BRIEF ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 112, 9 February 1928, Page 12

BRIEF ITEMS

FROM FAR AND NEAR Religious Trouble in Mexico. —Roman Catholics in Mexico City accuse th« Federal military authorities of instigating tho agrarians who destroyed with dynamite the great unfinished statue of Christ at Cubileto.—Press Assn. Eight Hours Convention.—The French Government is opposing a revision of the Washington Eight Hours Convention. It is also announced that France’s earlier ratification was conditional upon England and Germany doing likewise, says an A.P.A. and “Sun” message from Paris.

Just 57.—There are many ways of opening a speech, but the one adopted by the Japanese Bishop. Nakoda, last evening is surely the strangest of all. “According to our custom,” be said, “I tell you my age. —I am just 57.”

The Oil War.—Strong intimations are coming to oil circles in New York that, although Sir Henry Deterding, the Shell magnate, has cancelled his proposed trip to America, another representative of the Royal Dutch Company is proceeding to New York, and there are strong prospects of an early settlement of the oil war. —Prsss Assn.

Information Dismissed.—D***Vering judgment at Whangarei in the case in which Hugh Scally was charged with illegally describing himself as a veterinarian, Mr. F. H. Levien, S.AI., said that no amount of violence in the reading of section 14 of the Veterinary Surgeons Registration Act could lead to the conviction Of defendant. The information was dismissed with costs against the police.—Press Assn.

New Greek Cabinet.—An A.P.A. and "Sun” message from Athens says that Al. Zaiinis has formed a Cabinet excluding M. Papanastasiou, former Alinister of Agriculture and including Al. Alichalcopoulos. Alinister of Foreign Affairs, AL Caphandaris. Alinister of Finance. Al. Metaxas. Minister of Communications, and others of their supporters.

Lee Bevan Released.—Gerald Lee Bevan, who was sentenced on December 5. 1922._ for extensive frauds in connection with the City Equitable Fire Insurance Company of London, has been released from Afaidstone Gaol, twentyone months of his seven years’ sentence having been remitted for good conduct. —Press Assn.

Governor Installed as Grand Master.— The Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, was last nigh*- installed Grand Afastor of the Masonic Order in New Zealand. At the ceremony, representatives of the craft were present from nil parts of the Dominion.—Press Association.

United States Attitude to Cuba.—President Machado, of Cuba, interviewed, defended the United States against ths critics who were accusing it of Imperialistic actions. Ho pointed to Cuba as nn exnmnle of United Slates policies. He said that his Government had received onlv the politest attentions, and had never been interfered with in any way. —Press Assn.

Ran Into a Milk Lorry.—As a result of collidine with a milk lorry at the corner of Dixon Street and Cuba Street shortly before six o’clock yesterday morning. Martin Collins, aged 35, a freezing works employee, living at 25a Arlington Street, was admitted to the hospital suffering from injuries to his left hip, leg, and hand. He was last night reported to be progressing favourably.

Hutt Pipe Bridge.—The city engineer reported to the local Highways Board yesterday that an experiment with dry chins was carried out on the Hutt pipa bridge last. year, without success. He recommended that the tar-sealing be treated with a coating of lar-coated screened crave], which method of surfacing slippery places had nroved fairly successful in the past. The proposal was adopted. ’ .

Claim for Land Slip.—lt was reported to the Highways Board yesterday that a claim had been received from Miss Joyce for the sum of £3O, that being her estimate of the damage done to her property by a slip at Windy Point, on the Eastbourne Road. The city solicitor reported that the Eastbourne Borough Council was liable for the cost of t«ie removal of the slip. The board decided to deny liability in the matter.

Drug Addicts in United States.—The United States House of Representatives Appropriations Committee has published a report stating that there are 100,000 drug addicts in the United States, including many professional persons and children. It also stated that the illicit

honor traffic was growing, due to the substitution of a scholastic tyne of dry agents for the husky officers. The report urged the necessity of separating youthful prisoners from older criminals to prevent the latter teaching the former their occupations, while imprisoned, especially counterfeiting. The committee approved the expenditure of nearly thirteen million dollars for Federal Prohibition enforcement for the next fiscal year.—Press Assn.

Judging of Cocktails.—The International Barmen’s Union organised a competition to decide what was the best ■cocktail in creation, says a Press Association message from Paris. At the only previous competition there were forty entries, but this year the number. 300, raised an unforeseen problem. After the judges had sampled twenty-three, entries they unexpectedly withdrew. When they returned they announced that it was berond human capacity to taste more than twenty to thirty cocktails. Afterwards all tasted alike. Tl-*n the judges nttemnted to work in relays, but each relay cave up the task of decision. It was finally resolved that new judges must be appointed to decide the matter from the recipes.

Chnosino Good Books.—That it was the duty of librarians to lead borrowers into the less well-known paths of literature and away from the cheaper class of novel, was a statement made at tha conference at Christchurch yesterday of representatives from public libraries of New Zealand. Mr. R. G. H. Dolby, of New Plymouth, contended that it should be the duty of librarians to instruct neonle in their reading, for few really knew what they wanted. If newspapers were to publish information on the nroeress and work of libraries, it would help 'ilie public to co-operate with librarians in this respect. It was decided to refer the question to the executive of the association, instructing it, if possible, to arrange with newspapers to publish library notes.—Special Service.