British and Foreign.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 January 1914, Page 3

British and Foreign.

* [Flit PRESS ASSOCIATION.] [ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH, copyright.] (Received This Day 9.10 a.m.) A MYSTERIOUS DEATH. London, January 22. At the inquest held on Reeks, Thomas Kent, an uncle, identified the body and stated that he reached England on Saturday from Halifax (Nova Scotia), and intended to obtain a British marine engineer's certificate before rettuning. Reeks spent Saturday with him at Swinton, near Manchester, and returned to a Liverpool hotel that evening. The inquest was aiTjo urned for further police enquiries. The jury inspected the scene. The body was found in a ditch surrounding a pit shaft 200 feet deep and protected by a high wall. If he committed suicide it is surmised that lleeks sat on the wall anticipating that he would fall into the shaft, but the evidence showed that this is highlyimprobable. His hat has not been fpnnd and the wounds do not show any signs of burnt powder. The pit is being searched for the revolver. The ticket collector at Wolverhampton recollects two men arriving from Liverpool m the early hours of Tuesday, and believes .that one was lleeks. The police "have a full description of the dress and appearance of his companion who is aged about thirty, and is believed to be from Chicago. The Liverpool police are endeavouring to trace the man who booked for Canada by the liner which sailed during the week. If he is a passaneger, wireless instructions will be sent to secure his detainment. When the inquest adjourned ; the Coroner remarked that evidently a brutal murder had been committed. THE LATE LORD STRATHCONA. < Owing to Lord Strathcona's desire to be buried at Highgate with his. late wife, the family declined the. Government's and Dean's offer of interment in Westminster Abbey. The memorial service will be held in the Abbey on Monday. AGAINST SWEDEN. Stockholm, Jan. 22. The newspapers strongly attack Russia, alleging that the menacing military measures in Finland are a prelude to a war again, st Sweden. THE STRIKERS RETURNING Capetown, January 22. The situation has improved. At Pretoria ana Durban, which are the only remaining strike centres, the men are rushing back to work. At the Pretoria workshops the boilermakers, who hitherto had stood, firm, have intimated that they'are resuming, and it is expected that the workshops will start with a full complement on Monday. The Department is unable to take on a number of paid men at the Durban workshops owing to the engineers remaining- out. Johannesburg, Jan. 20. At a combined meeting of masters and artisans in the building trade the strike was declared off unconditionally. The meeting also accepted the resolution of the masters declining to recognise any organisation except a union composed entirely of building trade operatives. The "martial law restrictions are being relaxed on the Rand area, with the exeception of part of the East Rand. Pretoria, January 22. Mr Burton has issued a notice to the railwayinen stating that the notice on the 17th only applies to men offering themselves for employment before nocyi tomorrow. Those not applying will be treated under the terms of the Railways Act, forfeiting all contributions to the superannuation fund. Johannesburg, January 22. Seventeen men who formed part of Bain's bodyguard and prevented the police from arresting him, were themselves arrested when the police raided the Trades' Hall. They were charged with acts of disorder prejudicial to public safety and remanded till the 27th. Bail was refused. GHANDI WILL .WAIT. Pretoria, January 22. Correspondence between the Indian leader Ghandi and the Secretary for the Interior has been published. The nett result is that Ghandi promises to await the report of the Judicial Commission before revising the passive resistance movement. Although Gandhi will not appear before the Commission, he is willing' to let Sir Benjamin Robertson, the Envoy of the Indian Government, do so on his behalf. The Department of tlu> Interior agrees to liberate bona fide passive resisters and await the recommendations of the commission, and will then legislate if the Indians will undertake not to press the charges of illtreatment and brutality towards the Indian strikers, the Government agreeing not to produce negative evidence thereon, but, reserving the right to investigate the occurrences which resulted in loss of life in the two affrays last November. (Received This Day, 12.45 p.m.) MR AUSTIN CHAMBERLAIN TO SUCCEED. London, January 22. The Liberal-Unionist and Conservative Executive of West Bir- ' )

mingham lias selected Mr Austin Chamberlain to succeed his father. A PROTESi. Parliamentary Committee .of the Trades Union Congress condemned the proclaiming of martial law in South Africa and the brutal way in which the military was used to overawe the workers in an industrial dispute. INDIANS PROMISE. Pretoria, January 22. The Indians have promised to renew the passive resistance pending the Commission's report, and the authorities agree to release the imprisoner resistors and also await the Commission's recommendations and then legislate. STR ANGLED. London, .January 22. A sensation was caused at the inquest 011 the boy William Starclifield (found strangled in a railway carriage) by a woman positively identifying the boy s father as the man who was leading him by the hand near Cuinbertown station. The father interjected: "it's a lie !" A signalman gave evidence that he saw a man kneeling over a child in the train, on tho afternoon the murder was committed, and identified Starehfield as the child. The enginedriver gave evidence that he saw a man apparently tying up a parcel in the compartment where the body was found. The medical evidence was that the child was probably strangled when in a kneeling position. COAL POUTERS STPIIvE. Eight thousand London coal porters have struck. The men's meeting rejected the masters' offer to settle any special grievances, and a minimum wage of 25s per week. Tt is feared that seventy thousand general carmen, will stride in sympathy as two thousand have already struck. Amateur coal porters, including many clerks, are endeavouring to cope with the situation. • IN DEEP WATERS. The stern of AT is buried deeply in the mud, making salvage most difficult for the divers owing to the depth. Previous submarines have been abandoned in shallower water. Nine divers are working. .