LATEST CABLE NEWS BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1923, Page 2

LATEST CABLE NEWS

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLK ASSOCIATION. BRITISH AIR FORCE. LONDON, June. 7. A new British figuung aeroplane, constructed by Vickers, is ready to undergo its final flying trials. It is a two-seater, fitted with a single Napier “Lion” engine. It is expected the machine, oven 'when fully equipped with its crew, machine guns and armaments, will have a speed of 150 robes an hour, or 30 to 40 miles more than any fighting machine in the Government air service. This fighting plane, when eventually ndopted by tho Air Ministry, will be ordered on a considerable scale, to replace the present machines and to equip new air squadrons which have now been sancitoncd. LIONS IN AEROPLANE. PARIS, June G The keeper of a menagerie here purchased three lions at Rotterdam. He was tillable to get them to Paris, owing to the Belgian railway strike. Ho hired a Goliath aeroplane, which brought a lioness and her two cubs safely to France. The animals wero quite comfortable during their air journey. AUSTRIAN ROYAL JEWELS. PARIS, June G. It* is alleged Baron Bruno Steiner, arrested on Swiss extradition warrants, was empowered to pledge tho Austrian Imperial Crown and other jewels for tho purpose of obtaining a loan for tho ex-Emporor Karl. Instead of this he sold the jewels outright for a sum below their value. The jewels are stated t 0 be worth three hundred thousand pounds. They were allegedly sold to a syndicate of international jewellers for £'25,500. It is asserted that a historic Mario Antoinette necklace was sol t eventually to an English purchaser for about seventy thousand sterling, or thrice the amount which tho syndicate paid for tho whole collection. The Arch Duke Max accuses Steiner of defrauding the Imperial family of a quarter of a million francs from tho sales.

It is now suggested that Steiner's arrest will lead to the disclosure of tho names of the others who are implicated, and who are now living in Switzerland and elsewhere.

CAUSED CABINET’S RESIGNATION PEKING, June G. Tho Cabinet, lias resigned ns the result of the bandits' kidnapping. NO MONEY. PEKING. June G. The Chinese Cabinet lias resigned on bloc, owing to a- refusal by the Piesident to sign mandates appointing local officials, but. it is the opinion in many circles that financial difficulties are really the reason. NEW CITY ON SUEZ CANAL. CAIRO, June 6. The Egyptian Cabinet are considering a proposal by the Suez Canal Compaiiv to establish a new city on the Eastern hank of the canal, to be called Port Said East. Tho Company proposes to advance ton million francs for the scheme, without interest, to bo refundable from a sale of lands. ’APPEAL to PRIVY COUNCIL. LONDON, Juno 6. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council reserved judgment in the New Zealand appeal case. Smalllield versus the National Mutual Life Association. NO PREFERENCE. U.S.A. GETS MEAT CONTRACTS. . LONDON, June 7. An American firm has secured 4 ho whole of the British Army tinned meat contract (cabled on May 18th). ; hour Australian firms were tenderers Australian tenders were considerably above the successful U.S.A. tender, lhe authorities say they were anxious to give one-third of the contract to the lowest Australian tenderer, but they could not obtain satisfactory guarantees that the firm would bo able to tariy out the contract. EARL BALFOUR ILL. (Received this dav at 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, June 7. Earl Balfour is suffering from phlebitis.

DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK. (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Juno «. The Duke and Duchess of York have taken up their permanent resilience at White 1-odge, Richmond. The Duchess is making a satisfactory recovery from whooping cough. ELECTORAL PROCEDURE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, June 7. An Admiralty report states at tho general election seven hundred officers and men entitled thereto in central Portsmouth did not receive ballot papers by post. The Admiralty and Home Office are considering amendments in the electoral proceduie. DISARMAMENT SCHEME. (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) GENEVA, June 7. Lord Robert Cecil’s disarmament scheme is being submitted to the League’s permanent consultative commission which will report thereon on July 31st. A CONVICT ESCAPES. [united service telegrams.] (Received this day at 0.45 a.m.) LONDON, June 7. A convict named Charles Baker, made a sensational escape from Norwich gnil. It ss alleged that he attacked a warder with a piekaxo handle. Before the alarm was given he dressed in the Governor’s clothes, taking €l7 belonging to the Governor. The police oil horseback and motor bicvcles arc scouring the country. Tho warder is in a critical condition.

plague of Grasshoppers. (Received this dav at 8.3 l) a.m.) LONDON, June 7 The “Daily Mail’s” Riga correspondent says after securing ten thousand cats to coinbat the mouse plague, Russian peasants are now battling with countless millions of grasshop- 4m pers, which are threatening to destroy forty million acres of crops. Several divisions of the Red Army have been told off to assist in the extermination, employing poison gas.