BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 May 1923, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CADLE ASSOCIATION. NIGHT OF THISTLE. LONDON, May 9. Earl Kiltorc has been appointed a Knight of the. Thistle. CHINESE FINANCE. PEKING, May 9. Lieunyuan (Minister of Finance) has resigned over the shortage of funds to pay officials. A DIVIDEND. LONDON, May 9. The New Zealand and Australian Lam! Company has declared an interim dividend ot two nor cent tax free. BRITAIN AND SOVIET. LONDON, May 9 The Soviet received the Brilisli Ne'e on Monday evening. FIVE YEARS’ PENAL. LONDON, .May 10. David Chalmers Anderson was sentenced to fivo years’ penal servitude. (Anderson is the soil of a Scottish clergyman. Ho was employed at ,‘los a week to a wealthy Glasgow man. who died, aged 92. Anderson forged documents involving £50,000). A SUCCESSFUL LOAN. (Received this dav at 9.15 a.in.) LONDON, May ID. The "Morning Post” in a city article on the oversubscription of the New Zealand loan said it had a stabilising influence on the Stock Exchange and speaks well for the popularity of New Zealand as a borrower, and for the auspices under which the loan was issued, that the amount was so quickie absorbed. Moreover, the terms are an appreciable advance on NNew Zealand's last loan.

BRITAIN'S AIR FORCE. (Received this dav at 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, -May 10. The Marquis of Salisbury in the House of Lords, announced that Cabinet bad decided that there must bo a considerable increase in the Air Force and a fuller statement would be made shortly. Viscount Birkenhead urged that the one power standard should be maintained in connection with aviation. TV A RSHI P'S EXPLOSION. (Received this dav at 10.10 a.in.) ROME, May 10. An explosion occurred at Taranto aboard the warship Passim. Eight were killed and 15 injured. They were unloading torpedoes. The fire spread to a store but was overcome. SEV ER E E A RTHQU ATv ES. ROME. May 1(1. There has been a succession of violent earthquakes at Sebinico, Dalmatia, during the past week. The inhabitants are leaving their houses, many of which have been razed. COTTON TRADE WAGES. (Received this day at 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, May 10. -Masters and employees in the cotton trade have agreed to stabilise the present wages on condition that operatives do not ask lor an advance for nine mouths.

EXPLOSIVES ACT. (Received this day at 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, -May 10. For the first time in -the history of factory inspection, there has been no fatal accident for a year ill a factory under the .Explosives’ Act. Onij eleven were injured, though there were 52 deaths and 373 injuries in the illegal manufacture of explosives and conditions to which the Explosives Act di.es not apply. OIL EIRE CASUALTIES. NEW YORK, May 10C'asaualties in the oil fire cabled today have reached sixteen known to be dead and twenty missing. A TERRIBLE STORM. PARIS, May 10. A terrible storm occurred in the Department of Orne. The town of Don front was the centre of destruction. Every house was damaged and farmers’ crops ail round were ruined. Twelve children were buried in the ruins of one house. Troops have been sent to help to repair the houses. H EI.mCOPTEI! COM PETITION. (Received 1 hi-> day at 1.30 p.m-)

LONDON, May 10. The Air Ministry has issueci conditions in connection with a £-10,000 prize for a helicopter competition. The machine must rise straight into the air, Hv horizontally in any direction, and descend vertically into a restricted space. The requirements are that the niaehine must rise and alight two thousand feet in a five miles wind, also live to twenty miles wind; also make a vertical ascent ol two thousand teet and remain hovering for half an hour; also llv a circuit of twenty miles at a speed of sixty miles per hour. Lastly, to manoeuvre over a given point, and then, shutting off the engine descend from <SOOO feet into an area of 100 feet.

The prize will he divided as. follows: Five thousand for a straight up ascent and descent; fifteen thousand for hovering; twenty thousand for circular (light; ten thousand for descent without the engine.

In addition to the pilot, the heliocopter must carry petrel for u.n hour s liight and a load ol one hundred and fifty pounds. Several machines are alreadv designed, one having great revolving vanes driven by a thousand horse-power engine.