MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1925, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.]

TANK ENQUIRY. (Rc-ceivcil this day at 0.30 a.m.) LONDON. Nor. 28

Alasrice llankcy, giving evidence on the t;iitk claim, threw interesting sidelight.'; on Lord Kitcheners attitude. Ho declared Kitchener was tremendously occupied, working as hard as anyone worked before, and ho did not appear receptive of suggestions regarding the caterpillar idea. The first draft of mechanical war devices was written by witness at Christmas 1014, and forwarded to Lord Kitchener, and others were sent to the War Council, hut after the first experiment in Februarv, 1015, Lord Kitchener became verv lukewarm and sceptical saying he thought tanks would be shot down |,v artillery. Witness never heard Bentley's name mentioned throughout these experiments. Under cross examination, llankcy said Lord Kitchener was communicative to his intimates. Though lie dominated the War Council lie listened to his advisers and would have certainly mentioned someone il lie had Lccn impressed by any tank invention. Sir William Tritton who was awarded the largest sum in connection with the tank invention gave evidence that Lord Kitchener was the least interested of all at the trials. One phrase of Lord Kitchener's was ‘’it is pretty mechanical. ’ Colonel Johnson, superintendent of the Tank Design Department, said the idea of armouring a vehicle built on the caterpillar principle was made available to the world by Wells article on land ironclads, published in 1903.

RI’DBV LEAGUE. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON. Nov. 23. The Manchester Rugby League Coun,il meeting refused to alter the decision respecting qualification ol the New Zealand, Rice, who asked lor reconsideration of his ease. The council agreed to include Rice’s eighteen months residence in Canada, hut stipulated that lie must complete two vears hv residing here for six months. A communication was received Item Hit' Now Zealand League accepting the terms for next season’s tour and thanking the council for its arrangements. R ADIO REPORT. LONDON. Nov. 28. The “Daily Express” forecasts the radio committee cabled on August Hli will recommend a public corporation under the Postmaster-General, should take over broadcasting when the Company’s licenses expires at the end "I 1920, and the profits Income available for public funds. bomb SYNDICATE. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 28. The existence of a sinister bomb syndicate which offers to bomb any building for payment of anything from five hundred to a thousand dollars, and which lias operated in Chicago for mauv months, lias been revealed by the confession ol a twenty-three year old o'j i'| nod her male companion. Altogether forty outrages, including dynamiting homes ol policemen and witnesses in criminal trials, as well as the bombing of harbor shops and stores, lias been traced to Hie syndicate, which is composed of dozens ol persons headed by Fred AA’almquist and Lena Rice. The latter tired of domestic life and deserted her husband and three children in .Michigan, and fled w ith W allllquist. The pair were captured in Chicago, when the police, following the tip from a former member of the syndicate waited, near a hardware store which was due to he bombed at midnight,, because the management had violated a rule regarding remaining open on Sundays. Walinrpiisl and the girl approached shortly alter midnight and the girl dropped a package and ran towards a wailing automobile. Both were captured, also the driver of tile car, under a heavy police fire. Meantime the bomb exploded wrecking the front of the store and shattering windows within an extensive, radius.

KOSKTLI, LI BEL ( ASK. A i'( Kij.\.\r>. Nov. :;r. .Mr povnlou. 5.. M., i\ - i ll judgment this morning in the anion heard on November 20th. for defamation brought by .Mr |J:i!l Skelton, the Liberal (,:in(liilnte for Roskill, against Henry llnsli lifts Son brook, arising on I of the two punthplels published, said Hint the statements comphiiuod of were widely distributed. They were self-evident of Iributed. They were self evident of i'.n intention to inflnenee the votes ol the electors. Mr I’oyutou ((noted from the j>:iin[>iilet severnl pilragraphs. and s:iid : "H: ;i community Unit prides itself on its loyalty to the British Empire. such remarks are certainly calculated to brine a man into contempt, mid to arouse hatred against him. The most charitable view i.f these staienumts could not view them otherwise than as defamatory. No evidence was called to attempt to prove the truth of the statements, the defence relying only on certain literature put in, and the: e >mplaintant denied, upon oath, that the statements in such literature were true. Stntemcms made about the Sinn Hoiiic.rgnnisatiou might he correct, hut these statements were otiviuustv made with I lii* intention of discrediting the complainant. as a candidate, and it would ho necessary for the defence of such assertions, not only to prove that they were true, but that Lbe complainant knew that they were so. These facts had not been proved. This ease, being first under tile Legislation Act, |PUS, Section 108, the defendant would not be severely punished. He apparently acted on advice.” The defendant was lined two pounds on each charge. He was ordered to pay cost of £5 10s.

JO A IiTI IQCAK KS AT BLENHEIM

DAMAGE SLIGHT. BLENHEIM. Nov. 28. At two o’clock this morning four severe, shocks of earthquake were experienced here, following each other so rapidly that they appeared almost as one continuous shake, lasting the best part of a minute. The shakes were preceded by a rumble and were the severest fell here for many years. At 2.15 a short jolt was felt, and between four and five o’clock another short jplt. With the exception of a few chimneys which were damaged and some bottles .shaken down in several shops, no material damage is reported. EmmßTOnwi'BmMi'iiT wammmmn