BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1924, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. X.K.W. LOAN. • LONDON. May 27. In reference to the New South Wales loan, four millions will lie used for the conversion of the balance of stock falling due on Ist. October and the remainder is new money. Hie prospectus will probably he issued tomorrow. The Bank of England is assisting the Westminster Bank in the flotation. AIRSHIP CONTRACT. LONDON. May 27. The draft contract with the Airship Guarantee Company cabled on Hth. May provides for the construction of an airship conlorming with the requirements of the Air Ministry and the ] rincir-los of air worthiness laid down liv the aeronautical research committee. The proscribed trials include a voyage to India. Ihe price is three hundred thousand Moiling, or proportionately according to compliance with the requirements. The company may repurchase airships for use on approved British transport services at LjO thousand sterling. CABBY INHERITS 17100,000. LONDON, Mnv 27 As the result of reading a newspaper advertisement for the next-of-kin, William Brown, of Dublin-, a cab driver aged (>S, inherited CIOO,OOO from an nunf. The Irish Court of Chancery yesterday ordered an advance payment of i-'2.j() to him, pending the completion of legal iormalities.

XK\V XKALAXDKir.S I‘AUT. COPKXIIAtiKX, .May ‘-'3. j Tlie “I’olitikoii” states tiiat A. .1. Roberts. a Xi'w Zealander, and formerly a in in the Knjilish Flying Servieo. states that tin* Australian Government sent him to F.iijtland in 1903 v, ith the iirst wireless torpedo. Alter the war. lie was associated with .Matthews, the inventor of the death ray, who paid him .t 10 per week. He said that everybody knew that ultra violet rays, when directed against a Imllonn tilled with inllammahle j;iis, caused an explosion. lie ; added: “.Matthews must have utilised this m the death rays, which are exactly the same as 1 am usinji in circus demonstrations.

ANOTIIKH ANTI-AiiICBAFT HAY LONDON, Mav 27.

The British Air .Ministry officials slate that the (,'uvi'i iiineiit’s seeiot osperimeiial .staii' lias discovered :i ray that is capable ol stopping the rotation of aeroplane engines. Lilt an antidote in tile shal e of a screen lor insulating the magnetos and dynamo lias also Leen discovered.

A.NTI-AIHCB AFT INVENTION. LONDON. .May 28. Tii** llit:a c). ivs]iomlent of tho

"Timet." reports that the news lias leaked out that llu.-sian engineers, assisted by Herman tei lu.ieal experts, bate invented an electromagnetic, apparatus for destroying aeroplanes, -it lias recently been tested, and the re-

sults were so satisfactory that the revolutionary .Mililarr Council decided to place funds in the hands ol a speetal committee for tlit* rapid construction of enough ami-aircraft stations to protect the most vulnerable and vital centres of llusria. It is ' "ted that

similar and more powerful stations are being ediisirncled for the purpose of putting out of lotion the electrical mechanism abour! Inc tile warships.

AIL MINISTRY SCEPTICAL. LONDON'. May 27

The Air Ministry announces that they offered .Matthews an opportunity to demonstrate bis apparatus as early as February last. They saw nothing in yesterday";- demonstration tu lead them to credit the statements which hate anpearrd in the l’rcss regarding the possibilities of the invention.

BVFI.EET MI'HDKIL LONDON, May 28,

Jones, the Bylleet hotelkeeper, died intestate and JDlofM goes to his widow.