NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1922, Page 1

NEWS BY MAIL.

. MILLIONAIRE'S SON. NEW YORK, March 7. j The unhappy ending of the romance of it beautiful American girl and a British cavalry officer was revealed in the granting by the New York courts of an interlocutory decree of divorce to Airs j Ruth Austin Smith, daughter of Air Robert J. Wynne, who was United; States Postmaster-General under Air Theodore Rnosevehlt and later was United states Consul-General in Louden. The • respondent, Alphonse Franc.| I Austin Smith, was described as the son | of a Canadian multi-millionaire and at I the time of the marriage in 1912 as a subaltern in the 4th. Dragoon Guards. The wife cited as co-respondent “an English girl, aged 20, of good family, by whom, it was stated in evidence. Air Smith liiid a daughter born on April IS. 1920.” 1 Alls Smith and her sister joined her fat fit r in London soon after his appointment and became widely known for their beauty. Tbe elder sister married a British officer, Captain Hugh i.ouahl French, smi of the late LieutColonel the lion. Robert French and cousin of Lord de Kreyne.

Alt's Smith told, the court that she met her future husband at tea at the Savoy Hotel, and that, after a rapid courtship they married.

JKWKK Till KF SOI I.KD. I.ONDOX. April 3.

rinding lie luu! lii'i'ii lioltcil inside a sl ll >|> Ily a secret device, a thief made a ilasii fur fri'i'doni across thri't* routs in the West Kud of l.otidon .yesterday afternoon, hut he was ultimately capluied. A hunt g |i.m. a young man, wearing a blue suit and white spats, entered the simp of .Mr 11. Sigwnnl, ti jeweller and watehmaker. of till, St -Martin s-laite, W.C., and asked to see some diamond lines, lie examined some and said that he "would eall with the young lady inter on.” He returned aliout three nVloek. alone, and Mr Sieward showed him two diamond rings. Mr Sieward, who was already suspiriotts. pressed a holt on hi-1 side’ of the eoiinter and silently lastoned tile tloor.

Suddenly the young man whipiied out of Ids pocket a pepper-pot, threw the contents into Mr Steward's lace, and dashed lor the door with the lines in .his hand, hut found it halted, lie then grappled with Mr Sieward, who, al-thou-di an elderlv man, put up a stood lie-lit. Still blinded with the pepper, however, he received three heavy blows on the face and the thiel ran up to the seeoml tloor and looked lumsell in one of tlie rooms. Mr Sieward sent lor the iioliee. Jml before they arrived the intruder ascended to 'the top of the house, wine, has lour Hours, and climher from a window to the sloping root.. Six polieemen eltased him across the slippery tool's to the roof of a restaurant three buildings away, where lie climbed thromdi a skylight into a room where some more police were waiting tor him.

|)ON STCIiZO. lttlMK. .March

Although the Cabinet of Signor Facta was formed only last Saturday, after a month’s political crisis, it is reported already to have tendered its resignation.

It is known that Signor di C'esaro. the Minister of l’osts and Telegraphs, has resigned as a protest against the interference of the priest Don Sturzo, leader of the Popular or Catholic Party, in th o formation of the Cabinet. Hon Star no, a dark eyed priest of Sicily, not yet 10, was little known even in his own country until 1910, when he set to work to reorganise the Catholic popular party. Now lie is one.of the most mysterious and powerful . figuies in Italian polities, the autocratic dictator of one of the biggest parties, which

he rules without having a scat in Parliament.

By his energy, skilful manoeuvre: . and organising ability lie secured the election last year of 10" deputies el the Catholic Party, which, when lie became its “boss,” bad only 24 representatives in Parliament. IDs power become so great last year Signor Gii - litti, then Prime Minister, rallied him in for consultation many times during the disturbances all over Italy when “Beds seized factories anil the Fascisti. the militant ant i-snditionists, began vigorous counter-action which led to serious faction lights and much shedding i-i blood.

The Facta Cabinet is a coalition composed of Democrats, lloformists. A; - rations and members of Don Stttrzt - Catholic Popular Party. Both Kigno Facta, and Signor di Ccsaro arc Democrats.