NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 July 1924, Page 2

NEWS BY MAIL.

LETTING LOOSE THE “ZOO.”

LONDON. June 17

The success of the attempt to broadcast the song of the nightingale has led to the preparations for broadcasting the sounds of the most noisy inhabitants of the Zoo, including tho trumpeting of the elephant, the laugh of the liveuu, and the screech of the parrot.

lIATS OF REPTILE SKINS. LONDON, June 14

The latest sports millinery for fashionable women consists ot hats of lizard, shark, crocodile, and snake skins, to match the “menagerie” shoes Some of the hats are composed of sections of red and green crocodile skin ; others of grey snakeskin with wool-worked crown. A set consisting of a hat, stick and hag of lizard skin costs £3O.

EXPLORER’S PHOTOGRAPHS LONDON. June 16.

Mr Herbert George Pointing, who was photographic officer to the British Antarctic Expedition in 1910-13, has presented to the nation six negatives found beside the body of Capt. Scott. They will form the nucleus of a British Museum memorial to the fatal expedition.

A NEW GOVERNOR LONDON. June 17

Not relishing the_ idea of a Conservative being appointed, members of the Parliametary Labour Party, which met to-day, criticised the selection of Lieut. Colonel W. R. Campion as Governor of Western Australia. Several Labour members stated that they thought that a Li,bout mail should have lieen chosen, but. according to the political correspondent of “The Times” this contention was not pressed as it was explained on behalf of the Government that efforts to find a Labour candidate for the Governorship had been unsuccessful. ail also that the Western Australian Government had approved of the appointment.

FOUTY-SIX MEN KILLED

AVASHINTGON, Juno 14

Further details of tho Mississippi warship tragedy show that there were eighty men in the turret of the battleship Mississippi when the explosion occurred that wrecked the turrent and killed four officers and forty-two men. Whether tho disaster was due to a premature order to fire the gun or to a short circuit caused by an electric light cord is not known; but there was a terrific roar and a blinding blast of ilame that shattered the structure and killed or wounded every man near it. Lieut. Donald Smith, who led a rescue party, found that the heat had melted the two small doors at the entrance to the turrent, so that it could not he entered until an acetylene torch was used to cut a hole in the steel. Inside ho had discovered that somo unknown sailor had turned on tho water to flood the turret, and thus perhaps, saved the entire ship from destruction. Bodies lay about everywhere dreadfully mangled.

NEED OF THE EMPIRE. LONDON, June 15. l'n a leading article, headed “A Policy That May Lose Us the Dominions,’* “The People” newspaper appeals to Britain to evolve machinery by which a consistent Imperial and foreign policy may he obtained. The article says: “A few more mistakes similar to those made at Lausanne. and a few more supercilious condescending comments, will create a situation providing a parallel to the deplorable relationship between George 111. and the American colonies. Too often do British statesmen regard dominion statesmen and representatives in London as an inferior class, an attitude in which they are encouraged by the superior underlinings in AY hiteliall. Australia and Canada are intensely loyal, hut are also self-conscious ami sensitive, and they cannot be blamed if the problem of existence produces a querulousness toward purblind pundits at AVhiteliall.

“It, is not unnatural that the dominions should feel that Whitehall is unsympathetic, and it is not unnatural that Whitehall should not grasp the dominions' point of view, and should display a little superiority; hut drastic steps to' remedy this electrcial atmosphere are imperative. Better communication is of vital importance, and there must hi* someone in London adequately tui guard the dominions interests.”

ACTRESS’S DRESS BILL. LONDON, June IS. The theory that popular actresses gel their clothes free lor the sake of advertisement has been exploded in a court case in which Peron, Ltd., dressmakers, sued Miss Peggy O’Neil for the payment of .121 ”0 for a moleskin costume. The nlaintiffs revealed that they oiTored to supply all dresses, including an Ascot, outfit, for CTo monthly. fhe Judge: Could she..have what she asked for that sum?—No. You mean she could pay you monthly instalments of 675 on account of llcr dress hill?—Yes; hut she declined. Miss O’Neil gave evidence that she liked to he quaint rather than smart. She could not sit down in Peron’s costume because the skirt went “zip.’ The case was adjourned.