BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1923, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. CUNA.RD LINERS AND DRY LAW. LONDON. May 19. Sir .Ashlov Sparkos, General Director of the Cunnrd Lino, announces that the Cunard and Anchor lines will follow out the American Supreme Court’s prohibition ruling to the letter. The company’s liners, when west bound, will only carry liquor as far as the three mile limit, and will there throw what remains overboard. The eastward bound vessels will carry no liquor. Sir A. Sparkcs declares that the recent London shipping conference was of the opinion that the United States decision was an infringement of tho rights of other-people, and it was hoped that the two governments would get together so as to arrive at a decision to modify the Volstead Act so far as foreign ships are concerned. A HUSBAND’S SILENCE. LONDON, May 18. Mrs Ada Diver has been granted a divorce decree against her husband, who had not spoken a word to her for three years, though they lived in the same house. The Judge accepted this as grounds for a case of desertion, saying that he thought desertion was proved by the fact that respondent had intentionally denied his wife everything that she was entitled to.

The wife gave evidence that Diver sat at the table for the mid-day meal every day for three years without ever once speaking. She asked him tho reason for his silence, whereupon, without answering, he rose and tried to strangle her. The Judge: “Do you mean to tell me that not one word passed in tho house ?” The Wife: “Not a single word.” The Judge: “Did he ever complain about anything?” The Wife : “Never.” The Judge: “He just sits and eats in silence.” The Wife: “Then he goes out, and slips away.” Evidence was also given of the husband's misconduct. meat contracts. LONDON May 18. Jt i.‘| stated that it is extremely unlikely that any portion of the pending Army and Navy meat contracts have been awarded to Australian tenderers. They were given an opportunity to recast their tenders, and they did so, buti despite there tieing a full allowance given under the preference arrangements. their quotation was still higher than that of other competitors by at least one fartliing per pound. MAILS MISSING. LONDON. -May If. When the liner Minnehaha arrived at Plymouth from New York seventeen bags of mail were missing. Tbe contents cf some of tlie bags containing registered letters were found on tho decks.