BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1923, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. WA IvKFORR CASK. LONDON. Fob. 2.1 The ('cutml News Agency is officially informed l.hat the clergy committee are n.-sistiug iiethc defence in the Wakelord ease, cabled oil litth November, has reconstituted, and enlarged the committee. It is announced that the girl Wakeford met in Peterborough Cathedral has been found and offers to give evidence.

.1A PAXF.SK FFKLINH. TOKIO, Feb. 25.

Ten thousand police were called out to control the dentnnsl ration in favour of the universal suffrage bill which will be introduced in the Lower House of the Diet to-morrow. A huge profession representing all parts ol I lie empire participated, marching around the palace and cheering the Emperor.

\ BOV A(.'(,)FITTFH. PARIS, Feb. 25,

dean Return, aged 15, was charged at Versailles with murdering hi- lather. He pleaded that the latter, in a drunken frenzv, threatened in kill his inotlioi. Jean therefore stabbed I lie lather to death with a knife. The youth was acquitted.

OLD MAN ROBBED. BARIS. Feb. 21

Auguste Deeulaux, aged 85. a retired ship’s captain, was found bound in a bedroom at Yille Torreneuye. Recently despite his protests his soii-in-laiv, aged 111, and daughter, aged ->5, and his graml-daughter insisted on residing with and -ponging upon the old man. Later they demanded all his money, and when' he refused, they bound his hands and feet, and decamped with seven thousand francs and many valuables. -

THE BISLEY MEETING. LONDON. February 24

The Bisley Rifle Meeting is opening on July 7th. and includes the new King’s Medal competition, which is a revival of the old best shot in the Army prize, which is being reinstated -eparn.tely for the armies of Britain ard each Dominion.

SCOTTISH LABOUR DECISION. 'Received this dnv at 8.50 a.m A LONDON, February 25

The Scottish Labour Party conference at Glasgow refused to admit Communists as delegates. The docison wp,s followed by an uproar. The question was then put to the vote and the decision upheld by a majority of four to one.

CRIMINAL LAW. (Received this dnv at 8 50 a.m.) LONDON, February 2;>.

Lord Birkenhead in introducing in the House of Lords, the Criminal Justice Bill, empowering magistrates to deal summarily with a number of misdemeanours which at present have to he tried by a jury, and to impose sentences not excelling six months or fines of £SO sterling. The Bill abolishes the presumption of law that an offence committed hv a wife in tbe presence oF Iter husband is committed under the husband’s coercion. UNR EFRIGET! AT ED AIEAT. 'Received this day at 11.50 a.m.) LONDON. February 25. Much interest was displayed at Smith field market in two hind-quarters of South Airican beef which were carried unrel rigerated and arrived peifectly sound, thirty-eight days after lying slaughtered. The City Medical cdiccr is making bio-chemical analyst-. So far it appears that no known chemical method of preservation has been employed.

AIR FATALITY. LONDON, February 25. Two (light officers and one mechanic wore killed and two mechanics injured in a crash ol a \ ickers-Y imy machine at Mokattam hills near Cairo. A SPANISH SENSATION. CONSTANTINOPLE Feb. 25. A captain of a Spanish cruiser lying in tlie Bosporus suddenly ordered the guns of his ship to be loaded and trained on the Sultan’s Palace at Dolma Bigtche. The astonished officers complied and signalled the facts to the i Iron Duke, asking “Shall we lire." The ! Iron Duke replied “Arrest Captain.” ■ who was found to be insane, and who 1 died later. j‘“ . . _