NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 49

NEWS BY CABLE.

J. HOME FROM SHANGHAI. RUGBY, February 27. The 2nd Battalion Scots Guards arrived at Southampton to-day from Shanghai in the City of Marseilles.

THE BOMBAY RIOTS. RUGBY, February 25. Earl Winterton (Under-secretary for India) stated in the House of Commons that the situation in Bombay was now, and had been for days, normal. ARCHBISHOP RECUPERATING. RUG- -, February 25. The Archbishop of Canterbury is going to Bognor to recuperate after his illness. It is understood he will stay for a month.

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER

BRISBANE, March 2.

A charge of manslaughter in respect of the death of Mi - 'Justice Stumm has been preferred against Charles Sexton, aged 35.

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER. OTTAWA, February 28. Canada, during 1928, imported 16,124,6411 b of New Zealand butter, and 629,9441 b of Australian, according to an announcement made in Parliament by the Trade Minister, Mr Malcolm.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN ILL. WASHINGTON, February 27. Charles Chaplin, the film comedian, tvas stricken with- ptomaine poisoning on Monday, and developed intestinal influenza on Wednesday. His condition is serious. ■ - . — TRAGEDY IN GERMANY. BERLIN, February 27. Walter Scherz, who was helmsman on the two Zeppelin Transatlantic crossings, When ballooning over Friedrichshafen. Climbed into the gas chamber to free fouled ropes, and he was asphyxiated. CANADA AND RUSSIA. .... BERLIN, February 2G. A report from Moscow states that the Canadian Government has decided in principle to resume diplomatic relations with the Soviet, but is awaiting the result of British elections before carryIng out its decision.

WHOOPING COUGH SERUM. BERLIN, February 26. Scientists at the Jena University claim that they have invented a serum for Whooping cough. Of 70 children inoculated by the serum and brought into con-

tact with acute cases, only four were infected with whooping cough. A SNOWBOUND .VILLAGE. BELGRADE, March 1. Rescuers penetrated the village of Zavav’ (near Karlovac), which has been snowbound for a month, and found 25 villagers starved to death. The remainder were in the last stages of ex haustion. MURDER OF FRENCH GIRL. PARIS, February 25. Jean Gavillard, knowing that the police were on his track for the alleged murder of a girl, hanged himself on a tree in Lorient Woods. The police discovered and cut down the body, and restored respiration. Jean wr.s arrested, and will be tried for murder. THE SCULLING TITLE. LONDON, February 28. It was authoritatively stated at the annual meeting of the Barnes Bridge Rowing Club that Barry was unable to accept Goodsell’s offer to row in California, as Barry felt bound to honour the pledge he had given his supporters that the next race for the championship would be rowed on the Thames. IRISH EXTREMISTS ARRESTED. LONDON, February 26. P. O’Donnell, the editor of the Republic, the official organ Qf Sinn Fein and the Irish Extremists, and John O’Neill, of Dublin, the principal speakers at a Republican meeting at Mohill, and Thomas Shanley, the secretary of the meeting, were arrested at the railway station while they were returning to Dublin. . A DESPERATE CRIMINAL. BELGRADE, March 2. The Albanian criminal Vutchiten, who has already murdered two persons, has now murdered M. Savishitch, inspector of staff in the Jugo-Slavian Ministry of the Interior. He also wounded a civilian and three soldiers. Vutchiten was recently released from prison and expelled from Czecho-Slovakia on the ground of insanity. TALKING FILMS. ■ LONDON, February 26. The Daily Express states that 4000 British kinemas are being held for ransom by an American company, which demands that they install reproducing apparatus for “talkies” costing about £3OOO each. The company permits the apparatus to be used only for “ talkies ” produced by seven American film producing firms. Thus, the effect of the

scheme will be to defeat the Quota Act, and it gives the British industry a claim for Government intervention.

OUTRAGE ON SHIP. COLOMBO, February 27.

A fiendish attempt at murder was made aboard the Mooltan. The chief saloon steward. Mr Fowler, was sleeping in his cabin when a large quantity of caustic potash was poured over him by an unknown person. Fowler is in a critical condition.

Mr Hayes, an officer of the Mooltan, is also in hospital suffering from the effects of the acid.

DEVASTATING TORNADO.

WASHINGTON, February 25.

A message from Duncal, Mississippi, states that a devastating tornado struck the city this afternoon, causing considerable loss of life and great property damage. The first reports state that 20 are dead and above 50 injured, many of them seriously, while additional bodies may be among the debris. The rescue workers are hampered by the loss of lights as a result of the power lines being cut. ‘ A high wind still continues.

ENGLISH GIRL NOW PRINCESS. LONDON, February 13.

An English girl has become a ruling princess by the death of Prince Johann of Liechtenstein, senior ruler of Europe, at the age of 89, after ruling the tiny principality for 71 years. His heir and nephew, Prince Ferdinand Andreas, married in 1925 Shelagh Brunner, who was known as “ The Golden Bride.” She was a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Roscoe-Brunner. The Liechtenstein line goes back to 1249. MANIAC IN A SUBWAY. NEW YORK, February 26. A husky ironworker suddenly went insane in Times square subway station, which was packed with people. Screaming and weilding a butcher’s knife wildly, the nian slashed eight persons, two of whom may die. A policeman knocked the man on the head with a stick and took him to hospital, his condition being serious.

A .rush hour crowd was thrown into turmoil as women screamed and rushed towards the exits.

JACK DEMPSEY SHOT AT. NEW YORK, February 25. < A message from Miami Beach says that Jack Demsey has notified the police that he was shot at in his bedroom by an unidentified man early in' the morning. He side-stepped as the shot was fired, and the bullet embedded itself in the wall. The unknown assailant disappeared as mysteriously as he came, and Dempsey was unable to offer any theory regarding the motive for the at-

tack. The police have provided him with two bodyguards.

FRENCH MURDERER EXECUTED. PARIS, February 26. For the first time for 40 years a public execution was carried out at Amiens, where a crowd of 3000 assembled outside the prison to see the execution of Serge Gambier, aged 19, for the murder of two women aged 70. Gambier only yesterday expressed repentance and was baptised, and a priest attended him as soon as he awakened to-day. The youth, before leaving his cell, wrote letters to his sweetheart and grandmother, then lighted a cigarette and walked boldly up to the guillotine. MURDER IN SWANSEA. LONDON, February 24. The curious death of Mrs Kate Jackson, who was found with her head battered outside her bungalow in Swansea three weeks ago, had an unexpected turn when Scotland Yard arrested her husband and charged him with murder. The woman had a mysterious career, and was known as Madam X, the principal figure in a law suit in which a trade union official was charged with the embezzlement of many thousands, of which Madame X received £BOOO in the form of gifts.

THE GODDARD AFFAIR. LONDON, March 1

Sheriff officers visited Goddard’s house at Streatham to levy distress in respect of the £2OOO fine. They held a warrant to seize the furniture.

Goddard’s counsel, acting for the wife, states that the furniture is that of Mrs Goddard, who has no income and finds it impossible to obtain the money. When the judge sentenced Goddard he said if the fine was not paid on completion of the sentence Goddard would remain in gaol until it was paid. TREATMENT FOR CANCER. LONDON, February 25. Professor Barton Scammel, president of the Dover Radium Institute, claims that chromium can be used in the treatment of cancer instead of radium. Like radium, chromium dissolves animal tissue, but attacks the diseased portions first. He claims that a saturated solution of bichromate of potassium injected into a cancer substance in doses of seven to 15 minims proved successful. Radio active alkaline potassium has the force of 70 per cent, of red corpuscles, which in cancerous persons is often 50 per cent, below normal.

FACED WITH SERIOUS CHARGE OTTAWA, February 26. ■ Mr Louis Auger, the youngest member of Parliament, is in gaol awaiting an application to the Supreme Court at Ontario for bail. He is charged with a serious offence against a young woman.

and was arrested on leaving Parliament Buildings. He was released on 1000 dollars bail, but was subsequently rearrested on the Crown’s application, it being contended that his release was illegal,• as the criminal code provided that bail could be granted only by a judge of the Supreme Court where a person was accused of murder, treason, or an offence punish' able by death. SIR GEORGE WILKINS. NEW YORK, February 27. A message from Lima, Peru, states that Sir George Wilkins passed through there to-day en route to New York aboard the steamship Ebre. He indicated that he had made plans for an Arctic polar exploration this summer in a submarine. If possible, he would make a north polar trip with the GraT Zeppelin before returning to Antarctica in September. He also intimafed that he had planned the establishment of meteorological stations on the South Polar continent with a 10-year programme of weather forecasting for all nations in the southern hemisphere.

BRITISH INDUSTRIES FAIR. ’ RUGBY, February 26. The first week’s attendance at the London section of the British Industries Fair a - White City was 75,000, being an increase of 5000 over last year’s record figure. There was an increase of buyers from all the dominions. India sent twice as many buyers as last year. The total number of countries represented so far is 56.

LONDON, February 27. Prominent exhibitors are urging that henceforth the British Industries Fair should be held in summer, when overseas and foreign buyers would be able to combine business with a holiday. THE PRINCE OF WALES. LONDON, February 26. Snow T , which heralded London’s second icy snap, prevented the Prince of Wales’s ceremonial drive in the State coach to St. James’s Palace to hold the first levee on behalf of the King. Instead, the Prince of Wales, in a Guard’s uniform, busby, and greatcoat, walked across the Ambassadors’ Court, much to the disappointment of the crowds huddled along the processional route. °

There was a brilliant assemblage of uniformed officials, diplomats, and military ''and* naval officials.

MARSHALL FOCH’S ILLNESS. LONDON, February 26. The Paris correspondent of The Times • states that another relapse has considerably shaken Marshal Foch, the doctor’s ■ examination revealing fresh symptoms of pulmonary congestion. They declared afterwards that they were neither optimistic nor pessimistic. ’< v ' : PARIS, February 26. Marshal Foch’s condition is extremely grave. '

A bulletin signed by five physicians states that his temperature is dangerously high, and his pulse feeble.

CLEANING UP CHICAGO

CHICAGO, February .26

The Thompson forces suffered further defeats at the local elections to-day, when party lines were eliminated and the voting was wholly for or against Mr “ Bill ” Thompson. The latter’s machine, which was wrecked last April and practically rebuilt, was dismantled again, as aldermen backed by the Civic Association were elected because of their opposition to Mr Thompson, who, however, still holds a certain amount of power through patronage, but the reformers believe that the vote has given the people the best City Council for years.

DAMAGES AGAINST DOCTOR. PARIS, February 25. Suzanne Leguen. a pretty young mannequin, was awarded £l6OO against Dr Du Jarier for the loss of a leg in consequence of an unsuccessful operation for slimming calves. The court decided that the surgeon had no right to undertake a serious operation for merely aesthetic purposes.

The doctor pleaded that Euzanne was jlesirous of marrying, and threatened to kill herself if he refused to operate. The court replied that he should have turned the girl over to mental specialists. Suzanne, however, kept her lover, who married her in hospital before the amputation.

CHICAGO MEAT BUSINESS

CHICAGO February 27.

Mr Everitt Brown, president of th? . Chicago Live Stock Exchange, estimated 'that there had been a shrinkage of 1,375,000.000 dollars in the value of live stock. It was destroying the meat business, and prices for beef cattle had dropped about four dollars per 1001 b. He stated that the demand for beef had been so curtailed through consumption in .some sections that it was 25 per cent under normal. '*ome xperts assert that the markets are clogged with beef which cannot be sold.

Mr Brown also pointed out that there was a great change in the public diet in progress, iu which meat was cut to .45 per cen. less than 10 years ago.

INDUSTRIAL PEACE

RUGBY, February 27.

An important new step towards industrial peace was taken yesterday when he General Council of the Trades Union Congress decided to accept the invitation of the Confederaion of Employers’ Organisations and the Federation of British Industries to meet then, in a joint conference. No date has been fixed for the meeting. The terms of the invitation stated that the participants in # such a conference might “ usefully consult together upon matters of common interest to British industry.” The conference will be the first of its kind in this country between bodies representing directly and officially great organisations of employers and trade unions.

OIL COMPANIES.

MOSCOW, March 1.

A three-years agreement between the Anglo-American Oil Combine and Russian Oil Products lias been signed, giving Russian Oil Products an equal share on the British market with other companies. The newspapers state that the agreement does not compensate the owners for the Russian oilfields which the Soviet confiscated.

LONDON, March 1.

The reports that negotiations between the Russian and other petrol companies were approaching finality were quickly followed to-night by an official announcement that the price of all petrol, including Russian, was being raised 2-}d a gallon forthwith.

GIFT FOR LONDON ZOO. ' LONDON, February 25. The Morning Post, in an editorial, says; “It is announced from New Zealand that 500 black swans are being despatched to the London Zoo, while some are going to New York, but we fear that the generosity of the Australian donor, Mr White, will embarrass the recipients. The Australians have a fine habit of making gifts in a grand manner. The wide open southern spaces breed men, large of limb and heart, and Air White, who is probably the happy owner of extensive domains, may not have realised that the space at the London Zoo is limited. Whatever happens to the swans, we will not forget the benefactor, and modern rhymsters ought to immortalise the event as delightfully characteristic of the benevolence of our brothers across the seas. AMERICAN PROHIBITION. WASHINGTON, February 28. The House of Representatives passed the Jones Prohibition Penalty Bill, making no change in it as it was passed by the Senate. The Bill now goes to the President for signature. A message received on February 20 stated: After four days of unusually frank debate on prohibition the Senate passed the Jones’ Bill, which increases the maximum penalties under the Volstead Act to five years’ imprisonment and a 10,000 dollar fine. The Bill was amended to provide for the Federal Court imposing sentences to distinguish between casual violators and the

professional bootlegger. Senator Jones, the Bill’s author, said it was designed to reach the rich bootleggers, who were now escaping with light fines and brief terms. MAN OF THE FUTURE. LONDON, February 28. Professor A. M. Low, when lecturing at the Institute of Patentees, expressed the opinion that man in the future would not eat regular meals, but would take tabloids and undergo ray treatment during sleep. Children would be brought up from birth to fit them for careers, and they would be subjected to various rays, injected with serum and fed with tablets in accordance with the profession or trade for which they were intended. Crime would be regarded as a disease curable by surgical operations. While they were accustomed to scoff at the ancients who sought the philosopher’s stone as the elixir of life, modern scientists realised that both the transmutation of metals and the prolongation of life were within the bounds of possibility.

NAVAL COMMANDS. RUGBY, February 28

At his_ own request, ■ Admiral Sir Richard Webb has been placed on the retired list, and Vice-admiral Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt has been promoted to the rank of admiral.

Admiral Webb, who has had a brilliant career, is only 58, and the age limit for his rank is 65. His retirement at such an early age was voluntarily i equested to facilitate the advancement of junior officers'.

Admiral Tyrwhitt earned fame during the war in command of the Harwich force and through the exploits of the cruiser Arethusa, which, in December, 1914, successfully engaged four enemy ships and helped to sink the cruise; Mainz. He became Commander—-in-Chief on the China Station in 1927. Real-admiral Hothani, ex-commodore of the New Zealand Squadron, has been promoted to vice-admiral.

RUSSIAN CZARSHIP. . PARIS, March 1. Irince Nikita has abandoned his claims to the Russiain Czarship in favour of the Grand Duke Cyril. He said he intends to continue as a clerk, but he is willing to act as the Grand Huke Cyril’s ambassador here. The Grand Duke Cyril is now assured of the support _of the Russian Monarchists throughout the world.

A British United Press message from Pans on January 15 stated that, meeting in the most profound secrecy, the Supreme Russian Monarchist Council chose Prince Nikita, sod of the Grand Duke Alexander, as “ the legitimate Emperor of All the Russias.” It passed over the claims of half a dozen grand dukes and chose Nikita for his aptitude, appearance, and bearing. Nikita and his father are both in the United States. „ ? V ‘° is ased 22 > " as educated at Oxford. He is married, and earns his living at an office.

PREFERENCE TO AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTS.

. VANCOUVER, March 2. r> -I- l S , s ’ tatetl there is a possibility of British Columbia giving a preference to Australian lines through the Government laying down such a policy. The matter is being discussed unofficially here. It is pointed out that the province is facin'* a possible loss of the United States lumber markets through a tariff barrier. Australia might reciprocate in the amtter of lumber with a return of Australian wines. Colonel Nelson Spencer, of Vancouver discussing the proposition, said it would not only be consistent with the policy of trading within the Empire, but it would be sound business to buy the bulk of the provinee’s wine from Australia. LIVERPOOL MURDER. LONDON, February 25. Joseph Clark withdrew his plea, and appealed. Counsel pointed out that the only evidence was his own confession. The appeal was dismissed. Clark- said that as soon as he recovered his head he tried to lift the woman and let her breathe, but he had not the strength. The court pointed out that Clark, directly after the deed, tried to kill the daughter in the same way.

A message received on February 5 stated: Joseph Clark, aged 21, an electrical engineer, was sentenced to death at Liverpool four and a-half minutes after he was charged with strangling Mrs Fontaine, his fiancee’s mother, on Octobe.k2oi. Clark stepped into the dock with his hands in his pockets, and pleaded guilty. Mr Justice Finlav twice warned him as to what the effect of such a plea would be. After he was sentenced, Clark, with a curt “Thank you. my Lord,” left the dock, appearing to be quite unmoved.

WARS OF THE FUTURE. _. . LONDON, February 25. J. he Munich correspondent of The Times states that owing to the “ monstrous danger threatening defenceless Germany in the shape of aerial and gas attacks, a central Bavarian committee is being formed, including Government and municipal representatives, police, firemen, doctors, ambulance men’ chemists, and aviators, to put into operation measures necessary to defend the civil population.

The scheme includes the provision of gas masks, complete ga- suits for everybody called cm to work outdoors, .nd the storage of neutralising chemicals at hospitals, schools, and first aid stations. The population will be warned through observation posts, which will telephone to every post office, simultaneously, and broadcast a wireles warning. Other warnings will consist of ringing church bells and fire alarms, and blowing factory hooters and locomotive whistles. Fire brigades will envelop threatened areas with artificial fog.-

VALENTINE DAY MASSACRE. NEW YORK, March 1

A Chcago message states that Jack Magurn, rated as the “ace gangster machine gunner,” was arrested and charged with leading the Valentine Day massacre. He occupied a suite in Stevens Hotel, three floors above where the State Attorney's investigators of this crime were quartered. A girl who is protected by detectives against the intimidation which has ruined other witnesses, holds the key to the position of the investigation of the Valentine Day murders. Even the newspapers have agreed to shield her identity. She is a pretty blonde girl who was caught with Jack Magurn, who was known as Capone's chief machine gun ner.

The police intimated to-day that the girl had related the whoie story of the massacre.

The newspapers called her “ Louise Rolfe,” but though she is the centre of the biggest crime story in America, newspaper photographers* have agreed not to snap her, and reporters will not interview her, in this manner assisting the police.

CHURCH ORDER COUNTERMANDED. MALTA, February 28. There has been a sensational result of Lord Strickland’s alleged interference in disciplinary matters in the Franciscan monastery. Father Carta, the Italian superior of the Franciscans, ordered Padre Micallef, one of Lord Strickland’s prominent partisans, to leave Malta, upon which Padre Micallef appealed to Lord Strickland, who countermanded the order on the grounds that an Italian subject had no right to deport a British Maltese.

When Father Carta reported the incident to the Vatican the latter excommunicated Padre Micallef, and the Archbishop of Malta also issued a pastoral stating that disobedience of the church’s laws were punished by sacred canons with excommunication. 'This is regarded as an indirect reference to Lord Strickkmd, and Maltese Catholics ask if Lord Strickland has automatically excommunicated himself.

The Italian press was recently violently attacking Lord Strickland, declaring that he was a Mason and that he was persecuting Italian Maltese. ROME, March 1. The Corriere D’ltalian states definitely that Lord Strickland has been excommunicated for conduct hostile to the Church and Ecclesiastical institutions His excommunication does not need to be publicly or formally announced.

MALTA, March 2. Loid Strickland denies the reports that he had been excommunicated. M. Bartolo, Minister of Migration, in defining the respective spheres of civil and ecclesiastical jurisdiction, made it clear to the Senate that nothin" would sidetrack the Government from protecting the British subject from banishment from a British territory and his own country under the pretext of religious discipline. - '. Reuter reports that public opinion is strongly behind the Government. It was alleged that Lord Strickland interfered in disciplinary matters in the Franciscan monastery. Father Carta the Italian superior of the Franciscans’ ordered Padre Micallef, one of Lord Strickland’s prominent partisans, to leave Malta, upon which Padre Micallef appealed to Lord Strickland, who countermanded the order on the grounds that an Italian subject had no right to deport a British Maltese.

WEATHER IN ENGLAND. . LONDON, February 27. Though Britain, following a warmer week-end, has been thrown back to Ice Age conditions, there is a welcome bar binger of a warm summer, as shells have just been found on the Cornish coast which were brought by the Gulf Stream, from New Zealand, and from the Pacific Islands beaches. They have never before been seen except in years marked by the hottest summers. The last occasion was in 1921.

The return of Arctic weather in full blast has gravely increased the dangers attendant on respiratory diseases. Severe frosts continue to be reported almost throughout the country, but even worse are the wintry blasts, an east wind testing even strong constitutions. Horse racing has been off continuously for over a fortnight, and owners have been deprived of £30,00(1 in stake money by the abandonment of 33 days of racing. The Waterloo Cup, after two weekly postponements, has now been tentatively fixed for the middle of March. Ice skating is again in full swing in most parts.

INDUSTRIAL PEACE. LONDON, March 1.

The Confederation of Employers’ Organisations and the Federation of

British Industries have received a letter from the council of the Trade Union Congress accepting the invitation to a conference with both bodies. The letter greatly regretted the inability of the confederation and the federation to accept the interim report of the Industrial Peace Conference, but expressed a desire to hear their difficulties. Thus the national organisations of both sides will be enabled to come into touch. The council of the Trade Union Congress does not abandon the progress made at the Melehett-Turner conference, but hopes to make its recommendations a starting point for an official conference with the employers. The council realises that the Employers’ Confederation deals with labour problems, while the federation deals with economic and commercial questions. The council therefore attaches great importance to meeting a fully representative body of employers instead of negotiating p'iecemeal.

A BLOODTHIRSTY VENDETTA. PARIS, February 28. A bloodthirsty vendetta was revealed at Bastia (Corsica) in the trial of Madeleine Mancini, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for assisting to murder her father and her brothers, whom she accused of betraying her lover Romanetti, the so-called ° king of brigands. The latter established" himself at Mancini’s house in 1917, but his brutality had reached a climax in 1925, when lie was ambushec and murdered’ Madeleine accused her father and brothers of the crime, and fled from her home and joined the bandits, offering the leader Perpettini her love if he would avenge Romanetti’s death. Perpettini agreed, and the bandits surrounded Mancini’s farm house. They summoned the father and the brothers to come out, and they were shot as they issued from the doorway. Madeleine, having watched the slaughter from a balcony, embraced Perpettini, who was still covered with the victims’ blood. The wives of Madeleine’s brothers became demented at the sight of their husbands deaths. Two of Madeleine’s accomplices were sentenced, and three were acquitted. Perpettini was killed in August. INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC. f( LONDON, February 28. “ The epidemic last week is the blackest in the city’s history,” reports the Leeds health officer, in supplvin” the influenza statistics. It was worse than the worst week of the serious epidemic of 1918, and the deaths totalled 62a. This is the worst recorded, and is equivalent to 68 per 1000. The most tragic aspect relates to infants under 12 months, among whom the deaths were three to every 10. The Health Department is certain that the actual position is worse than the figures indicate, because many cases of influenza and pneumonia are not reported to the department. The consumptive cases are also abnormal.

The influenza cases reported for the present Week indicate ’an even worse total, though the public has long been pretty sure that the epidemic can be ranked with the worst which has occurred throughout the country. Leeds is the first centre to give actual figures, however.

March 1. There was a big increase in the influenza death roll last week, the total being 1764, compared with 1243 in the pre\ ions week. In London alone there were 473 deaths. DICTATES OF FASHION. LONDON, February 27. I* emininity dominates the sprin" and summer fashions. According to the latest Paris decree, severe lines are surrendering to flounces, godets, and panels, especially flounces, either narrow and closely gathered or wide pleated, and cut on the cross in order to give a flare. Many sleeves are also frilled, especially abore the elbow. There is also a revival of lace and beautifully embroidered materials, inspired by the intricate designs of old Persian fabrics and antique Chinese materials. the moderns aie floral motifs or quaint figures scattered delicately on shaded silk. Some of the most charming season’s frocks are made of crepe de chine and crepe georgette,. thus the embroidered waist line is raised from its normal position for aa y wear and lowered two inches from tins level for evening gowns, which are decidedly longer. Mushroom, steel, and s ’ noke grey are the most favourite shades. Stockings on which are openwork clocks are growing more decorative, while lace motifs are woven in evening stockings. Hats show more brim and trimming, the latter sometimes consisting of bunches of flowers, notably camelias and gardenias. POSITION IN GREECE. LONDON, February 27. M. Venczelos is planning to be Dictator of Greece, according to the Daily Mail’s special diplomatic correspondent after an investigation of the Greek situation on the spot. He discounts the suggestion that the differences between M. Venezelos and King George are so composed that there is a likelihood of the exiled monarch’s recall, and says that M. Venezelos is at present a stronger force in Greece than ever, and that as long as he is alive the.restoration of King George is out of the question.

M. Venezelos constantly protests to the contrary, but it is known that it is his personal ambition to terminate his political career as President of the Republic, in which a man of his will and character would be virtual dictator. It is si"nificant that the Royalist politicians, who before the election in August, when Venezelos. rolled back to power, described themselves as Royalists, now simply present themseJves as “ Anti-Venezelists.” The correspondent adds: “The Vene-. zelist Cabinet has the support of 90 perC ilk ° f , I>arliamel ’t- Venezelos himself, although 6;j, seems to have taken a new lease of life, and is at present working like a Irojan to consolidate and popularise the republic, and thus make his own position invulnerable for the day when he becomes the King of the Hel- * lenes without a crown.”

belief in spiritualism. LONDON, February 27. . Mrs Hinchcliffe described to a gather t ing of women the eerie night visit of Captain Hinchcliffe. She said that she and three friends, one of whom was a medium, were awakened by the sound of heavy footsteps. It was just the same as when her husband used to leave the house early in the morning for flying duty, wearing heavy flying boots. At the subsequent seance she spoke-to Captain Hinchcliffe, who said he had been in the house, and added that he was very busy impressing people on earth with the value of aviation and instructing them. Mrs Hinchcliffe remarked to the audience that she had already noticed that several people interested in flying had taken up Spiritualism, which she attributes to her husband. Captain Hinchcliffe said he had met a lot of the old crowd again who had been killed in wartime. He had manifested himself holding a large torch, the light of which fell on the faces of the sitters, who saw him and signed a certificate thereanent. There were remarkable scenes at Carton Hall, Westminster, on November 22, when Mrs Hinchcliffe made her first appearance under spiritualist auspices at the W. T. Stead Library, and spoke of her husband's disappearance. Thousands of women besieged ; the doors clamouring for admission, and the police were called in to regulate them.

PRICE OF PETROL. RUGBY, March 1

An increase.of 2jd per gallon on petrol prices is announced, as coming into effect this morning. The prevailing price in London for combine petrol before this increase was 144 d per gallon.

A feature of the Stock Exchange today was a sharp rise in the prices of oil shares on the announcement of an increase of 2|d per gallon in petrol, in conjunction with the report of an agreement between the Anglo-American Oil Company and Russian interests regarding the marketing of oil in this country. LONDON, March 2.

The increase of 2|d pei- gallon in the price of petrol finds the British motorists again in stern protest. The Daily Express, analysing the increase, features the fact that the increase means an additional eight millions into the coffers of the oil companies, which, only this week, succeeded in working in with the Russian oil products’ combine, thereby eliminating underselling. The Daily Express points out that out of the eight milions, approximately two millions go to the Anglo-Per-sian Oil Company, which is controlled by the British Government. It says: “ The British Government will extract an extra profit from the British motorist, from whom it already is obtaining 25 millions in -horse-power tax and 17 millions in petrol tax. Thus, the taxation of the motorist will be no less than 58 millions. Mr Churchill has stated that any reduction in the horse-power tax is now unthinkable, so presumably the horse-power tax, which nearly killed the British car exports, must remain.” Scores of authorities point out that it is .absurd to say the horse-power taxation ruined the English cars’ chances in Australia, where the imports of British vehicles have alarmingly fallen off. This decrease was reflected on the British factories.

The Evening Standard, editorially, describes the taxation on motoring as oppressive and sure to reflect on the motor industry. The double taxation is overheavy and over-cumbersome. A deputation of 22 motoring organisations is seeing Mr Churchill next week to urge a reduction on the taxation. The general public are also likely to be affected, and omnibus companies say that unless there are compensating features in the Budget increased fares will be necessary.