BRITISH & FOREIGN

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 17 December 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN

OVERNIGHT NEWS SUMMARY. (Per Press Association—Copyright.)' TOKIO, December 15. The Mitsui firm denies the report that they are considering the purefiase. "bf’an island in the Philippine group. BERLIN, Decemfer 15. It is reported that the ex-Kaisei’S daughter-in-law, Princes-: Sophie Charlotte, is engaged to marry a Pofcdam military officer, Von Hedemann, who if much younger. She is the divorcee of Prince Eitel Friedrich. PARIS, December 16. Signor Turati has arrived. He said life was unbearable since the new Fascist security laws came into force. “I went to the Prefect of Police in Milan, and asked him to arrest me, for I was then living as though in prison. Finally I decided to escape." MOSCOW. December 15. The strain of Air A. J- Cook's visit has resulted in a breakdown. He was taken to the Kremlin Hospital, suffering from acute heart and throat trouble. Professors Rosanoff and Levine. Russia’s foremost doctors declared that the. strain of the revolution is causing heart trouble and nervous disorders. and advises a week’s complete rest.

PARIS, December 15. The dead hero of the St. Auban explosion is Ale'ine, an engineer. When the chlorine tank burst, he was standing by. and was miraculously unhurt. He plunged into the gas filled building, and extricated man after num. When all except 25 who were killed, were safe, Meline collapsed in the manager’s arms. He was hurried to hospital, 'but shortly succumbed from asphyxiation. LONDON, December 15. A British Broadcasting Co. official says that it is impossible to arrange for broadcasting of the King’s Christmas dinner. The time is too short, and the Empire chain is incomplete. Colonel Wigram,’ the King’s private secretary, doubts whether His Majesty would approve, and opines that most people will prefer their Christmas dinner free from public duties. BERLIN, December 15. I The authorities are investigating the alleged Polish violation of the Eastern frontier at Gransei. The German version states that a motor lorry, with three Polish officers and forty men, arrived at the frontier post, where they divided, one section penetrating German territory, and remaining there fifteen minutes, while the officer gave the men instructions with a map. -LONDON. December 15 Counsel submitted that Major Blake, a retired governor of Penton; ville Prison was no longer bound by prison secrets, because he ■ was uo longer governor. The judge, in fining Blake £250 and costs, said he had resolved not t,. inflict imprisonment, because of Major Blake’s past career and public service. !e had received £3OO for a series of newspaper articles, and therefore the fine and costs would make him pecuniarily worse off. which was as it should be. LONDON. December 15. The King has accepted an Empire' Christmas pudding made from the Marketing Board’s reeeipe, consisting of Australian sultanas, raisins, and currants, South African raisins, Canadian flour, Demarara sugar, British suet, apples, and eggs. Jamaica rum, and Indian spices. Dr. Grenfell, before returning io Labrador, suggests that it would be inspiring for the people of all parts of the Empire to dine at the same moment as His Majesty at Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day. Perhaps the King would graciously broadcast a

speech throughout the Empire. PARIS, December 15. Flesh coloured stockings are losing favour among Parisiennes, who are now wearing black plaid and other patterns, but the newspaper' “Paris Midi” declares that if the French makers wish to be successful they must invent a more elegant fashion. The paper urges that there is ro reason why odd-coloured stockings should not be worn. The idea that both legs should be the same colour is as old-fashioned as a pair of vases on the mantelpiece would be. It is suggested that this would also bo economical, as old stockings could be worn with a new- partner. WASHINGTON, December 15. The House of Representatives’ Naval Committee unanimously voted that the chairman should confer with President Coolidge regarding the present state of the Navy, with, which the Committee expressed dissatisfaction, paiticularly with the President’s decision against building cruisers. The Committee examined the secret session reports submitted by the Navy Department, and intimated that it found America lagging far behind Britain and Japan in naval tonnage. The 5-5-3 ratio was working to American disadvantage. The Committee feels that there is little hope of another Armament Conference.

Admiral Eberle informed the Committee that the United States would need 33 cruisers to equal Britain ana Japan. Such ships would involve an «vn e r-di+ure of 500.000,000 to 600,000,000 dollars and make the entire fleet remparable with the other two Powers. LONDON, December 15.

A deep-rooted blow at English public schools’ traditions was struck

by the parents' association to-day, when it demanded that top hats and hard collars be abolished, and combination garments substituted for the present jackets and trousers. One speaker said that when hoi - boy wore a single garment, the teacher told him that in the interests of modesty a two-garment suit was preferable. Others suggested that the boys take a short rest in the afternoon.' Dr. Belfrage, of the • new health society, while approving of the prijiciple, said he feared the boys would: rebel at unnecessary discipline. New vita glass, permitting ultra-violet radiation, should be installed in the school. Girls with open throats and silk stockings, were better clad than boys. Every school ought to have an open-air cold bath. LONDON, December 15. The Beilin correspondent of the “Tinies” states that an echo of the Pope's unsuccessful peace negotiations in 1917 occupied the Reichstag Committee inquiring into the origin and conduct oi the war, which cross examined Herr Michaelis (who, as Chancellor defeated the Reichstag’s peace resolution), regarding the suppression of a letter from Cardinal Curia stating that the British representative in Rome informed Cardinal Curia that Britain and France were ready for peace negotiations in the event of a satisfactory declaration regarding Belgium, and also regarding the suppression of the German reply, refusing evacuation of Belgium, thereby upholding the militarists’ annexation views, and wrecking the pronosals of tlv> Reichstag. The Reichstag, ignorant of these letters, nnnroved a vague reply. Herr Michaelis to-day declared that the reply was tantamount tn a conditional assent, and added that inquiries showed that the British offer was not seriously meant. Herr Michaelis produced the exKaiser’s letter, dated November last, declaring: “My view in 1917 was that the German army and navy were honourably in possession of Belgium,! which , she could not be asked to surrender unconditionally. I still think it would have been an irresponsible act unequivocally to renounce Belgium before receiving guarantees essential to the welfare of my people.” Herr Michaelis said that in exchange for the evacuation of Belgium, Germany w.anted Britain to agree to her possession of a Mediterranean base at Corfu or Valona.