BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1925, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

LATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION HOBBS’ l'AS'i’. (Received this day at 9 a.m.) LONDON, March JO. The “Daily Express” reveals that Hobbs has had ail amazing career in the underworld of crime. Scotland V ard has known him for thirty years a.s legal adviser to international crooks and swell mobsmen, fie is the son of a bargeman and was a solicitor's clerk, but he never qualified. It is believed he ultimately amassed a fortune ol a quarter of a million. Hobbs originated an auda;ious system of accident claims, hacked up hy a system of informers and runners, which made him the terror of insurance companies. He became a money lender under in alias and was closely associated with Peter Robinson’s son Teddy, whose reckless extravagance became tho talk of bondon. When Teddy met Hobbs he was one of the' wealthiest men in London, but within four years he had gone through £130,000. Hobbs and another of Ids associates, Stevens, introduced Robinson to every gaming den in London whore the young man was robbed hy arrangement with the proprietors, to the extent of a thousand. When Teddy married a barmaid Hobbs and Stevens became the trustees of the marriage settlement of two hundred thousand, .pinally. llohhs was the chief creditor when Teddy went bankrupt. Hobbs and his associates similarly brought Erank Smith, a wealthy youth from Ontario to bankruptcy and then carried out an audacious bluff that they got themselves appointed an inspection committee to verify the creditors’ claims whereof Hobbs was the chief. Later Hobbs financed burglaries, instituted a. passport office for criminals under the guise of n.n antique shop and lie also became a notorious receiver.

A HARSH RULE. (Received this day at D a.m.) •PARIS, March 10. The French and Italian police are searching for an Italian convict, Raimondi, who was arrested in 1922 on seventy-live charges ranging iroiil theft to murder. Raimondi was sentenced to eighteen years hard labour, but escaped (lining his translercuce from Genoa, to Turin. In accordance with the Italian law the gendarme in charge when Raimondi escaped must undergo three quarters ol the convict’s sentence and he 1 1 a.s already served' two year::.

WKMBLEY EXHTUITION. [Reuters Telegrams.] LONDON, March 10. fn»the Commons Mr A. M. Samuel (Parliamentary Secretary of Overseas Trade) said the Empire Exhibition would not be open on Sundays. It is understood that Fiji and Sarawak are not participating and their buildings are to lie taken over by Cyprus and South Rhodesia respectively.

NEW TOMB A GREAT FIND. [“Tp" ’Times” Service.] (Received this day at I 1.2 d a.in.) LONDON, March 10. In discussing the tomb disco/vy Sir Wallis Budge declares that if it. proves to be that of King Seueferii (not Snefru as stated in yesterday’s message) Egyptologists and archaeologists all over the world will rejoice because it will add tremendously to the existing knowledge. Tita.ims’ wing is of no importance. In' Senefcm we have one of the master builders of Egypt-.

Doctor Ainu Gardiner points out that, hitherto Seneferu was supposed to lie buried in Mcdineh. He agrees, however, whether the tomb is that of a King or hig.lt official it is undoubtedly of the very highest archaeological importance ns an untouched tomb belonging Lo the time of the pyramid builders is quite an unknown thing.

CENTRAL AMERICAN FINDS. ("Sydney Sun” Cables). (Received this day at 11.2 d a.ni.) LONDON, March It). The "Daily Alai!'’ has received a despatch from Air Mitchell Hedges, the explorer in British Honduras, describing remarkable Central American discoveries hy Doctor Thomas Ca,nn, an authority on the Alaya civilisation, who begun excavations at a ruined Alaya temple at Benul A'cjo where the Government lias granted him exclusi.o concessions. The temple stands on a stone laced mound and consists <>t rooms built of solid .stone one hundred feet high. He found a. mysterious stone lined passage beneath the temple. He dug up a burial mound and unearthed forty two eci on trie shaped Hints, obsidians, exquisitely chipped and polished blocks of jade, mother of pearl, hammers and chisels making a complete outfit belonging to a Alava jeweller.

DROP IN AYOOL. LONDON, March 10. The wool sales opened at five to ten pc' cent, decline. AVORLD POLITICS. (Received this day at 12.J0 p m.) PARIS. .March 10.

French special correspondents at Geneva discuss the outlook at great length. The “ Petite Journal ” says there, is an impression in Geneva that Britain and Germany are lighting the protocol and Entente. The “Journal” points out that six out of ten nations represented on the council, signed the pvotoc.r-/. 'Some of these .fatend to group themselves defensively, and others are hesitating and anxious. Another paper emphasises the impossibility of abandoning the present Polish frontiers. “ i.o Ala Lin ” declares it is the Dominions which will not consent to giving France a friendly guarantee. Australia and New Zealand do not believe in the arbitration treaty with yellow races. They want the Rnt.sh licet: to protect them. The protocol will „,,t l-o killed immediately, it must he re-discussed in September. There may be chants of opinion then. t it is not replaced hy a. guarantee pact. and if Japan then remains laithlul to the idea of a protocol, there might lie new movements which would place the B - tish Empire in a disagreeable position.

food regulations. LONDON. March lb. Representatives of all sections of traders throughout Britan, met ... Un - do., and decided that the Hea«i M - is try’s draft regulations were ,l able Each section arranged to semi .. deputation to the Ministry, Hir Clemens and A. 0. Newton are testing on behalf of the Dominion batter importers. Clemens says J R a vital that the Australian ami NO" / ■ land Governments -'Should , own protests direct, to secure amended regulations.

DE VALERA BARRED. BRUSSELS. Alarch 10. The newspapers state De Valera has been invited to lecture in der the auspices of the Belgian - movement, but the Belgian Government refused to allow him to entei Be - gia n territory.

PREMIER OF PRUSSIA. BERLIN, Alavch 10. Mnrv was re-elected Premier of Prusair* by 232 out of 443 votes.