NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1923, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

SLAVES WHO OWX SLAVES. CAPETOWN, July 16. The discovery Inis been made by British officials that slavery exists among the tribes on the Okavango river, in South-West Africa, formerly German territory, but now attached to the Union of South Africa. It is said that more than 60 per cent of the population along the Okavango river live in a state of slavery. Natives are bartered for cattle and sometimes made use of in settlement of debts. A slave may obtain his freedom when the number of cattle for which he was sold is returned to bis owner, but if payment is not forthcoming emancipation does not take place. Children of slaves become the chattels of their parents’ owners. Slaves have the right to own cattle and grain, but when a slave dies bis property goes to his owner. A slave may himself have a slave. A British official is now resident among these natives. He is using his influence with chiefs to induce them to put an end to the custom. BARONET’S UTTER WHISKY PLAN.

LONDON. July 21. .Many people in London have received recently a circular inviting investment in a scheme for shipping whisky abroad.

The ci.cular is headed: ‘‘l.t.-C'ol. Sir Biodriek Hartwell, Yeoman House, 61. Ifaymnrkct, London, S.W.. I.’’ and begins: “1 can oiler you an opportunity of making 20 per cent, profit on your capital every G!) days.” Ilm circular states that 6.000 cases of whisky are to he shipped abroad within the next four weeks; that the vessel can carry at least anoiher 6,000 cases; that the goods will lie accepted and paid for 20 miles from the shore on oriival, and that every arrangement has been made for the despatch abroad and sale id' at least 10.000 cases of whiskv monthly.

“ This." says the circular, “ means a large fortune in which you can partitipalo without risk.” “ THE URAL STUPE.”

When a “ Daily Mail ” reporter drew Sir Broderick’s attention to the circular he said

“ ,\I v idea is to run a shop on the ocean. 1 am simply exporting whisky, having already got people to buy it at a fixed p/ice. Every bottle is guaranteed hv the distillers, and the whisky will h-_. the real stulf.

| have chartered a ship, and my private syndicate has I,ought o.OO.) ,a—s Ilf wiii-ky. The cost of t rnnsnort will be about L’H.OOO, so in order to lesson running costs 1 want to lake as much whisky as possible. I hat is why I am asking people to join in and help to hoy more. ” I have been given a guarantee of from the purchasers <d the whisky that it will he bought and paid for all right, so there is no risk of loss. The cargo will he fully insured.” Sir Broderick added that the whisky will be unloaded at sea into small craft which will meet the transport. SWBBT-FACED FIEND. BERLIN. July 1/2. The trial of Emu Broudretl. widow ip an eminent doctor, for slowly torturing her husband to death has just taken place at Munich. Bran Braudrefl is an elderly woman with a sweet face, and when the prosecutor declared that such a “ female cad ” had seldom appeared in the dock the statement appeared monstrous. X evert ho! ess. one witness after anoiher testified to the woman's brutal treatment, of her husband, who. although an eminent man ol science, lacked the power to contend with a vile. She seized all the money Unit came into the house, rcluscil to gi. e him pocket meow, and, although he was 70. made him do the roughest house work, gave him hardly anything la eat and heat him savagely. The court sent the woman to prison loi IS moot I is.

PAKIiOT ■AUBKSTKIV JAIN'DON. July 30. A croon parrot was •arrested ‘ in Mull yesterday ami . ■fined at the L ra! Police Slut ioit. Tlio bird had ilow i) iiilo tin- iillices of a firm of solicitors thrnnpdi an open window. It attacked clerks and girl

typists. The police were telephoned for, and a constable went to tho office. When lie tried to catch the intruder it hit him.

It was eventually captured and taken to the station to await information as to its ownership.