AMERICAN CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1926, Page 2

AMERICAN CABLE NEWS.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] WILKINS’S PLANES. VANCOUVER, April 19. A message from’Fairbanks states:— No word lias been received up to Monday from Captain Wilkins and Liuet. Eiieson, of tbe Arctic Air Expedition, who left on Thursday for Point Barrow in the airplane “ Alaskan.” The “ Detroiter," tbe three-ongined aeroplane, was tested here on Monday. The machine reached an altitude of ten thousand feet in thirty minutes. She handled beautifully during an hour’s trial. U.S. ENQUIRY. WASHINGTON, April 19. Mr lltight- Thrift testified before the Senate Committee of Inquiry on the Prohibition Law on behalf of 907,000 members of tbo Congregational Clnirelier.s Ho declared that six years of partial enforcement of tne dry law was not a fair tost of prohibition, which, he claimed, was a success judged by anything comparable thereto in recent years.

Bishop Cannon, of tbe .Methodist Episcopal Church, stated tbe Government should appropriate whatever money was necessary to enforce flic law. and should attach more stringent- penallies for breaches ol the law. He declared that he spoke for 2,600,000 Church members. He said tbe Quebec system of Government liquor distribution had failed when it was tried ill South Carolina and Virginia.

Mrs Boole, President of the A\ .C.T.l 1 . declared that- many physicians abused their privilege of issuing liquor prescriptions, and she asserted that- drunkenness in the “wet” parts of Canada bad increased in public and in the homes; also that the crime wave was there greater, while Canadian business had also suffered.

H AWAIJAN VOLCANO. HONOLULU, April 19. Lava from the volcano Hanna Loa has buried the village of IloopulOa to a depth of fifty feet- .above the sea. The lava has destroyed a number of buildings on its way. There was a magnificent spectacle when the 'molten , lava invaded the water, sending volumes of steam high into the air, and thousands of people watched it from the mountain-side. A splendid view of the volcano was obtained from shipboard, as it was spilling rod hot rocks down its side. COLONEL FOUND GUILTY. ECHO OF DRY LAW. NEW YORK, April 20. A naval court martial convicted Colonel William, commander of the marine corps at San Diego, on a charge of drunkenness. The punishment will be tbo loss of promotion. Tho case is remarkable because it involved the question of professional etiquette, and common decency in the conduct of a guest to a, host. Williams was found guilty of being drunk in bis own house, at a so-called cocktail party, given by himself. His guest of honour was General Smedley Butler, who last year cleaned up Philadelphia, and had just arrived at San Diego as commandant of the naval base. Butler enjoyed himself with other guests, but the next day laid charges against Williams. Tbe latter’s friends rallied to his aid, declaring the only liquor used was grapejuice and the Colonel’s physician swore his staggering was caused by a reflex, from too much castor oil. Butler declared Williams was drunk and he had to do his duv. Now ho was going to clean up this Sail Diego base. The country had a. dry law and every officer must respect the constitution.