BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION 'TENSIONS RAISED. LONDON, April 8. The Ministry of Pensions announces that old people whose sons were killed in the war will have their pensions increased by five shillings, as the pensions of 25s for a single parent, and 85s for two, is now considered by the Ministry to he inadequate for thoit support. IN T ETt XATION A L (ONFHR EN CE. LONDON, April 7. An International Conference on Christian politics, econoineis, citizenship (which has been dubbed “Copec”) has opened at Birmingham. Messages from His Majesty the King. Mr MacDonald, and Mr Baldwin were road expressing sympathy with the objects of the Conference. Several hundred delegates are attending the conference which is probably unprecedented in scope or purpose, and for which preparations have been made for the last three years on a scale judgenble hv the fact that the reports on two subjects for the first day alone totalled about twenty thousand words.

HARNETT’S DAMAG ES. THE STATE APPEALS. LONDON, April 7. The Attorney-General, Sir Patrick Hastings, opened the appeal proceedings on behalf of Dr Bond, against whom heavy damages were in February, awarded to Mr Harnett on the ground of wrongful detention for years ill an asylum. Sir P. Hastings declared that if the damages judgment stood, then no one would ever again take the risk of certifying that a man was a lunatic, and the place would he Hooded with men who ought to he in asylums. Dr Bond saw Harnett only once in December 1912, as Lunacy Commissioner. Yet the Court had mulcted him in damages as being responsible for Harnett’s detention. The chief grounds of the appeal, he said, were that the verdict was against the weight, of evidence; the judge’s misdirection of the jury ; and that the damages were excessive; and furthermore that damages were not recoverable by law as being too remote. Sir P. Hastings quoted extracts from the evidence hearing mi Harnett’s behaviour in 1912. These chiefly were indictments in which Christ’s name was mentioned. One entry, in Harnett’s diary, read: “Marie Lloyd, modesty, 67.0!)!) tons per minute.”

Mr Matthews, for Harnett, explained that the entry referred to the (low of the River Amazon.

Sir P. Hastings said Lliat Dr Bond could not make head nor tail of Harnett’s conversation, and he came to the conclusion that Dr Adam should again see Harnett. For that decision he had been ordered to pay £SOBO sterling in damages, tie argued that Dr Bond should not he held responsible for all that happened in the asylums, lie contended that the evidence was overwhelming that Harnett was insane in 1912. The hearing was adjourned. .MR SMUTS EIGHT. (Received this day at, 10.10 a.m.) CAPETOWN. April S The severity of the struggle lacing Mr Smuts is emphasised hv the Capo Times, Rand Mail and Durban Mercury, which declare lie is up against the light of his life, and they urge that the South African party organisations must lie more firmly established, particularly in (lie country districts. The papers point to the fact between the Nationalists and Labourites, the efficacy of which was proved in Wakknstroom, as a new potent in Union elections.

SOUTH AFRICAN DISSOLUTION

CAPETOWN, April 8

The news of the dissolution caused a sensation on the Hand. C roads ot young Nationalists paraded the streets singing the old Republican National Anthem and ciieering Herlr.og. Talk of a Republican South Africa is heard on all sides. Heavy falls were recorded all round on the Stock Exchange. Parliamentary members of the South African party met and assured Mr Smuts of their cordial support of the course he had adopted. SUBMARINE BE FLOATED. LONDON, April 8 Submarine L2-i was refloated and has returned to Portsmouth. TOMES DISPUTE. (Received ibis day at 19-45 a.m.) LONDON. April 8. A Cairo correspondent says the tomb dispute drags along its weary course. The Minister of Public Works declares it would not he in public interests to give details of the negotiations and declines to say whether the Government will refuse further excavation concessions to foreigners. RIOTOUS SCENES. (Received this day tit 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, April 8. Further riotous scenes were witnessed al Letterkenny. A party oT asylum patients accompanied by strike breakers wont to the railway station for supplies, railway workers refused to give them goods and a crowd stoned the strike breakers. The civil guards then charged, not using batons, and dispersed them. Three women anil oilu man were arrested.

A LONDON CHASE. LONDON, April 7. There was a thrilling chase in estmilister on Sunday night.' An armed gang attempted to hoM up one. Fouraker, a newspaper dealer, of Great Smith street, who was sitting in his shop when three men entered and presented a revolver. I‘ otirnkei pretended to assent, then threw himself upon the man with the revolvei and shouted at the top of Ids voice. The three fled in different directions. followed by an ever-increasing crowd collected by Fouraker's shot.ts. Two of the men escaped. Ibe third is believed to lie one of the fugitives arrested in the Palace Yard, outside the House of Commons.

OBSTRUCTION BY NATIONALISTS Received this day at 8.30 a .in A DELHI, April 8. During the recent Budget debate m the Bihar Orissa Council, the extreme Nationalists rejected the Government s demands under various heads, chiefly salaries, these being reduced by one million rupees. Under the powers vested in him the Governor of the P rovince has put back five hundred thousand rupees as necessary for carrying on the Government. .