BRIEF ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 111, 8 February 1928, Page 10

BRIEF ITEMS

FROM FAR AND NEAR Soviet Ambassador at Rome. —An A.P.A. and “Sun” message from Rome says the Soviet’s new Ambassador, M. liurski, has arrived. Valuable Diamond Found in South Africa.—A Press Association message from Capetown says a large alluvial diamond, weighing 412 carats, found at Bai;kly West, realised £5OOO. Hickman Declared Sane—At the hearing of the charge of murder preferred against Edward Hickman at Los Angeles, four alienists testified that Hickman was sane and able to distinguish right from wrong.—Press Assn. Street Collections. —Owing to the number of applications for permission to take up street collections, the City Coun. eil has had to take a ballot. The Wellington Free Ambulance drew June, 1929, and at last night’s meeting of the board, the opinion was expressed that that date was “too far ahead.”

Boy Drowned in . River.— Ronald Hughie Hollis, aged nine, was drowned in the Motupipi River, in the Takaka district, states a Press Association message from Nelson. He was swimming with two companions, and got out of liis depth. He was drowned in six feet of water.

Boy Drowned at Wairoa.— A Maori lad, eight year of age, John Waimoana, was drowned at North Clyde Wharf, Wairoa, last evening. Dragging operations failed to locate the body.—Press A ssn.

Fell Down Stairs—The Free Ambulance was called out last evening to attend to Grace Graham, aged 15, who resides at 148 Clyde Quay, and who fell down a flight of wooden stairs. She was found to be suffering from severe injuries to her right ankle, and was taken to the Public Hospital.

New Zealand Swimmers in Sydney.— Misses Ena Stock! ?y and Kathleen Miller arrived in Sydney by the Maunganui and were welcomed on the wharf by swimming officials. They had a practice swim to-day, and will compete in the New South Wales championships on Saturday next. —Press Assn.

Lost Atlantic Fliers.—A British Official Wireless message from Rugby says that in the Probate Court on Monday leave was granted to presume the death of Princess Lowenstein-Wertheim. The Princess left England on an Atlantio flight with Colonel Minchin and Captain Hamilton last August. Nothing more was seen of them after they cross the Irish coast.

Sale of American Shipping Lines.— Senator GrSscup, before the United States Senate Commerce Committee, declared that the United States Shipping Board would cause a monopoly of Pacific Coast shipping by its proposed manner of dealing with the sale of Pacific lines. ■ Press Assn.

Cretans’ Demonstration Against Greek Government. —Excited demonstrations in Crete against the Greek Government culminated in a demand to reduce taxation within nine days, otherwise the Cretans would organise a revolution against the Greek regime.. The threat lias increased the difficulty in forming a new Cabinet. —A.P.A. and "Sun.”

Communists and “Steel Helmets” Clash in Berlin.—The London “Daily News’s” Berlin correspondent says that Communists and the Steel Helmet League clashed ■ during a leaguers’ demonstration attended by the ex-Kaiser’s sons, Princes Eitel Friedrich and August Wilhelm. One hundred and twenty Communists were arrested. —Sydney 'Sun” Cable.

Miramar Footpaths.—" Why the City. Council should fail to put in footpaths past land which has been paying rates tor years, and yet lay footpaths along three quarters of a iniie ot State Advances property on Broadway, which pays no rates, and which will not even he on the market for years, passes my comprehension,” said Air. L. O. Thornton at the quarterly meeting of the Miramar Progressive Association last night.

Liquor Traffic Across Canadian Border. —The vast dimensions of the liquor traffic across the Canadian border is revealed -with the publication of the_ minutes of the Customs Conference in New. York last August, says a Press Association message. One Canadian house is said to have made five million dollars in a year, and there are fifty such organisations near Detroit. In the first five months of 1927 Canada exported 8.236,126 dollars’ worth of liquor marked for the L’nited States.

Possible Cradle of Human Race—Further anthropological discoveries have been made in the dried bed of the Vaal River, at Bloemthof, Transvaal. Two teeth found a few months ago have been pronounced to be those of mammoths thousands of years old. To-day three smaller teeth were found, and they are considered to support the theory that Southern Africa was the possible cradle of the human race.—Press Assn.

Florida Banks and Land Boom.—Three banks failed to open for business on Monday, ostensibily because of runs due to- the circulation of an anonymous letter declaring one to be weak, but it is believed that this is another iece of evidence of the continued deflation of the Florida land boom. —Pr»s Assn.

Nelson Tobacco Crop.—lt is estimated that there are some 750 acres under tobacco in the Nelson district. Harvesting operations have commenced, and crop prospects generally are considered by the Government instructor to be satisfactory, despite the spell of dry weather. Usually farmers devote about two acres to this crop, which, generally speaking, is in the ground from November 1 to the beginning of February.—Special Service.

An Unperturbed Kiwi.—The kiwi, the remarkable ■ wingless bird of New Zealand. is still holding its own in certain parts of the Dominion. Officers of tho Government Publicity Office on a recent visit to the Waipoua forest, in the Far North, were much interested in a kiwi which was discovered sitting on two eggs inside a hollow log. This quaint bird, with its long beak and solemn' expression, was not disturbed by the presence of visitors, but attended strictly to business. At night time tho weird call of that kiwi arid others was heard in many parts of the forest, where the birds appear to be doing well.

Double Drowning.—A distressing fatality oenrred in the Retauke River at Kaitielre yesterday afternoon, states a Press Association message from Taumarunui. A young man. Donald Anderson, was bathing in the river when he got’ out of his depth, .and was soon in difficulties. Another young man. Jack Morgan, went to help him. and the latter’s mother went away to get assistance. When she returned with assistance there was no sign of her son or of Anderson. Th? bodies were recovered within twenty minutes, but artificial respiration for a lengthy period failed. Anderson was employed by a Raitieke farmer, and Morgan resided with his parent's, who are well-known farmers.

German Not Wanted.—A Germanseaman. who was serving a sentence in Wellington, was shinped to Sydney with' a view to having him repatriated by a. vessel proceeding thence to Germany. As no vessel was available nn bis arrival at Svdney. the German was not permitted to land there by the authorities. and was accordingly shinned back to Wellington bv the T'limaroa. which reached Wellington yesterday.. On arrival. tho Gorman was taken charge of by tho prison authorities. but will late.r lie sent again to Sydney when steamer bound for Germany is available from that port.