MAIL NEWS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160735, 23 August 1920, Page 7

MAIL NEWS.

£10,000,000 FOB BRITISH TELE- * PHONES; LONDON, July 20. The Hb'iise of Commons has authorised the expenditure of £10(000,000 for the development of the telephone system. THEDA WOULD VAMP FROM SPEAKING STAGE; LoifiON, July 16. Theda Bara, the most famous “vampire," is about to desert the silent drahia for the speaking stage. “The film I am now featuring will he my last,” ehd told Cross-Atlantic. “1 am planning to return to America to act on the legitimate stage, Where the hours are shorter.” GOLD SHIPMENTS TOTAL £3,000,000. NEW YORK, June 10; ■ The arrival, of £BOO,OOO in gold from Ottawa; which is said to be on Canadian account, is reported by the New York Sun this morning; The Sun declares that the total amount of gold due to arrive in the United States within the , next few days is £3,000,000, and that the movement will not cease until, the, ,£14,000,000 to £20,000,000 in gold in the Bank of Frafacg has been transferred to the United States. MUST WED ANY MAN OFFERING HIS HAND. COPENHAGEN, July 16. “A week of love” has been proclaimed by Lenin, says a Moscow report. All unmarried women under 46 are ordered to marry any Bolshevist desiring. Women married for four years and not mothers are granted immediate divorce and are also subject to the same orders to hasten their remarriage. All women affected afe ordered to register immediately and later will be conducted to the Winter Palace for marriage in squads. The State has taken charge of all children over three years Of age. TANKS IN BANKS TO TRAP ROBBERS. NEW YORK, June 9. Covered by revolvers from a. couple of armoured “pill boxes,’’ which—on the cashier pressing a button, dropped from the ceiling, simultaneously with the automatic closing of the street door—a forger who had presented a bogus cheque in the Pacific Bank of this city, found himself “held up,” with the money changers’ tables turned on him. He made a wild, futile dash for the exit, and then threw up his hands and surrendered. Such pill boxes as those which astonished the Pacific Bank’s queer customer are the device that has been widely adopted, following a series of daring daylight raids fey armed robbers on banks in various cities. The pill box ex machina is well calculated to discourage permanently tins particular form of crime. It consists of a form of “tank” formed of sheet metal shields, with revolvers placed ready to hand /at narrow openings, and conveniently situated so that officials and employees can reach them instantly and ‘ ‘get the drop” on any armed intruders. In some large institutions “pill boxes” are built into walls and manned day and night by guards armed with rifles. INSULT TO FRENCH CAREFULLY STUDIED. 'BERLIN, July 19. Further details of the incident at the ceremonial reparation for the insult to the French flag at the embassy show a prearranged insult was intended by the German military authorities. Apart from the conduct of the German troops in singing “Deutschland Über Alles,” there was carefully studied mockery. For such an occasion full parade dress, of course, should have been worn, but instead the whole company was in field grey, even to the caps, which long ago have been abolished for the whole garrison troops of Germany in favour of helmets. Further, the uniforms were old, evidently dug out for the occasion, and the high, clumsy boots were unpolished. The appearance of this ragged regiment was greeted with appreciative laughter and cheers by the crowds in the streets. Near eye-witnesses say the presentation of arms was carried out in anything but the proper ceremonial manner. Reactionary papers vigorously protest against the summary dismissal of Major Haupt of the military police, who is held responsible for the flag incident. Major Haupt distinguished himself at the taking of Fort Douamont, near Verdun.

PRICES OF WOOLLEN GOODS. LONDON, June 11. A firm of manufacturers of textiles at Bradford, England, has forwarded to its representative at Sydney a memorandum, the object of which is to afford “an idea of the general position n« to prices, and the outlook in the near future as to trade conditions so far as the wool textile industry is concerned.” “The bulk of the wool available for disposal,” it is stated, “will not be given away, and this is proved hv the fact that the holders have decided to curtail sales, aUd to continue to withdraw lots which do not realise the limit prices.” It is not possible to say, the writers add, that the world’s demand for wool textiles has been met since the armistice. Huge quantities will he required, they declare, during the next two or three years. “Nearly every spinner and manufacturer engaged in textiles has 9 to 12 months’ work—the whole of which has been on ordew for some time, and at lower prices than those ruling at the last sales. The prohibitive prices quoted recently by spinners and manufacturers have been the means of stopping business, which has been the best thing possible until our cheaper goods are delivered and things come to a more rational standard of price. The price of wool makes very little difference to the price of goods under to-day’s conditions —it is the rush on combing, spinning, and weaving machinery which rale the position, and will do so for some time to come.”