MISCELLANEOUS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 July 1922, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS

iCSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION FORETOLD BY CARDS. OLNDON, July 15. The suicide of the cricketer, A. E. Stoddard, in 1915, was foretold by cards, according to Mr Brockwel), who was a member of the M.C.C. team which loured Australia under Studdart’s captaincy. Mr Brocfcwell says (hat when returning from Australia in 1895 a passenger, Mrs Woods, offered to tell Richardson’s fortune. Briggs suggested that the whole team should participate, and all went to the saloon. Mrs Woods began with Stoddart, because lie was captain. Stoddart shuffled and cut the cards. Mrs Wood studied the cards, then asked Stoddart to reshuffle. She studied again and asked him to reshuffle. Stoddart said : “Well, what do the cards say?” Mrs Woods rose, saying: “I cannot tell for tunes to-day.” Mr Brockwell persuaded Mrs Woods to sav why she “closed the innings «n hurriedly.” After lie bad given bis word of honour riot to tell Stoddart. Mrs Woods said: “He’s going to commit suicide.” Mr Brockwell laughed, saving: “Let that pass. He is the last man on earth to dream of such a thing.”

WELSfI FETTSH SURVfYAL. LONDON. July 15. The medical officer of health for.Carmarthenshire, Wales, has appealed to mothers in the shire to abandon their practice of cutting babies’ ears at the waning moon. He says that the < nstom is a primaeval fetish and meaningless.

CHITA AND JAPAN. REUTER’S TELEORAMS. 'Received this day at 9.50 a.m.) TOKTO, July 29. Unexpected hitches are appearing in the Chita-Japnnese negotiations for a renewal of a conference with the object of concluding a commercial treaty. Chita, presumably encouraged from Moscow, is refusing to consider some of the Japanese proposals regarding the scope of the conference. The Japanese press declares Chita is submitting everything to Moscow Government, whence instructions come and indicates if Chita continues to show a procrastinating attitude, depending upon Moscow’s support, Japanese will he obliged to resort to a free hand m protecting Japanese subjects in Siberia ; adding that the result will he to the disadvantage of Chita. Reports from Vlndivnstock state the community is living in fear of a revolution, the presence of Japanese alone preventing an outbreak. General Diedridi heads one faction including almost the whole of the White Army, while President Mcrkulov, supported by the now and a few troops heads the other. An election is now proceeding and there are indications that the Dicdrich faction will win. Mcrkulov is holding n ship readv to leave. Thousands ot Koreans are daily passing through Ylndivostock to the Hinterlands, where they are welcomed hv the Russians. Thev report that Jam'nose troops m Siberia are becoming growmgly affected hv Bolshevism, which is causing much uneasiness among the higliei command. A number of officers have been recalled recently. It is beloved in some quarters that the spread ot communistic ideas is one of the main reasons for the Japanese decision to withdraw her whole force from Siberia.

BLAKE’S FLY. 'Received this day r.t 9.50 a.m.) LONDON July 30. Blake cabled an the from Lahore—En route here we had to land at Montgomery and had our first real taste of the montoun. Twenty Indians wore needed to hold down the machine in the terrific gusts. It rained a solid sheet for half an hour, turning the aerodrome into a lake. Aftei unloading all the cargo we managed to rise from two inches of water. The machine is standing the test wonderfully. We arrived here plastered with mud and soaked to the skin. Ambulance? were ready but were not needed.

ITALIAN UNREST. “ TIIK TIMES ” 8 Kit VICE. /Received this day at 9.50 a.m.) ROME, .Tidy 29. The situation at Noinagna is still grave. The general strike continues and the ferment among Republicans and Socialists is growing. The Faseisti who are masters of Ravenna. have Mown up the famous Bryon Palace, the headquarters of Labour, where a poet lived.

LABOUR PAPER’S EDITOR, j ' LONDON, July 29. George Lnnshury resigned the editorship of the “Daily Herald”. It is stated his resignation is perfectly voluntary, so as to allow the new owners , of the paper freedom in editorial eon- j trol.

I LABOUR UNITING, i LONDON, July 30. The executives of the National Union of general workers, Municipal Em- ' ployees Association and National Amalgamated Union of Labour approved of the amalgamation scheme. A ballot of members will be taken and if favourable, the new organisation will bo one of the largest single trades unions with a membership of at least half I a million.

QUEST AT LONELY ISLAND. LONDON. July 29

, Captain Wild reports the Quest spent I May 20th to 25th at Lonely Island, ; Tristan Da Chunha, Where since December 1920, there had been seen only one other ship which brought a missionary. The Quest proffered the islands a good supply of food and other commodities. The islanders were perturbed lest the usual barter would deplete their flocks, and were delighted when , informed it was a free gift. Man- inspected the Boy Scouts and handed over , a flag specially sent from England. , Members of the expedition took many j scientific observations.

ANCIENT HISTORY. VIENNA, July 29. That cannibalism existed in Europe in pre-histone times has been proved by discoveries made by Doctor Beyer, a naturalist of human hones in lower Austria. He declares undoubtedly they are the remains of a cannibals feast during the bronze age. TRAINER SUSPENDED. PARIS, July SO. Trainer Portefln was fined flrp hundred francs and his license suspended for doping racehorses.