LORD CARNARVON’S DEATH.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1923, Page 2

LORD CARNARVON’S DEATH.

AN INTENSIFIED CONTROVERSY. POWER OF ANCIENT PRIESTS. AUSTRALIAN AND N'.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION. LONDON. April 6. Lard Carnarvon’s death has intensified the controversy which has been debated in England. France and America since the illness commenced, whether it was due to the malign influence of tindead Pharoah.

Sir Conan Dovle telegraphs from New York that powerful clement;i!s or spirits were placed on glint'd by ancient Egyptian priests to protect the tomb of Tutankhamen and may have caused Lord Carnarvon’s death. lie considers it probable that during the Tutankhamen era. piests possessed the power to create guardian elements.

Lamclin, the well-known French spiritualist, says:—We do not know tlie extent of power of ancient magicians, but certain curses were uttered

against the desecration of Tutankha men’s tomb.

The superstitious point to the curious feature of the lights failing twice in Lord Carnarvon’s sick room about the time of his demise; also, to the fact that the specialist summoned from London was unable to arrive in time, owing to the boat being late, and lie missed the train at Cairo, where the efforts to secure a special train were fruitless.

The question arises, how his death will affect the completion of the tomb, ns the financial responsibility was Lord Carnarvon’s own, and included the carriage of most delicate art objects to Cairo, and the publication of books with experts’ reports upon the treasures. It i.- believed Lord Carnarvon s will makes known his wishes regarding the tomb. ... i A legal authority in Egypt expressed the opinion that the contract was a personal one between Lord Carnarvon and the Egyptian Government which lapses at his death, allowing the Government to assume authority tor continuance of the work. However, it is considered that the Government wilt respect Lord Carnarvon’s last wishes which are bclie\ed to he that Mr C arter should carry on the task. Tlie body, embalmed, will be conveyed to England for burial. TCT-ANK.II-AM.EN. LET HIM REST. LONDON, April G. The voice of Lord Carnarvon comes from beyond the tomb, answering strange wild charges of desecration oi the sacred places and oi the commercial exploitation of the ancient dead, which were hurled at him hy a number of splenetic pens in Egypt nlu ' elsewhere. ”1 hope,” he writes in his last dispatch to “The Times,” "I can almost say I fool sure, that Tut-Ankh-Amen’s body will he allowed to remain where ii was placed so man) centuries ago. '1 here arc quantities of sarcophagi and hosts of king’s mummies in the Cairo Museum. T do not believe that any Government can wish to add to the number. M hen 1 open the sarcophagus, which I hope to find intact with the body, photography "ill enable us to give tlie world a trite portrait of the King. Tin's is surely better than placing him in a glass case. It may he possible to make a wax copy of tlie features.” SUPERSTITION. AMONG OWNERS OF ANTIQUES. LONDON, April 7 The "Daily Express” states that a panic has been created among many superstitious owners ul antiques, lithe outcome- of Lord Carnarvon s death. An avalanche of parcels containing mummies, shrivelled hands and feet, porcelain and wooden statuettes, and relics of ancient tombs has descended on the British Museum. Some of these are regarded as a valuable addition to the museum. Others are admittedly ant-font, but are of not much account.

One museum official said that ho hoped that those panicked would forward valuable sjieeiinons, as scientists rejected superstition, but, as a public servant, he would not make any statement. The Museum had had a similar experience before, when the story of the curse of High Priestess Amenta alarmed the superstitious ones. 'Fliis arose front a story that a 1 rich American, who had purchased the actual mummy was taking it home on the Titanic when that liner was wreckid, TIDE OF SUPERSTITION. AND DANGEROUS NONSENSE. ('Received this day at (Ltd a.mA I.ON DON. April 7. Sir Rider Haggard (the famous novelist) addressing the Hastings Rotary dull, said the talk about Lmd Carnarvon’s magic was dangerous nonsense which was stirring up the rising tide of superstition. Could anyone believe that tlie Almighty would permit tile spirit ot the dead Pharoah, who was ottlv a man witli a crown oil Inland. to murder people. REMOVAL OF OBJECT* NOT AFFECTED. (Received this dav at 9.'2d a.in.) CAIRO, April 0. Mr. Cat ter states: “ Lord Carnarvon's death will not a fleet the removal ol the objects from the tomb except, insofar, as Tiis absence from Luxor may involve a delay in the particular sections directly under his control. Wc intend to carry on just the same a- when the Earl was here. There will he an in memurifim service.