AMERICAN CABLE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1926, Page 2

AMERICAN CABLE NEWS

I . "Australia & N.Z. Calms Association.j

MEXICAN CHURCH

MEXICO CITY, August -I

The Bishop of Tobasco, the Secretary of the Mexican National Episcopate, declared to-dav:—“The Archbishopric of the Roman Catholic Church will never approve of any armed uprising, hut the Clhurch will “ go to Calvary,” if necessary, in the present religious struggle.”

There has been a general statement issued by the Roman Catholic Episcopate of Mexico. It declares that a settlement of the religious situation will be accepted by the Episcopate only if it includes the recognition of the rights oT the Catholic Priests as Mexican citizens.

The statement is construed in some quarters as including the demand for the right to vote at the civil elections. This right is denied by the present religious clauses of constitution. The theatre proprietors and retailers generally are complaining of the adverse effects of the Catholic boycott in Mexico.

Occasional disorders are reported, hut there is nothing on a serious scale. In the village of Chilaps. an aldertnan named Deloya took affairs into his own hands, firing on a crowd of the religious enthusiasts, who refused to leave the church, door.

The crowd was peaceful enough, until he suddenly opened fire on them. They rushed at and trampled him to death.

VOLCANO ERUPTION. WELTEVREDEN, August 5.

d’he volcano Ihittoer, on the island of Bali, has erupted. The native village of Halloer has been completely swallowed by the lava streams. The population was saved. The volcano is still erupting.

CUSTOMS FRAUDS,

OTTAWA, August 4

The “Ottawa Journal” says: “In a Dominion ‘ clean lip,’ affecting nearly every port of entry, and many of the principal cities, from coast to coast, the Canadian Government will carry out extensive reorganisation of the Department of Customs and Excise.

Mr R. L, Calder, Government counsel at Montreal, has confirmed reports that writs have been issued against Dominion distilleries on charges, aris_ ing from the Customs investigation, of defrauding the Government of a sum believed to be in excess of seven (hundred thousand dollars. OTTAWA, August 5.

Regarding the Customs fraud allegations. it is learned that instructions have been issued to launch actions involving a suni. in the neighbourhood of two million dollars against all firms or persons alleged to he concerned in defalcations revealed by the official investigation.

VACUUM OIL COY. NEW YORK, Aug. 4

Jlr L. Levi, Resident New York Director of the Vacuum Oil Company Proprietary Ltd., has commented on cabled statements by the Australian Premier (Mr Bruce), who declared that oil companies were trying to get a grip on Austndia., and that they had attempted to U'ackmail the Australian Government.

Mr Levi said that, in view of the fact that the Vacuum Oi! Company was not in any way connected with the Cobham flight to Australia, he (Mr Levi) ulis unable to understand the reason for Mr Bruce’s statement.

Mr Levi aidded that the charge of blackmail was absolutely ridiculous.

“The standing and prestige of the Vacuum Oil Company, together with the. history of its operations in Australia,” he said, “.are such as to render any suggestion of blackmail inconceivable, and such as to offer a complete reply to any such charge.” Mr Levi, referring to a statement that the Vacuum Proprietary is an offshoot of the Standard Oil' Company, stated emphatically that neither the Vacuum Proprietary nor the Vacuum Oil Company of America has any coin nection, either directly or indirectly, with Standard Oil. Mr Levi declined a request to comment on Mr Bruce’s statement that tho Australilm Government intended to create storage facilities for petrol, and to ask for Parliamentary appropriations.

SEIZURE OF NARCOTICS. (Received this day at 9.0 a.m.) NEW YORK. August o. The Federal agents seized a trunk containing narcotics ,valued at 100,009 dollars, believed to he part of a shipment of three millions of contraband en route to New York from Russia- via Switzerland and Canada. At the railway station on Thursday a watch was maintained on all the city terminals for two similar trunks.