AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1925, Page 2

AMERICAN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

[Reuters Teleutiams.J

U.S.A. AIR FLEET

AA'ASH IXGTON, March 7. The Secretary for War, Mr AVecks, has disciplined Brigadier-General Mitchell. the instigator of the recent Aircraft Inquiry, by failing to reappoint him to the jxist of Assistant Chief of the U.S.A. Air Service, which he has held since 1920. General Mitchell will now automatically revert to the rank of Colonel, and * it is expected that he will be assigned to the flying field army from Washing-

Lieut.-Colonel Feehet succeeds General Mitchell on the 27th. April. President Coolidge has already announced that, he would appoint whoever Mr Weeks recommended. The move indicates that punishment of General Mitchell has !>een demanded by the Army and Navy administration chiefs. General Mitchell is expected to continue his fight for a unified air service if necessary resigning from the iirmv and running for Congress. AVASHTNGTON. March 7. Thirty army airplanes, dropping onehundred pound l>ombs. containing ten pounds of explosive each, demolished a canvas battleship on a field at the Fortress Monroe tests. Brigadier-General Mitchell directed the experiment, and he was notified of his reduction in rank on his descent. The demonstration was a surprise one, sprung on the high officials who weto attending an anti-aircraft gun demonstration, who were not aware that it was to take place. NEW AIR. ROUTE.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 7. 11. Hamer, of Seattle. Roald Amundsen's chief aid in the 1923 trans-Polar attempt, announces that planes are being made for a test for a flight from London to Toll in., via Alaska, this year, with the object of establishing a commercial air route. It; is said that fi\e thousand miles can he flown in 50 hours, with two stops for refuelling. Air Hamer has secured the assistance of the Japanese Government. It is said that the atmospheric conditions are ideal for flying along the proposed route between May and September,' and if such a route he thoroughly established, it will he of value strategically as well as commercially. A TOWN TO GO. XEAV YORK, March 7. The town of Laveye, in the State of Wyoming lias been literally- wiped off tile map, and its fifteen hundred inhabitants have been deprived of their homes, by the ruling of Federal Judge Kennedy, who ordered the entire village and its population to move, and to make dear the path lor the giant of industry, petroleum. Public buildings, business houses, homes and everything must go, so the Judge decreed. The Oliin Oil Company has leased land, and is entitled, he says to possession within sixty days. The Casper-AVyoming Oil Company and the town of Laveye will fight for their existence in the Court of Appeal, where an appeal has been lodged.