BRITISH AND FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1922, Page 3

BRITISH AND FOREIGN ITEMS.

IUSTKALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. SHIPPING DISASTER. PARIS, April 28. A message from Harve states 17 of the crew, including the captain were drowned when the 3,000 ton steamer “Depute’ Albert TaTUandier” foundered iu a gale in the English Channel. An survivors were picked up by a British steamer and landed.

BIG ART AUCTION. LONDON, April 29.

At Christie’s art auction in London in the short space of 20 minutes, nine pictures realised -£20(650 guineas. Two Reynolds portraits fetched 4,800 ami 4,000 guineas respectively. Romany’s "Mistress Greaves” fetched 2,900; Gainsborough’s “Miss Mott” and Raeburn’s “Fourteenth Early Englenton,” fetched 2,000 each.

BRITISH NAVAL OFFICERS. LONDON, 'April 28

An Order-in-Council lias been issued which authorises the Admiralty to place on the retired list, irrespective either of age or service, such officers as are considered unfit for further service, owing to any peculiarity of temper or other defects not amounting to misconduct or caused by intemperate habits.

LADY WHITE'S MURDERER

SENTENCED TO DEATH

LONDON, April 28.

At Old Bailey the jury found tho accused Jacobi guilty of the murder of Lady White, in a West End London hotel on March 21.

Tlie jury however, added a strong recommendation to mercy on the ground that they did not believe that, the prisoner entered the bedroom intending to kill. Justice McCardcll passed the death sentence, but forwarded the recommendation to the Homo Secretary,

SEVENTY SUFFOCATED. MADRAS, April 28

The Government of Madras lias santioned a compassionate grant of 300 rupees to' the families of tho 70 Mopla lis who lost their lives some months ago in the train asphyxiating tragedy when they were being conveyed in nnventilated carriages as prisoners by the Crown forces.

BRITAIN’S BUDGET. (Received This Day at S a.m.) LONDON, April 29 The Westminister Gazette’s political critic forecasts Monday’s budget to include a reduction of a shilling in income lax, one penny on sugar, twopence on tea, some postal .concessions, and n small reduction in entertainments tax and total reductions anunmting :o sixty millions .sterling. The critic suggesls lliat the sinking tend may be sus]>ctuled, though interest will have to lie paid.

WAR MEDALS. DELHI, April 30. Reports from Simla state it lias been decided that all British officers and men irrespective of union, who served in India during the war. shall be eligible for the British war medal, whether they entered the war theatre or not.

TUBE RAILWAY. LONDON, April 29. Mr Chalmers Kearney, an Australian engineer, gave a- demonstration of a high sneed railway designed to communicate between Circular Quay and Milson’s Point in Sydney, across the harbour. The model railway is installed on a monorail system, with an overhead guiding rail, following the same gradients as those necessary in communicating under the Sydney Harbour. The model cars worked without a hitch. The inventor claims that the cars could convoy 20.(X)0 passengers hourly .the transits occupying 65 seconds. The estimated cost is only three-quarters of a million, as against the ten millions needed for Mr Bradfield’s scheme for a bridge. The tube could lie readily duplicated to carry twice the number. The principle of gravity is utilised, for developing high Sliced.

CHINESE HOSTILITIES,

TIENTSING, April 28.

Hostilities between the forces of General Chang Tso Lin and General Wu Pei Fit have begun. They started near Martian. A general attack on Pekin began on the 28th. The British, American, French and Japanese legations are now’ increasing their precautions to protect the railway from Pekin to the sea. Martial law li n been declared in Tsientsin and Tsininfn. The foreign legations have warned the Government that if Pekin is bombarded. the consequences will he serious. The foreign Powers will lie annoyed ! The Powers say also that any attempt to damage the railway bridges stations, and communications will ho resisted by the combined ’foreign forces. VANCOUVER. April 29. Both Shanghai and Canton dispatches report that nine warships, tliev being the last of the Pekin Government’s navy have surrendered to Dr Sun v at Sen. Tlvv did so after three bombing pl-mcs hit one ship, killing 20 <wl«-s. r.nd injuring 30.

The Government Navy’s loyalty was suspected, owing to a refusal of the commanders to pledge they would observe neutrality during Dr Sun Yet Son’s northern expedition. Therefore, fearing bombardment of Canton it was decided to demand that the warships surrender. The latter refused, and cleared 'for action. Thereupon the planes were ordered to concentrate ir'on the cruiser TTairbi, which w-s qi'i'bly put out of action.

TNDTAN MFTTN”. DELHI. April 28. An inquiry into the Calcutta, gaol mutiny has elicited that two Hindu and five Mohammedan ennvv’ts rce killed. About 40 of the convicts and some gaolers were wounded. The troops have now been withdrawn hut armed police arc guarding the neighbourhood. One escaped convict was recaptqret! yesterday.

j BOTTOMLEY COMMITTED. I , Received This Day at 8 a.m.) ! LONDON, April 29 Bottomley was committed for trial on a charge of fraudulently converting to ,liis own use £218,415 sterling. He was allowed bail in £IO,OOO. BRITAIN’S SECRET SERVICE. Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 30 1 Hon Sbortt speaking at the Royal Academy banquet, replying to the toast of Ministers, referred to the industrial troubles in Britain. He said never since tbs end of the eighteenth century in France had there been so much activity, aiming at a revolution as to-day. Government knew the people who are working for the revolution and what they are doing. British secret service were no, er more efficient or more necessary than to-day. Revolutionary elements throughout the world knew the British Empire was one great obstacle to their aims.

RICHARD CROCKER DEAD. LONDON, April 30. Obituary.—At Dublin, Richard Crocker, formerly a Tammany Hull boss.

HISTORY REVEALED. " THE TIMES ” BF.ItVICE MU'reived This Day at 8.30 a.m.) BERLIN. April 29 The "Times” correspondent reports that evidence produced in a Munich libel action, included ajetter written in December 1914, by the Bavarian Minister (Herr Ilerchenfeld),- to Herr HertInng, definitely revealing what had been long suspected, namely that the Berlin and Munich Governments knew the terms of Austria’s ultima-turn to Sevvia, the day the Note was presented to Belgrade. »

GAOL RIOTS’ RESULTS. 'Received Thiß Day at 8.30 a.m.) DELHI, April 29

A fire started in Calcutta Gaol during the riot, and destroyed the workshops., The estimated damage amounts to thieo lakhs of rupees. The situation is fairly quiet, but the convicts are truculent. '1 i.e gaol authorities have resumed control.

At Eglnntoon soldiers arc retained in case of further trouble. Forty six convicts were sent to the hospital with gunsuot wounds. Nineteen escaped dining the turmoil and two have been learrested.

I’ERSIAN POLITICS. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) TEHERAN, .April 29. i

A for a period of inactivity, the Russian Legation recently resumed Bolshevik propagandist work, with a view to upsetting Cabinet particularly the War Minister Gardnrsepun, who is regarded as Persia’s strong man. Hitherto the people suffered patiently under a Hood of Bolshevik revolutionary propaganda, although th,. doctrines are foreign to their national and religious instincts, but now in the face of these agents .fomenting international political dissensions and even religious animosities between. creeds, the tolerance is changing to exasperation and annoyance. I here is a strong feeling against further Bolshevik interference in local politics.

M. D'h’SoHANEL’S END

PARIS, April 2!)

After suffering for several days from influenza M. Dcschanel developed fatal pneumoninry com plications.

J U’AN AND SIBERIA. TDKIO. April 29

A Foreign Office statement shows a break occurred with Mmki.loff, head of the Yladivostock Administration, over a continuance of the Japanese fishing rights in Siberia waters. Licenses were due for renewal, but Merkuloff refused to issue them under the old conditions. Japan while not recognising Mrcii.luff’s right to act. was forced to deal with him under the existing conditions. He however, was dodging all points, refusing to concede even indisputable rights. Japan was therefore forced to disregard Markuloff and act with a view to guaranteeing fishermen full safety.