MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1922, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

UNITED SERVICE TELEGRAMS. AIURDER TRIAL. (Received this day at 9.30 a.in.) . LONDON November 23. Ilford. prisoners were committed for conspiracy to murder Mrs Thompson and also with feloniously administering poison, with intent to murder and soliciting. Bywaters to commit minder. Airs Thompson was carried uut in a faint. A Home Office analysist testified he found traces of alkaloid in Thompson’s organs which gave reactions of poisons. No other poisonous substance was detected. LONDON'. Nov 23. Airs Thompson, mentioned in the earlier cable, was charged along with a twenty-year old ship steward, Bywaters ndtli murdering her husband .it Ilford. At tilt', previous hearing letters were read suggesting attempts at poisoning deceased. A POLITICAL DISPUTE. (Received this (lav at 9.30 a. u ) LONDON, Nov 23. A piquant dispute between the Labour party and Independent Liberals continues, as the result of Labour persisting in the demand to occupy the whole front opposition bench, and all the seats above the gangway. Asquitliites decline to const nt to the demands, and the Speaker refused to intervene in support of Labour. There is in Iso a dispute regarding accommodation in the Whips rooms which Labour hitherto shared with the Independent LiharnL, each having a room. Labour is now determined to oust the Asquithit’cs who have the sympathetic support of the National Liberals’ front bench. The quarrel has gone, so far that Labour members threaten to permanently occupy the front bench so that there will be nc room for Mr Asquiitli, Sir John Simon and other Liberal ex-Alinisters and Privy Councillors, who sit there. IN AFGHANISTAN. (Received this dnv at 9.30 n. ii.) DELHI, Nov 23. Doctor Scarpa. Italian commercial attache, who lias returned after four months stay in Afghanistan, gives an interesting account o>' court life. The Amir lives simply and has abolished his liareni, am! lias only one queen. His private life is exemplary. He works extremely hard putting down sternly, luxury and laxity among the princes and nobles. The Royal palace is plainly furnished, mostly with German goods crudely arranged. He has sold bis father’s great collection of valuable carpets, giving the proceeds to education. The -vinir eats his meals with his fingers. Cheap German forks and spoons are provided! for Europeans. Bribery and corruption are still rife, in spito of the stern measure’s to repress them. Afghanistan offers little field for European trade. CAPTURED RELEASED. fßeceived this day at 9.30 a.m.) DELHI. Nov 23. , All the persons kidnapped in the Alahsud raid, cabled on the 1-1 th have been released and returned salcly. ARTIFICIAL' EARTHQUAKE. (Received this day at 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov 22. The ‘Times’’ Cologne correspondent states two artificial earthquakes arc being produced in lleidelstein and Rhone mountains to-morrow, and Saturday to Gottingen University. A huge quantity of explosives will be tired, seismograph ie institutes recording the movements of sound waves. COMPANY ENQUIRY. ißeceived this day at 10.30 a.m.t LONDON. Nov 23. A committee which is enquiring into the affairs of Smitlifield and Argentine Alea>t Coy. has issued a report showing the losses during 1920-21 amounted to £803.000 in addition to £<j*2 000 written off foreign contracts between 1910-19. Besides a thousand yearly for directors, amounts totalling £115,000 were paid n< salaries and commissions to directors and the Argentine Manager, The existing selling arrangements expiring oil 3lst Dec. cannot be broken under penalty •■' twenty thousand. The Committee recommends a re-organisntu ol Company’s capital M'.or tie end of December.

\ MOTOR FI IHR LONDON. Nov 23. Count Xbormv.ski. driving an eight cylinder Ballot motor ear at Brooklands covered ten miles m All.. cconds. He attained 120 miles lioui for half a- mile and broke the kilometre, half mile, one. two and Inc mile records.

BERLIN REI’OUT. ' , BERLIN, Nov 23. > [ferr Chino, interviewed, said ho Hr;;:: t to -t::- t r go d“ S l Xso; i allX"dr.mt intend to tico and Economy l nh to light Cabinet with its l ul sti• V “WET” PLATFORM. (Received this dev at Id 3d uni NEW YORK, Novemhei 2.3. A convention of associations lormed t«, oppose prohibition in St. Louis derided to contest the Presidency m 1921, on a “wet” platlorm FRANCE ANT) WASHINGTON Received this day at 12.25 p.m.) PARIS. November A». Af. Lcvgues interviewed said tie Commission would .eport against 1 at! fication of Washington accords. Treaty were ratified it would be ">th such reservations that the naval situation accepted at Washington would be completely modified. Erfu.ee refuses to accept naval equality with Italy. because France was washed by two seas. She had an immense colonial empne and*must protect her communications. France’s position in this respect was unique. The committee strongly protested against the manner in which tonnage “was fixed. It was based on the present strength instead of prewar. All France’s war efforts were devoted to land armaments, naval construction being abandoned, therefore the Navy’s present position was abnormal. It would perhaps be impossible to increase the fleet, but national pride was deeply wounded. There would be an overwhelming vote against the treaty. A BISHOP’S VIEWS. LONDON, November 23. Colahan, Bishop of Cork, preaching, said Mary Alacswiney had been refused sacraments. A hunger strike, if carried to extreme dentil, would be a mortal sin. Tf she died she would only have herself to blame.