of Scottish members of Parliament to take up the matter.

BOMBAY COTTON MILLS

CALCUTTA, April 17. Bombay cotton mill owners having reduced the number of workers under a retrenchment scheme, 25,000 employees struck, and 12 big mills were idle yesterday. The strikers attacked the factories and smashed all the windows, doing onor. mous damage. Labour leaders are endeavouring to secure a general stoppage. The mills are guarded by armed police.

FINGER PRINTTS

i LONDON, April 18. A London coroner, referring to finger print evidence, asked a Scotland Yard expert whether it was a fact that there was not one instance in a'million of simi larity in finger prints. The expert replied: “Not even that number. Scotland Yard accepts it as a fact that there are no two persons in the whole world whose finger prints agree in any particular whatsoever.”

JAPANESE PARLIAMENT.

l ! - TOKIO. April 20. • -Mr- -Metoda ■ was*, elected Speaker bv' a vote of 230 to *228. -Uris indicates that

the session will be exciting, since the Government has only the 1 barest possible majority. The Government claims a majority, of eight, including small parties which promised their support. The election of the Seiyukai-ite Speaker is a considerable advantage to the Government.

HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT. VIENNA, April 18. Unexpected scenes occurred in the Hungarian Parliament. When Count Bethlen welcomed 25 Italian Fascist parliamentarians the Opposition cried them down with, “ Murderers of Mattetotti ; what do you want here? ”

When Count Bethlen declared, “ The whole Hungarian nation welcomes you," the storm burst out afresh, and cries of It is a lie, and “ Murderers," were hurled at the embarrassed Italians. Count Appanyi accused the Opposition of committing an international outrage.

THE NATION’S TRIBUTE. RUGBY, April 21. It is understood that an equestrian statue in London will be the national memorial to Field-marshal Earl Haig, and that the Royal Fine Art Commission which was deputed to consider the subject will report shortly to the Government to this effect. It is stated that the site proposed for the memorial will be in Whitehall, facing the cenotaph. If the proposals are approved sculptors of high reputation will be invited to submit designs for the final approval of the Government.

THREATENED WITH EXILE. LONDON, April 16. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Mail states that the Bolshevists have ordered the Roman Catholic clergy to sign an impossible declaration pledging them to accept the Soviet’s anti-religious legislation, including the prohioition of teaching religion to chldreu under 16, refusing obedience to the bishops, and abstaining from relations with the Pope except through Soviet priests. Failing to sign, they will be transported to the dreaded Solovtz Island in the White Sea. ’

CANADIAN IMMIGRATION. <t _ OTTAWA, April 19. . In the development of a sane immigration policy we must spend mole money and secure co-ordination of effort", Sir Henry Thornton told the Parliamentary Immigration Committee on Thursday. He preferred a maximum of British settlers.

Mr C. H. Cahan (Conservative) advocated the Australian National Cornin'tsim system for handling immigration. Sir Henry Thornton said he belie zed that this would be the solution.

HEART DISEASE.

LONDON, April 18. “ The emotional character of the present day films, plays, and novels is responsible for the enormously increased death rate from heart disease,” is a significant declaration by D r Strickland, 'of the Goodall Institute of Hygiene. Dr Strickland -added that whereas a few years ago the age of sudden death was between 50 and 60, it was becoming alarmingly younger. The death roll from heart disease had increased 400 per cent, latterly. He recalled that there were no fewer than 12 deaths among listeners-in to the Tunney-Dempsey broadcast.

CURRENCY DEALINGS. LONDON, April 19.

The appeal in the Dyne case was dis missed. Mr Scrutton, in a scath ing judgment, described such speculators as birds of prey absolutely indifferent to the damage they were doing the country. They were people beneath contempt, utterly selfish, and regardless of the enormous injury to legitimate trade.

. Commenting on the Foreign Office offi cials, he said that the civil service dealr with the matter properly in so far as it declared that the transactions wore disgraceful, and dealt out appropriate punishment to the offenders.

THE RUBBER INDUSTRY.

LONDON, Aptil 19 Sir Eric Geddes, presiding at the annual meeting of the Dunlop Rubber Company, expressed the opinion that the Government was right in ending the rubber restrictions, but wrong in doing so without fuller regard to the interests involved. The industry should have been given more than seven months’ notice to adjust itself. Restriction had failed t 0 give the manufacturers anything like stable prices, and he hoped it would never be resuscitated. An anxious period would undoubtedly intervene, but he believed the rubber industry as a whole would be sturdier, stronger, and more stable if it was allowed to manage its own affairs.

DOMINION FARMERS.

LONDON, April 18. Additional functions arranged for the Dominion farmers at present touring the Continent include a reception by the Prince of Wales at St. James’s Palace on June 4, a dinner by-'-the Imperial Government in the evening, and a conference on July 13, arranged by the Bradford Wool Federation. The interest aroused by the tour has already been responsible for applications for 1929 for Empire farms, and the appointment of an Australian and a New Zealander ’at the offices ' of the British National Union, who’ will be able to ’give information to visiting agriculturists, is proposed,. -

INDIAN PRINCES. ■DELHI, April 21. At a conference at Bombay of a large number of ruling princes of India, in collaboration with Sir Leslie Scott, the princes submitted a tentative scheme for their future position in the Constitution, finite. lhey urge the appointment of which they claim is at present most indethree councils—(l) The Viceroy in India and a States Council dealing with the princes’ rights, vis-a-vis the King-Em-peror. (2) A Governor-General in India and a States Council dealing with ordinary administrative rights, vis-a-vis British India. (3) A union court, a high judicial body to arbitrate all disputes affecting the princes.

INDUSTRIAL PEACE. LONDON, April 17. The industrial peace conference announces agreement on several items on the agenda. It has issued a memorandum on the gold reserve in relation to industry, wherein it is stated that it is most undesirable that the Bank of England should be so restricted by law as to prevent full co-operation internationally to economise in the use of gold, regulate its distribution and prevent undue fluctuations in its value. The conference records the conviction that it is impossible to restore trade and industry unless elasticity in currency and credit is able to meet the requirements of increased production, which is dependent on adequate credit fa-cilities.

SIR ROBERT HORNE

LONDON, April 17. Sir Robert Horne, in a speech at Glasgow, the first since his return from Australia, said : “ We have an excess of people and a deficiency of opportunity here. The dominions have unlimited opportunity and scanty populations. Let the people go where there are opportunities. Though there is occasionally unemployment in the dominions this is only a fugitive condition.”

He suggested that Britain’s grant to aP emigration should be 100 instead of 50 per cent. The time had come to dispense with the present financial restriction in order to carry out the programme of emigration, the success of which was vita.! to the welfare of Britain and the development of the dominions.

BRITAIN’S HOLLYWOOD. LONDON, April 18. The film fever has assailed London girls, and the rush to Elstree studios is comparable with Hollywood. One studio has already listed 7000 names. Two thousand girls have been successful in obtaining interviews in another, while 50 screen test® have been given. 'lhe rush is not confined to girls. Big wages, ranging from £l5OO to £lO,OOO, are offering. Elstree is luring students from the public schools and universities. All are agreeable to take humble posts for a chance of learning the technical side of the business Men, women, and children, old and young, experienced and novices, rich and poor alike, are trekking to Elstree with hopes of getting a chance before all the places are filled.

SENSATION IN INDIA. DELHI, April 20. A Europeon named Davies, who was district magistrate and collector at Chittagong, was fatally stabbed while in his bungalow by a Mohammedan named Rahaman.

Mr Davies had refused to grant a passport and money to Rahaman to visit England. The latter, in a sudden fit of rage, jumped on Mr Davies and stabbed him to the heart. He died immediately The man then rushed from the bungalow. He was chased by a servant, whom he attempted to stab. He was finally caught by Mr Davies’s clerks. Rahaman was a member of a r>iominent family at Chittagong. The crime caused a sensation, as Mr Davies was a popular official. He leaves a widow and two sons.

CRAZE FOR SPECULATION.

LONDON, April 19. Mr Henry Morgan, vice-president of the Society.of Accountants, speaking at Cardiff, said that the craze for speculation was extending to every section of the community, particularly women. He added: “ I have heard of eases of women selling the.r jewels to speculate on the Stock Exchange, and several cases of small fortunes being made by a sudden jump in shares. The reason for this craze for speculation is the taxation, whereby the Government takes by way of income tax and super tax from 30 per cent, to 50 per cent, of a man’s earnings. Naturally business men hesitate to risk capital in business ventures, and prefer to risk speculation, the profit from which is free from taxation. This attitude is far more widespread than is generally imagined.

DOMINION BOWLING TEAM. LONDON, April 20.

“ A wonderful programme has been prepared for you in Britain,” said Sir James Parr at the reception to the New Zealand bowlers. v “ A fellow dinner guest remarked to me yesterday, that New Zealand is Britain’s sweetheart among, the dominions.”

Mr S. J. Pike, president, welcomed the visitors on behalf of the English Bowl ing Association, and hoped that the tour would create new friendships. • • Mr J. W. Hardley, in responding, presented Sir James Parr and the team with badges. Those present ‘included the' officials 'of the county associations, and many New Zealanders, including Mr Jus-

tice and Mrs Herdman, Mr T. M, Wilford, Mrs VVilford, Mr Leonard Nf'Kenzie, Mr Cecjl Wray, and Tom Heeney, whom the guests cheered, wishing him success against Tunney.

EARL QF BIRKENHEAD. . LONDON, April 20. rhe diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Herald states that it is persistently rumoured that if the Earl of Birkenhead succeeds in his present mission to Berlin, which is a diplomatic and not a golfing one, he will replace Sir Austen Chamberlain in the Foreign Office. For a long time the extremist section of the Cabinet has tried to oust Sir Austen Chamberlain, whom they regard as over-moderate and cautious in dealing with Russia. Sir Austen, by assenting unenthusiastically to the Anglo-Russian rupture, momentarily silenced his critics, but they now complain that he has not followed up the masterstroke, which might have caused, a collapse of the Soviet. The Earl of Birkenhead has long hankered for the Foreign Office, and may get his way eventually, though the Foreign Office itself is fearful lest some of his idiosyncrasies may handicap his dealings with foreign ambassadors.

BRITAIN AND AMERICA. „ LONDON, April 17. bir. Alfred Mond, referring to AngloAmerican financial co-operation, at the City Livery Club’s luncheon, said he hoped that the new organisation would be able to render useful service to both countries. Co-operation between the the English-speaking nations would benefit the world. The modern tendency to amalgamate industrially and internationally was an attempt to control industrial forces instead of allowing industrial forces .to control them. Socialism was not adaptable to modern needs. The only means of raising the standard of living was prosperity, to which end State interference and regulation were not helpful. The amalgamation of sound concerns and the creation of new and larger enterprises with bigger finance units, would mean prosperity for all those engaged. Class co-operation must be substituted for class wars.

TRANSFER OF WORKERS.

LONDON, April 18. The Industrial Transference Board/ is considering a report on its investigations, which have revealed that the most serious problem of the moment is finding work for middle-aged unemployed men, principally in the coalfields, whose cases, it is believed, can only be met by the development of family settlement in Australia and Canada.

The migration officer (Mr Manning), in this connection, says that there is at present no Government family scheme in Australia. The fear exists among the States that unemployed miners, unless they were trained for other industries, would eventually fall back on coal mining, thus possibly creating unemployment in the Australian mines, consequently it is inadvisable for middle-aged men without capital to migrate, unless they are nominated from the country districts and take a family, who, if wage earning, would enable the parents to establish a footing.

THE BRITISH NAVY. LONDON, April IS. A parliamentary return of the cmV ’ butions to Britain by the dominions wards naval defence, according to • 1927-28 . Estimates, shows that Bri‘ provided £55,000.000, Canada 1,275.60 dol. Australia £5,730.000. New Zeahai £607.000 (including £125.000 as the fir -r instalment of the contribution for the Singapore base), South Africa £125,000. The proportion of expenditure on naval defence to the total import and export trade in 1926-27 respectively was:— Britain, 2.87 and 2.83 per cent.; Canada. .07 and .08 per cent.; Australia, 1.63 and 1.91 per cent.; New Zealand, 0.60 and .70 per cent.; and South Africa, .09 and .07 per cent.

The expenditure per head of the population for 1926-27 respectively was:— Britain, 308 d and 306 d ; Canada, ,16dol and .19dol; Australia. 198 d and 221 d; New Zealand, 96d and 112 d; South Africa, 21d and 184 (Europeans only).

ARMAMENTS LIMITATION. RUGBY, April 19..

Commander Kenworthy (Lab.) asked in the House of Commons whether a statement could be made regarding the conversations that had taken place between the British Foreign Office and the French Foreign Ministry on the subject of the limitation of armaments by agreement, and whether the subject of submarines was investigated. Mr Locker-Lampson replied that informal discussions took place at Geneva last month to investigate the possibility of obtaining an agreement for clasification of naval armaments which could be included in the draft convention now being prepared by the Preparatory Commission for vne Disarmament Conference. No conclusions had yet been reached, and it was still too early to make any statement as to the probable outcome. The building and employment of submarines was not touched upon in those conversations. ’.

GOWNS AND JEWELS. . ’ . ’ ' ■ LONDON, April 19.' London’s most amazing, mannequin, parade was held in a ballroom at a West _ End hotel to . demonstrate t-bat a..lovely , gown should be designed to be worn with magnificent jewellery. For this purpose Sallot and Seurs combined with the

National Jewellers’ Outside Were half a dozen uniformed policemen Wd 20 special detectives from Scotland Yard mingled with the exclusive crowd inside. The value of the'precious stones was set down at £1,000,000, including a pearl necklace valued, at £lOO,OOO, an emerald necklace, valued, at £45,000, a diamond bracelet valued at £16,000, and the world’s largest opal worn as a buckle. The entire collection was carefully weighed, measured, and photographed beforehand as a precaution. There was a thrill when a manneqin appeared wearing the £50,000 necklace, which was sensationally stolen in France recently. ’ • The memorable occasion will be commemorated on canvas.

OBITUARY. . RUGBY, April 18. The death lias taken place of Lord Dalziel, formerly Sir Davidson DalzieL He was closely connected with many important commercial enterprises. He was best known to the public as president of the International Sleeping Car Company. Largely through his efforts the company has extended , its service throughout Europe, one of its many achievements being tho Blue Train to the Riviera, which is considered the finest train in th© world. Among other things, Lord Dalziel introduced the motor cab to London,' he personally guaranteeing the £250,000 required to finance the first Motor Cab Company. •- * ' SYDNEY, April 19. The death is announced of Mr Edward Everett, formerly a business man in Nelson (New Zealand), aged 80. RUGBY, April 20. Lord Eycrsley, who, as Greorge Shaw Lefevre, was a prominent Liberal politician for. over half a century, and was a member of Cabinet in Queen Victoria’s reign, died yesterday; aged 98. As Postmaster-general he first introduced the sixpenny telegram. DEFAULTING STATES. LONDON, April 18. In the Houth of Commons Mr M. G. Locker-Lampson, replying to Lieutenantcolonel Howard-Bury, said that the Government considered that it would not serve any useful purpose for, representation to be made to the United States with reference to the repudiation of public debts by certain southern States. Lieutenant-colonel Howard-Bury said that the loans were made for developmental' purpoises, and £78,000,000 in principal and interest was owing to British bondholders. Mr Locker-Lampson said, “ I hope you will not press the matter for the present.’’ Mr A. Somerville: In view of the fact that America pressed the Alabama claims, and in view of the generous manner in which we met America’s claims arising from the Great War, ought not we to press our claims on the southern States? Mr Saklatvala: Is not this another case where Britain ought to send troops to occupy the defaulting States for the protection of British interests? Cries of “Sit down” were the onlv answer. .

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE. RUGBY, April 19. Lieutenant-colonel W. E. Guinness (Minister of Agriculture) moved in the House of Commons the second reading of the Bill for grading and marketing of agricultural produce, which has alreadypassed the House of Lo'rds. He said it wag proposed to start immediately with two branches of products. Schemes had already been developed for the marking of eggs, and had been approved by the interests concerned. Different grades nad also been worked * out for fruit, and a scheme for applying these grades had been provisionally agreed upon with the National Farmers’ Union. The Bill gave the Minister of Agriculture power to de fine grades and prescribe the designation of marks. It was proposed that the use of the marks should be controlled ov a national committee, which would be ad vised by the trades’ committees representing the various commodities inter ested. Preserved and cold stored eggs would be marked as a protection for the producers and the consumers of new laid eggs. The operation of such marketing would, however, be dependent upon an order being put into force for similar marking of foreign eggs. The second reading of the Bill v-as passed.

GERMANY’S GREAT NEED. LONDON. April 18 The Berlin correspondent of The Times states that Dr Stresemann, speaking at a congress of German chambers of industry and commerce, discussed the German economic situation from the. international standpoint The keynote of his speech was the necessity for an export surplus and the interdependence of home and foreign trade and industry. • Reviewing the economic situation a decade after the war, he said that the injuries inflicted were still far from healed. Production in other continents had in creased from 30 per cent. toWo per cent since 1913. whereas Europe had not_even regained its pre-war level. This fact should resound through Europe like awarning cry and force European nations into understanding and co-operation Germany .was perhaps the heaviest sufferer, leading him to re-emphasise the grievance that Germany’s entire foreign trade machinery, .the fruit of decades of endeavour, had beep' completely destroyed by. liquidation of the sequestered property. Germany .rejoiced at the decision of the United States regarding the restitution of German property. This seeimed of fundamental significance for the future national

life. ft- was not- right that the citizens should suffer wheh their States went to war. ■ . .

Alluding to the Dawes plan-, he said it was more than ever necessary to realise that obligations could only be met from an export surplus.

WHEN IS A MAN DRUNK. LONDON, April 17. The question, “ When “if- a man drunk?” has taken an unusual .course in the London police courts, where latterly medical and legal views concerning the matter have been in conflict. The magistrates have refused to convict in several cases in which motorists have been charged with drunkenness, the magisterial view being that it had nothing to do with a doctor whether a man was in charge of a car or lying in the street. The whole question is: Was he drunk? ' On the other, the doctors maintain that the thing the man is doing must be considered. He might not be drunk as a pedestrian, but drunk as a motorist. A doctor, giving evidence to-day, said: “As a motorist he was drunk; as a pedestrian sober.” The Magistrate: “That is not law. The whole point is: Was he drunk, simply drunk?” He dismissed the charge. It is suggested that the only means of overcoming the deadlock, which involves overmuch liberty for drun' n drivers, is that a man should be regarded as drunk when incapable safely of doing the work on which he is engaged at the time specified in the charge.

SIR GILBERT CLAYTON. RUGBY, April 19. The Colonial Office announces that Sir Gilbert Clayton left London for Jeddah to-day, where he will meet the King of Hedjaz, and will discuss with him on be half of the British Government various outstanding questions affecting the relations of the Kingdom. of Hedjaz and Nejd with the neighbouring States of Iraq and Transjordania. .He will have with him Mr Cornwallis, Advisor to the Ministry of the Interior of the Iraq Government ; Mr Antonio, of the Palestine Service; and Flight-lieutenant Moore, of the Royal Air Force. Before leaving London Sir Gilbert Clayton had a personal interview with Sir Austen Chamberlain and Mr Amery. April 16. According to the latest reports the combined Wahabi force, which was menacing the Iraq frontier, has now returned to the summer grazing grounds of its component ' tribes. The arrangement for a conference between Ibn Saud (the Wahabi king) and Sir Gilbert Clayton has eased the situation all round, and information has reached Basra that Ibn Saud has summoned all the important tribal chiefs of Nejd to meet him at Buraida on April 6. OUT OF THE SAHARA. LONDON, April 19. Seven months after they had been reported killed by robbers in the heart of the Sahara, and after the French Camel Corps had made a fruitless search, the British explorers, Mr T. A. Glover and his wife, returned to Faya, having penetrated 1000 miles beyond any point hitherto reached by a white woman. They started in December, 1926, to search for fauna on behalf of the British Museum, and were reported at Faya in September last, from which, mounted on camels, they set out in the direction of the Tibesti Mountains, entailing a six-teen-days’ trek across the waterless Sahara.

Mr Glover now says that his first expedition to reach the summit of Emikoussi and descend the crater failed owing to bands of robbers lurking in the foothills. The natives, who were rabid Senussi, gave endless trouble, and caused the gravest anxiety. Two days from Koussi robbers entered the camp, but were driven off. French searchers afterwards heard that the party was killed. Altogether, the party secured a collection of 500 birds and mammals, and specimens of fish from the Logone River. THE SUGAR FEDERATION; LONDON,-April 16. It is stated that Queensland is resigning from the Sugar Federation, owing to dissatisfaction with the policy which confines the benefits flowing from the proposed new duties to sugars under 98deg. polarisation instead of 99deg., contending that British refiners are equally well protected under the’ Australian proposals .Mauritius is also contemplating resign ation. Nevertheless, Queensland circles fear that the decision, working at a disadvantage to Queensland, will be included in the Budget.

The Morning Post says that Mr Amery has been placed in full- possession of the facts, and his support for the Australian case can be confidently relied on. For tunately there is an easy way out by a ■Variable reduction of the sugar duty, which should be 99deg. or below for Empire sugar, and 98deg. for non-Empire sugar. Queensland and Mauritius would thus be Safeguarded-. ■ , The Morning Post editorially says: “ At a time when the development of the Empire trade is a cardinal article of the national policy, it would be most regrettable if a serious setback were inflieted on the staple industry of two ' import• an( parts of the Empire by an unconsidered measure of .fiscal adjustment. The dominions and the colonies rightly, look tn Mr Amery for support in‘ this connection.”

wounds of War. LONDON, April 16. At a luncheon: given to Lord Birkenhead and other British visitors in Berlin DE Stresemann said that the mutual confidence of leading personages and respect for each other’s achievement were essential to heal the wounds of . war. He paid a tribute to the Earl of Birkenhead’s reference to British esteem of German achievements. He hoped that the personal confidence between Sir Austen Chamberlain and himself would tend to ■ strengthen Anglo-German welfare and’understanding. The Earl of Birkenhead congratulated Germany on the Bremen’s exploit, and emphasised that the prosperity of the nations would dep'end’ on peaceful co-' operation. Britain had every reason to respect the strength, scientific organisation, and courage of the German troops and Germany’s tremendous efforts to overcome her difficulties since the armistice. Britain fully realised the great part the German spirit of organisation had played in European reconstruction. BERLIN, April 16. Entertained by the Anglo-American Press Club, the Earl of Birkenhead expressed the opinion that Germany was relinquishing the policy of holding the balance between the Western Powers and Russia in favour of a closer connection with Britain and France.

Asked to explain the present British policy towards Germany, he is reported to have replied: “ Britain is consolidating good relations with Germany in order to be better able to influence France.”

ELECTION EXPENSES. RUGBY, April 18. Before the House of Commons went into committee on the Franchise Bill Captain Bourne and .Captain Fraser, two Conservative members, respectively proposed and seconded a motion, that it should be an instruction to the committee that it had power to insert in the Bill provisions dealing with the maximum scale of election expenses. The amount of money which a candidate for Parliament is allowed to expend on his candidacy is based on a certain sum per head of the electorate.

Supporters of the motion argued that an increase of the electorate, which would be created by the Bill, would automatically increase the amount which candidates were entitled to spend, and that this would benefit wealthy candidates. Labour and Liberal speakers, especially on this ground, urged the need of revision of the basis of electoral expenditure.

Sir William Joynson-Hicks said that the Government desired this matter to be fully discussed. The instruction was agreed to. April 18. Mr Arthur Henderson, on behalf oi Labour, moved a new clause re during the maximum scale of election expenses from 7d per voter to 6d in county constituencies, and from 5d to 4d in boroughs, on the ground of increases in electorates, otherwise candidates’ expenditure would be increased between £2OO and- £3OO in everv constituency.

uh iiiidiu uuynson-mcKs said tnat m view of the diversity of opinion he wished to consult the Prime Minister, and the House adjourned on the understanding that it would receive the considered views of the Government on Monday.

THE BRITISH BUDGET.

LONDON, April 20. Cabinet finally approved’ of the Budget, the feature of which is rating reform aiming to assist agriculture and industry, the former by freezing agricultural land from rates, and the latter by the allocation of large sums to relieve industries’ black spots from rating liabilities. It will be a highly controversial scheme, rearrangthe functions of local government. But the bombshell, says the Daily Express, is the decision to* tax petrol in addition to the present high horse power tax. It is understood that Cabinet has succeeded in checking the project only as regards the amount. The secret as to the exact figure has been well kept, but well-informed circles believe that a compromise was reached at 2d a gallon.

Over 1,000,000 motorists are preparing to declare war on Mr Churchill in the event of the fulfilment of what is described as an amazing decision to add a petrol tax to the present tax of £1 per horse power. For the past five years motorists organisations have been agitat ing for the removal of the horse power tax and the substitution of a petrol tax, and tne culminating point came when a petition with over 1,000,000 signatures in favour of this step was presented to the Chancellor, but the elusive Mr Churchill gave no hope that the reform would be granted Now. on the Budget eve, it is learne.d that the Chancellor proposes to add a tax of anything up to 4d a gallon oi petrol without removing the horse power tax. Motorists are astonished and even in the face of the definite announcement say it is too ridiculous to believe. The evening papers to-dav feature the proposal, which is regarded as the bombshell of the Budget. In the past three years al] the Budgets have contained a series of new taxes and raids on motorists for the Road Fund running into many millions.