AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1923, Page 3

AMERICAN ITEMS.

ACBTRAI.IAN AND N.Z. (“,111,12 ASSOCIATION A 11A II ROWING STORY. NEW YORK, Kob. is. 11l the insane hospital lire, the building burned was a structure - >0 veins old, and it housed the most violent patients —those classified as “homicidal assautive”’ types. It is these who are dead. Heroic effort's were made by the attendants toreseue the patients, who refused to leave their cells, or when once outside, seized the hose and (ought, the firemen, and m every wav retarded the efforts to extinguish the blaze. The patients m various other buildings set up a lornhc din. The burning building wa squickly consumed, and it fell with a tremendous crash. . ... As the further details of the trageil, come in, and are pierced together, they give an account of one oi the most fearful fires in this vicinity. Maras Island is a small hit of land, lying a few miles from the city's shores, h iit is under the jurisdiction of the State. The island houses the State Insane Asylum, consisting et /,068 patients, also 900 employees, and it. has a fire-fighting force of only eleven men. with a poor equipment. Many of the State ' administraroiß have in the past been severely criticised for the. inadequate fire protection, and arrangements were made with the Now York City Fire Department, winch is one of the best in the world, to give aid in the event of any emergenev. This aid, however, materialised vc . late, and to an inadequate ‘^ent. The lire was caused by a hi (km electric wiring, due to tremeiu mis blastin' l, that has been done n the waters "nearby by the P. I ' l^1 War Department in an efloit to the channel for shipping.

HIN DUS INELIGI li LE. WASHINGTON, Feh 19. The Supreme Court rules that Hindus are ineligible for American citizenship, not being white within the meaning of the Naturalisation Act.

STERLING EXCHANGE RISES. - NEAV YORK. Fob 19. Sterling exchange rate has reached 470 cents to the pound, the highest since 1919.

SUG G LISTED C( >N EE R KNC'E. WASHINGTON, Fob. 19 Senator Owen introduced a resoluDon in the Senate requesting tlie President to invite all nations of the ea • lo meet at Wa dtington to "utter bn three months on economic ' llllt ' el ' ;J . promotion of infernationa trade kU - standing, and the establishment d territorial integrity and pnl'Ocal pemleiiee.

debt funding bill WASHINGTON, I'eb. 19. The House AYays and Means Gommittee agreed to accept all I be Senate Amendments to the British Debt !■ .Hiding Bill.