HEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1921, Page 1

HEWS BY MAIL.

“WET” LINER PUZZLE. NEW YORK, Feb. 16. No vessel of any nationality may enter a United States port or come within the three-mile limit with intoxicating liquor on board. This, in substance, is the decision given yesterday by the Department of Justice under the Prohibition Enforcement laws. The department states specifically that no ship transporting liquor from one foreign port to another may touch at a TJ.S. port. The Customs authorities express the opinion that if strictly construed it will prevent the entry of any passenger liner having a bar, even though its contents be sealed.

It is not stated from what quarter the application for this ruling came, but it will certainly be a source of considerable comfort to American shipping' interests. The fact that all Uu J States passenger ships are “dry” is j always considered to be one of the principal handicaps of the U.S. Mercantile Marine in the fight for supremacy. Considerable doubt at the same time exists in shipping circles whether the strictest construction will be placed on the new ruling.

Elsewhere it is quoted as as instance of the fact that the Prohibition laws cannot be enforced without giving rise to impossible complications abroad. GERMAN PROFITEERING. BERLIN, Feb. 15. A consignment of oats arrived in Waltcrshausen, Saxony, for distribution by the local authorities among cattle dealers In two of the bags were slips of paper with the words: “I was paid 20 marks 50 pfennings (normally 206d) for these oats. Will the buyer, kindly inform ino how much he has to j pay for them ?” The buyer wrote to ! the farmer, stating that the price with j freight charges demanded by the corn i distribution centre, was 175 marks (normally £8 15s) per cwt. j ENGLISH BEER TOO STRONG. MONTREAL, Feb. 15 , The result of the Quebec liquor legis- j lation is stated to mean that the sale, of English ale and stout will be pro-; hibiled after May 1 as they contain more alcohol than is allowed. U.S. MYSTIFIED. NEW YORK, April 15 j

The “grave warning” said to have been issued bv a high official of the British Foreign Office to American correspondents regarding the possibility of serious developments in Anglo-American relations unless present tendencies are checked occupies to-day the attention of the entire Press.

What mystifies writers and officials on this side is why only two of the assembled corps of correspondents tele-, graphed the “warning” textually, os-' pi daily in view of the circumstance, leported to-day, that before sending his despatch, the United Press correspondent submitted it to the author ol the “warning,” by whom it was approved. , When the despatch was brought to the attention of Secretary of State Colby it elicited the comment: “The re- : port seems to me utterly preposterous. 1 cannot credit it.”

Later the Secretary mentioned that private reports had reached him that Sir Auckland Geddes, the British Ambassador, was supposed to be the authority who issued the warning.

Washington despatches to-day recite afresh the numerous points at issue between the- Governments of the two countries, and reiterate that “the general feeling” in both the official world and Congress is that the eventuality of a break over any of these points is “unthinkable,” and that, should such a break occur, it would mean the destruction of Western civilisation.

THIEF FIGHTS 20 MEN. PARIS, Feb. 16. With the murder of two policemen on bis conscience, Desire Bacquet, a heavyjawed, low-browed man of 2-1, was shot down fighting against 20 armed detectives in the Paris suburb of Gennevillicrs tliis evening. A week ago be robbed a Paris branch post office of stamps and cash worth little more than C2O, and on Saturday two detectives tracked him to an obscure public-house in the northern part of the city. As they entered the bar to arrest him, lie fired at them point blank with bis revolver, killing both. He then fled and bis traces were lost. This afternoon the police received information that lie was biding in a ragpicker’s house in Genncvillicrs. Twenty defectives sprang into a’ motor-van and, hurrying there, surrounded the house. With pistols drawn several of them then rushed into the doorway. Banquet, surrounded by the rag-picker’s children, met them, a revolver in each band. lie and the nolice fired simultaneously. One of the detectives was wounded, but. BacqueL dropped riddled with bullets.

COOL GAMBLERS. NICE, Feb. 16. i A mazing parties can be seen at Monro Carlo, Nice, and Cannes. 1 have watcti- ’ eel many big players make anything up' to 500,000 francs (£20,000 nominal) or' more during an evening’s play. Although the Latins, especially South Americans, still .hold the record fo*‘ daring play, it is noticeable that tne Englishmen are seen at all the tables where play is highest, and T am f.olfi that their coolness is difficult to beat ami that they are therefore first-class adversaries. North British Solid Truck Tyres are fitted at once, so that vour truck need not remain idle at all. Get in touch with LT. Smith, Motor Garage, Greymouth, Agent. Ready for instant use, “ NAZOL ” is sure protection against coughs and colds, 60 dosefl lg 64.

i BARE BACKS BANISHED, i | PUFFED SLEEVES AGAIN, i PARIS, February 16. ! Bare backs and silk-clad legs must no longer be seen. This is the latest decree of Paris fashion. With bare backs, Mire arms have also gone, and most of the dresses have 1 puffed sleeves, reaching to below the elbow. At a fashionable show in the Champs-FJysees I saw this afternoon a revival of the broad-arched Medici collar which was so fashionable a IV years ago. Medici collars are also t be found on the latest evening cloaks. Vermillion, orange red. and heliotrope are the predominating lines. The cloak 1 are decorated in most cases with huge quaint flowers, worked in silver lace, with fringes of gold tassels. The straight silhouette and the graceful curve of gowns and evening dresses have vanished with the advent of the hoop. WIRELESS ’PHONE FEAT. NEW YORK, February 16. Telephoning from a ship in the All •• ; tic to Catalina Island, in the Pacific 30 miles off the coast of California, near Los Angeles, is a feat of combined wireless and land-line communication accomplished by the United States Telegraph and Tel phone Company. The result of the tests was learned from the wireless operator in the tank steamer Misco, bound from Mexico L New York, which overheard the conversation actually considerably east of tlie steamer Gloucester, which was the ship being used by the company. The operator of the Hisco heard a loud voice calling the Gloucester’which immediately replied. The voice which came from New York, then completed relay calls across the American continent. PRISON HOAX. DUBLIN, February 16. Francis Teeling, one of the three men tried by Court martial for the murder in Dublin on November 21st. of Lieut. Angliss (otherwise known as Mr McMahon), escaped from Kilmainham Prison. Dublin last night. A supposed military party is stated to have driven to the gaol in a lorry and gained admittance. On the “officer” in charge of the party presenting what appeared to he an official warrant. Teeling and two other men were handed over to him.

The hoax took place shortly before nine o’clock, and 10 men in a lorry arcsaid to have been fully equipped in khaki uniforms with steel helmets and fixed bayonets. The ‘‘official ’ warrant for the removal of the prisoners boro the signature of a high official at Dublin Castle. The officer in charge of the prison gave directions to the wardc-rs to hand over the prisoners, and in less than 15 minutes they were away in the lorry. It was soon discovered that the prison authorities had been fooled, and motorscouts and motor-lories were making a strenuous but ineffectual search for the prisoners and thqir escort. The two prisoners with Teeling were Simon Donnelly and a man named Stewart. Judgment in the charge of murder against Teeling has not yet been promulgated

BRANDY AND OYSTERS. BRUSSELS, Feb. 16. Local doctors attribute the increasing number of cases of appendicitis bore to indulgence in mineral water. It is pointed out that years ago, when more wine and stronger beer were drunk, the alcohol killed any microbes that might have been eaten. Germs from oysters the newspapers say, affect only the teetotallers, those who drink wino and liquors being immune. In Belgium large quantities of shell-fish are eaten, and tradition says that they should always be washed down by a glass of brandy—in case of accidents. Many years ago at a dinner at Winchester a number of people were poisoned by oysters subsequently found to have been contaminated by sewage. Those people who took alcohol were scarcely affected, hut some of those who did not died and others became seriously ill. ADMIRAL “UNCLE LEWIS.” NEW YORK SEAPLANE WELCOME. NEW YORK, February 16. Admiral Sir Lewis Rayly, affectionately nicknamed “Uncle Lewis in the United States, arrived here yesterday, and, after making the acquaintance ol New .York interviewers, proceeded to Washington where he is remaining until Thursday. He is to be the guest of honour in New York on Saturday at a banquet to bo tendered him by 150 U.S. naval officers whose affections he gained when he commanded at Queenstown during the war. A fir that he will go to Newport as the guest of Admiral Sims. Admiral and Mrs Sims met Admiral Bay|y and his niece Miss Yoysev, when In arrived in the steamer Toloa from Co- , lon yesterday. I As a tribute to the distinguished visi-

! tor, a squadron of 5 seaplanes, under the command of Lieut. Carpenter, and tile dirigble CIO soared down the bay and escorted the vessel to the dock. ■ The Tribune, in an article entitled “An Admiral of the Old School, ’ editorially welcomes Admiral Bayly, whose singleness of heart and directness ot speech, it says, won U.S. Navy men the moment they struck Queenstown. After referring to recent discussions in the two countries, and suggesting that s relations could not be placed in bettei hands than those of the British and 1 U. S. Admirals, the Tribune concludes: , “The truth is simply that the two Eng- ■ lish-speaking nations, for all their oc- , rasional surface irritations, are bound for the same port and sailing by the same stars, and only insane folly, in addition to the evilest of propaganda. [ can ever bring them into serious controversy.”