MISCELLANEOUS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1920, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS

%py Electric Telegraph—Copyright., ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. LONDON, February 4. Cope is advancing the details of his expedition. He states the final dash for the Pole will be commenced on Xmas day, and be accomplished in two stages, by aeroplanes -which will carry three men and equipment sufficient for a return to the base afoot, if necessary. He will take photographs from the air on the white journey charting the interior and exploring tracts hitherto uncharted. The expedition is purely scientific and will last for five years. The aeroplanes will explore the polar continent every summer. The ' -a Nova meantime will he circumnavigating the Antarctic. ' BRINSMEAD CLOSED. LONDON, February 5. Brinsmead’s have closed their piano factory in London owing to the cost of producing. The principals informed the employees that they have been carrying on at a heavy loss, employing twentysix hands on each piano compared with six prior to the war.- The firm do not intend to recommence manufacture. They say. the state of affairs ‘s due to the labour tendency to- force up prices, until it is impossible to manufacture.

HUNGARIAN THRONE. PARIS Feb. „5. “Le Petit Parisian” revives the report that Hungary is offering its throne to the Marquis of Cambridge. POPE’S ACTION. ROME, Feb. 6. It is reported that the Pope has excommunicated Catholic church members at Bohemia ovijig to a new movement •which aims at the abolition of ecclesiastical celibacy. PEER AND FARM WORKERS. LONDON, Feb. 5. Lord Lee, in a speech at Fareliam, said he favoured immediate abolition of State Control of the agricultural industry. He opposed the proposed- application of the 48-hour week to agriculture. It would prove disastrous, he said, to employers and even to workers Britain’s safety and prosperity depends largely on food production. BALLROOM HOLD-UP. PARIS, February 5. A gay assembly including many women magnifyjenhly dressed, wearing valuable jewels, thronged a ballroom at Rubherlioz, where ten men in faultless attire arrived at one in the'" morning. They received a hearty welcome and entered into the spirit of the dance with great enthusiasm. Suddenly they drew revolvers, demanding valuables. All exits in the meantime were guarded. .The thieves made several journeys to a waiting motor car, in which they heaped ■ furs, jewellery, and purses. A girl rushing down some back stairs called the police, but the gang escaped with their booty except two who were arrested. One woman values her fur cloak at £2OOO. HOUSING SCHEME. LONDON, February 5. Dr Addison announced that 7000 additional housing schemes have been approved during the past week. Given the money and the labour, he said he had no doubt the Government schemes for providing two hundred thousand houses would make good progress during 1920. MARSHAL FOGG HONOURED. PARIS, February 5. The Academic Francais has installed Marshal Foch as an Academician. President Poincaire paid a tribute to Marshal Fooh’s supreme war ach'evements and said that more than anyone else in the war he was responsible for the enemy’s defeat. President Poincaire concluded: “You will remain for France, and fo* all friendly countries, a most clearsighted and precious councillm. A MILITARY DINNER. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 6. Hon W. Churchill gave a military dinner at the Military Service Club. Tho guests included the Prince of Wales,

Generals Haig, . Wilson, Rawlinson and Horne. Tho occasion was General Haig’s resignation, and the desire of the Prince to meet the -general staff, before his departure for Australasia. ' LABOR QUESTIONS. (deceived This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 6. It is reported in the lobby of the House of Commons that Air Roberts is taking up charge of all Labour questins, on behalf of a well-known firm employing.many thousand hands. He keeps his seat in the Commons. AN AIRMAN IS FLIGHT, (Ileceiml This Pay at B a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 5. Cockerill, cabled on the 24th, leaves Heliopolis at ten in the morning and hopes to reach Wady Haifa to-night. BIG TIMBER DEAL, v . ~TiONDON, Feb. 5. The British Government Timber Department has ceased,to operate. It has sold its entire stock of fifty, million feet (if soft timber to a syndicate for eight millions sterling. This is a record deal in timber.