BRITISH AND FOREIGN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10449, 1 May 1912, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

United Press Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph—Copyright. (Received' May 1, 10 a.m.) DEFAULTER SENTENCED. LONDON, April 30.

M. Hamon, Director of Accounts Department of the French Foreign Office, who was arrested in April last year on charges of misappropriating public moneys, has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment and fined 20,000 francs. His defalcations totalled £BB4O. He admitted misappropriating moneys, and pleaded that the system had been long recognised in the Foreign Office, several officials drawing increased pensions as a result of the falsification of decrees promoting them to a higher.' grade. THE CASTLES . SISTERS. Miss Amy Castles has signed! a contract for a five yeani' engagement ,at the Imperial Opera at Vienna, commencing ill September. Miss Dolly Castles has, bcien engaged to lead-a new musical comedy at New York in August. . FIRE IN GUY'S HOSPITAL. A fire at Guy's Hospital severely damaged the biology department, but the patients were not disturbed owing to the firemen's, promptitude in quelling the outbreak. COAL. STRIKE RELIEF FUND. Sir William Hall-Jones has received a further £llOO in aid of the sufferers by the coal strike. 'This will probably meet the immediate necessities of the distressed, as the men in the majority of the districts are now in full work. THEFT IN OPEN DAY. A motor-car stopped at a jeweller's shop in Brixton at midday, and a man descended, "broke the window, seized a tray of fifty rings, re-entered the car and escaped.