MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1924, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

L ATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. OVULE ASSOCIATION,

itrG ELECTRIC SCHF.M 10. LONDON. July 0

Tli,. “Daily Herald” Lobbyist says: The Government’s comprehensive scheme for State assisted development of electricity, aiming at the provision of cheap power all over the country, after a thorough examination by the Cabinet ITieniployinent Committee, will he explained at to-day’s meeting uf the Parliamentary Lalsnir Party and will be announced in The House of Commons prior to the recess. .Meanwhile, tho Liberals have been investigating the same principles. Mr Lloyd George intends to introduce a Bill dealing with electric power for the coal mining industry, proponing the generation of electricity near the pit heads. 11 is Bill, incidentally, is intended to counter Labour’s nationalisation policy.

ENGLISH OIL SCANDAL. LONDON, .1 ulv n

Astounding revelations were made at a meeting of the creditors and shareholders of the Anglo-Burnia Oil Company, Limited. The Official Receiver staled there was a deficiency with regard to the shareholders of Cold,Hi 2 sterling. The whole ol the Company’s capital of half a million had been lost the directors having parted with the shares to that value in exchange for £I7OO cash and a number of shares which were partially worthless. So far as the Receiver 'could see. ihc Company never had any assets. Tt would appear simply to have been a deviee to extract, money Imm the public. Directors were largely .responsible lor the lailure. I hey had not properly executed the tunction entrusted them. Coles- it "ere po-sihle to obtain money by proecedings against the parties liable, there "as no prospect of anything being recovered. NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH. LONDON. July !>. The Roumanian t otisnl. March Besot narrowly escaped death in The Legation in Kensington when a compatriot, n young student, whose request lor assistance was refused, drew a revolver and tired two shots point blank. The Consul bv grabbing the revolver deflected the aim. hut the Hash from his pistol singed his hair. A desperate struggle followed. The Legation ollteial.s'rushed to tho Consul’s assistance, hut the student was tremendously strong, and it took live to overpower him.

KILLED IN LONDON’S STREET'S. LONDON. Jol.v !>. During the hist four month- fitly cyclists were killed in the London streets owing to traffic congestion in which cycling becomes extremely risky.

BREACH OF PROMISE CASE

LONDON. July !'

Robert I .chattily, tin ilti-milliim-uire sugar refiner, who is a brother ol the self-styled “ Emperor of the Sahara." was the defendant in a breach of promise case in which Mrs Mendham. tin American widow, sued for £211,0!ID. She gave evidence that she was twice married and alter Mendham’s death she met I.chamly in 10H>. Thev became on terms ol the greatest silfcction anil I.chamly proposed to marry her in America, hut when the “Emperor of the Sahara" was shot by hi- wife in 1010. Robert was so upset that he refused to go to America and now lie would nut. marry her. The hearing wa- adjourned.

ENGLISH IS-HOUIt WEEK BILL,

It.ULWAYMKN PROTEST

LONDON. July

The Conference of the National l nion of Railway-men at York passed a resolution demanding the exclusion ol rnilwnynien from tiie -18-hour Week Bill under the Washington Convention. Mr Cramp said that if tin* Government persisted in passing the Bill ,m " i,mended the railway-men would close down the railways on Sundays, not merely in regard to traffic hut lor repairs. CHANNEL SWIMMER.

(“Sydney Sun” Cables)

(Received this titty at 12.H0 p.m.) LONDON. July 10.

Zcttn Hills, nicknamed the ‘-Wembley Mermaid”, started tlm Channel swim, leaving Folkestone tit six m the morning equipped with tt rubber suit defying the cold.

•SHOOTING INCIDENT.

[Reuters Telegrams.]

(Received this day at 12.50 p.m.) LONDON. July 10.

A sequel to the shooting incident at the Roumanian Legation mentioned last night, when a Roumanian strident Leon I-'iKsnnean. was charged at Westminster Police Court with attempting to murder the ( onsul. Maietilreza. A Police Tnsi ootnr who arrested the prisoner said the latter declared 1m fired the shots with the object of killing himself. Accused was remanded on the application ol a representative of the Legation.

RANK RATE F.I-TFCT. LONDON. July 10. licit ivo to the i(-ported intention to increase the Rank rate, the Federation of British indiMries in a letter to the Governor of the Rank of Lugland draws attention to the adverse effects upon enterprise of an increase in the Tates, enumerated ia the report of the Currency Committee 1919, adding that similar effects at the present. would be most serious.

LONDON BREACH OF PROMISE CASE. [ONDON. July 10. After the Jury bad listened to the cross examination of plaintiff in the Mendhnm hrettch of promise action, the Court stopped the ease. Mrs Mendlmin gave evidence that she has abandoned ber chance of making a livelihood as a singer, and in succeeding in tbe litigation over her late liuslianiEs estate. At Lehaudy’s request Sr Marshall Hall, for the defence, declared the story was a tissue of falsehoods. He subjected plaintiff to a. severe cross examination. Plaintiff admitted that site had relations with the defend-

ant. Tne Lord Chief Just tee said he would consider whether to send the papers to the public Prosecutor.

BRITISH POLITICS. LONDON, July 10.

Government- was defeated in the Standing Committee, mi the Agricultural Wages Bill, in connection wit-li a clause providing that Agricultural Wages Committees, subject to confirmation by the Agricultural Wage Board, shall fix the minimum rates of wages. An amendment moved by Mr Aeland to strike out confirmation by tbe Wages Board was carried by <27 to 17. Sir Noel Buxton said he would consider the situation. PRINCE OF WALES. CAPETOWN, July 10 It'is officially announced that the Prince of Wales has accepted the Government’s invitation to visit South Africa. He is unable to come this year but will conte next year. The date will bo fiirairgecl later..