BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1926, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

EXPLOSION IN NORTH ITALY

LONDON, August 4

The “ Times ” Rome correspondent reports that a telegram from Milan states that a lighted candle, falling among some fireworks stored in a. house, in readiness for the celebrating of the Saints’ Day at Castle Eranci, blew up the building and plunged tho town into darkness, and caused a panic at an open air concert, twenty people being killed and one hundred injured, while ten are still under tlie fallen masonry and the explosion damaged a church. SOVIET RIFT. RIGA, August 5. A meeting of the leaders of the Opposition groups at Moscow carried a. resolution demanding the cessation of the arrests and also threatening to form a new party if these arrests should continue. AN ULTIMATUM. B’Y JUGO-SLAVIA TO BULGARIA.

BELGRADE, Aug. 5.

The Government of Jugo-Slavia has despatched a second note' to Sofia. Tt is in the nature of an ultimatum, requiring full satisfaction *md guaran- < tecs, concerning frontier raids, and v also a warning that, in the event of another raid, Jugo-Shvvia will rely on her own forces. It is learned that the Great loweis have energetically urged Jugo-S a\ta to exercise extreme discretion in dealing with Bulgaria. CATASTROPHE IN JAPAN.

' TOKIO; Ang. 5. The heaviest rains for thirty years resulted in disastrous floods in Northern Japan. The rivers are overflowing, and are damaging thousands of acres ■ of rice fields and farm lands, and in- - undating thousands of houses, especially in. the Akita prefecture. The railway services arc interrupted in several places. It is believed that there have been y heavy casualties, but the numbers are not yet known. FOUR-THOUSAND HOMES LOST

TOKIO, Aug. 5. The floods are ' the worst in forty years. They have destroyed four thousand homes in Akita prefecture. They have wiped out thousands of acres of crops, and have cut railway communications. The town of Ronjo, at the mouth of the Faruquki River, was doubly flooded, the river overflowing and a gale driving the sea into, tlie harbour. The entire town of tliii'teeirtTiousand inhabitants was deep- in swilling waters.

The casualties arc not yet known but are heavy.

SPANISH POLICY. LONDON, Aug. 5.

The Spanish Director-General, Primo de Rivera, when interviewed by a “Daily Express” correspondent at Madrid, frankly admitted that tho elimination of Abd El Krim had disappointed both France and Spain, since other tribes were forcing a continuation of the war in Morocco, which is costing Spain £33,000 per day. The General said he was .confident, however, that, by the end of this year, the victory will he consumated.

Questioned in reference to tho League of Nations meeting in September, General de Rivera declared that lie was confident that matters would bo acceptably settled before the meeting. lint he admitted that he 4s looking to Sir Austen Chamberlain and M. Brin ml to support Spain’s claim to a permanent seat on the League Council. MORE IMMIGRANTS.' LONDON, Aug. 5. The first party of “Morning Post” scheme immigrants for Australia are sailing on Aug. 18th., by the Otranto AN INTERESTING THEORY. LONDON, Aug. 4. The “Sketch” says: One of tho most entertaining visitors to England is the Maori, Ilohe Pa Teriki, who is urging the theory that the Maori race ergirinted in Assyria. Teriki contends that the Maoris reached South America in canoes, and that they Inter migrated to New Zealand. This view has rather shocked some conservative students of ethology. Others, however, are greatly interested in it. .

G. B. SHAW

EULOGY OF “KULTUR.”

BERLIN, Aug 4. The congratulations of Herr Strese- J maim, the German Foreign Minister, to Mr Bernard Shaw, the English -r----writer, on the occasion of his 70th -birthday, and Mr Shaw's reply aulogising German citluro, are being given prominence in the German newspapers.

The “Deutsches Zeitung” “It is doubtful whether these official congratulations have served any German interests, since Mr Shaw is popular only among tiie Socialist intellectuals. His love of Germany is connected with his love of his German fees, which are considerable. Mr Shaw is now exploiting his good relationship with Herr Stresemaim and. Count Sthamcr, for the purpose of advertising his Socialist theories and the British Labour Part}’.”

A TREASURE SHIP. LONDON, Aug. 4

The sunken treasure ship “Egypt” a P. and O. liner, which was sunk, after a collision, off Ushant on the 13th of May, 1922 is believed to have been located in twelve hundred feet of water.

German clivers equipped with their latest apparatus, will descend on Friday to cut their way into the hull of the vessel