MISCELLANEOUS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1920, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS

Vfjy Electric Telegraph—Copyright.; MESOPOTAMIA REPORT. LONDON, Dec. 30. Sir John Hewett’s report on Mesopotamia, reveals extensive work was undertaken out of Army funds, both for military purposes and civilian requirements, especially in regards to agriculture and irrigation. The latter was necessary to provide food for troops and obviate a famine for the civil population. Muck of the work done will prove of great future advantage. Great improvements were effected to the port facilitie at Busrali and to the inland transport fleet, which, during the war cost £9,250,000, and most of the latter is saleable. Hewett recommends the civil administration should take over many development works at a cost of £2,000,000.

STRUCTURE OF ATOMS. LONDON, Dec. 29. Professor Rojdestvcnski', of Moscow, claims the discovery of the structure of atoms. A London newspaper comments that Sir Oliver Lodge recently hinted that the world was on the verge of acsertaining how to utilise the forces within the atom, and that this would bring the most stupendous economic changes ever seen.

INDIAN FOMENT. LONDON, Dec. 29. Further striking accounts of the Am. ritzar affair state the latest evidence indicates of the break in Punjab were the outcome of Bolshevist intrigue, aiming at a country-wide attempt to render British rule impossible. Five thousand natives attacked Lahore fort with axes attached to poles, jeering, spitting and crying “ Let us kill the white men.” Some spread a report that “ King George is dead, now is our chance,” and tore up pictures of the King.

R AIDS IN SLOUGH. LONDON, Dee. 29. Many masked armed men carried out raids during the week-end in Slough, Ireland. The raiders carrying off arms from private houses. PHOENIX PARK AFFAIR, LONDON, Dec. 31. The “Times” Dublin correspondent states: A military Court may now, investigate the Phoenix Park military shooting affair. The verdict of the Jury of accidental shooting is not being questioned. The loss of the two lives is regarded as the outcome of abnormal circumstances, their being young soldiers who lost their heads, and acted under an illusion. The truth is that all men’s nerves are on edge in Ireland. Nobody knows what will happen next.

ENGLISH COTTON BOOM. LONDON, Dec. 30. An amazing number of fortunes have been made unexpectedly in a few hours in a cotton boom in England. In many eases managers and foremen combined in purchases, knowing that tremendous profits were assured for some years to come. Two hundred mills have changed hands as frequently as five times since 1918.

SOLICITORS FEES. LONDON, Deo. 29. Solicitors are being permitted to advance their fees. Barristers arc allowed to increase their fees by 120 per cent. Doctors have raised fees 50 per cent. MAHSUDS RETIRE. DELHI, December 31. The British troops have entered Kotkai without opposition. Fazilin, the Maksud chief is retiring to the interior. He still is obdurate.

The total British casualties during le whole operations were 546. The Mahsuds lost a thousand men.

A MARINE DISASTER. HALIFAX, December 30. The steamer Anton Van Driel has been wrecked with considerable loss of life. The v-essel ran on some rocks on the Canadian coast, and was overwhelmed. There are on her still a number of survivors who are calling for help, but the lifeboatmen arc unable to aid them. One by one, the sailors have been dragged in from the surf. There were twenty dead thus brought in, but not a single survivor.

INCREASE OF CRIME. LONDON, December 31. 'flic “Daily Mail” reports that an eminent nerve specialist, discussing crimes, pointed out the effects of the 'war. lie states that the war has created many thousand of neurotics, but even a far more dangerous typo is to bo seen in the case of men tainted witli a mania before the war, who nevertheless, made excellent soldiers. There is a third type, which repreisents the sufferers from emotional strain, including the men who fought though they did not believe the war was necessary. He said there is a common

theory regarding the adverse influence of shell shock on crime, but this was largely exaggerated. The frequency of jewel robberies, attended by violence is scaring wealthy West End Londoners and suggesting to them a necessity for carrying arms.

HONOURS AT HOME. LONDON, December 30. Die following New Year honours are announced: Earldom—Viscount Midleton. Baronies—Sir Bertrand Dawson, Sir George Riddell, Sir Albert Stanley. Privy Councillors, —lion. W. A. Watt, who acted as Australian Prime Minister during Mr Hughes’s absence. Baronetcy,—Mr James Buchanan, (be well-known distiller. Knight,—Mr Arthur Schuster.