MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1923, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

U'STHALIAN AMI N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIJVIOM. Till:'. CHINESE TROCHEE. HONG KONG. Dec. 0. b I- reported that a ior-c ill maiines with machine gun-, from foreign gunboats at Canton, have landed and taken possession of the Customs House. There are seven foreign gunboats anchored off Shameen. lour lining British under Admiral Sir Arthur f.eveson. Thd are Japanese and one is French. Admiral Frueharl is aboard the latter. IN THE ARCTIC NOR WEGIA X KXPI .ORERS. CHRISTIANIA, Dec. 6. A wireless from AVisting, the “Maud’s” commander, received at Spitzbergon, covers the drift Irom March to October, firstly northwest until 70/25 north lflo east, by the end of June, and northward during the summer until September (it!>. when the ship reached 76 16 and 163:39. her farthest north. Thereafter she was driven .southward by a prolonged northwest gale, to 7o l!I and lo'J HO. at the end of October, which was the date of the latest report. T 1 it* scientist. Sverdrup, is of the opinion that the direction of the currents prove that there is no ground lor assuming there is a large area northwards of Delong Islands. The dogs (says the message) are in excellent condition, and hunting is provided for everybody, and there is an abundance of fresh meat. 9he preliminary aeroplane flights were unsuccessful. and the compasses unlrust wort liv. Also, the ice was as level and featureless that orientation was most difficult, and it was dangerous to proceed too far from ilm “.Aland." In a later attempt. tils machine rose hadlv and was damaged. Init was repaired. In a filial attempt. engine trouble forced a landing, irreparable damage being done, and aerial exploration was abandoned.

Amundsen, interviewed locally said that he considered the Drift satisfactory. 99i0 present southward movement. tallies with the Fram's experience. He believes that the .Aland henceforth will redrift northward, lie has not abandoned the design to fly to the Rule in the summer.

I'.I.KCTORAII REFORM IN' FRANCE. (Received this day at 9.9-A a.m.) RAULS. December 7. The. Chamber, by 90S to 127 votes lasscd the Electoral Reform Bill, genera 1 ' maintaining the picseut method of toting. M. I’oineaie made t!o* passage in such a form that it was a ijiu—tion el confidence. A CHINESE HOI.ACAFST. PEKIN, Dee. 6. Advices state that bandits, h-d by tile iiutiriuiis l.eo Yangren, sealed the walls at j.ievunkia in the South-East-ern Province, burned the houses am! sliiughtei'edthe population, leaving two thousand dead and wounded. The marauders displayed extraordinary frenzy, tying groups of townspeople and pouring kerosene on them and igniting them into living torches. The report which was delayed a fortnight is due to J.ikuankia's isolated position. The statement declares so great a number were killed that a vast pit was dug for a common interment. The foreign missionaries fled from the district. Yangrcn’s followers who are burning the mission stations, terrorised the countryside for miles around, the ehict' tain announcing that he would kill all who opposed.