BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1926, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Reuter Telegrams.] NOVELIST’S OBSEBVATIONS. LONDON, August 30. Air Robert Keable, the novelist, has arrived at Liverpool after spending two years in tho South Seas. Mr Keable said that, though Kara tonga is a prohibition island, he saw more drunkenness there in a month than in his whole lifetime before, lie had seen three men drink three kerosene tins lull of the native home brew between lunch and dinner.

VALENTINO’S FUNERAL. NEW YORK. August "30. Thousands of people lined Broadway to-day while Rudolph Valentino’s funeral cortege moved two miles to St. Mnlnchi’s Church. Miss l\>la Negri and Miss Jean Acker (the actor's first wife, who said tlmt they had been reconciled just before the death, of Valentino) followed the coffin to the church. STORY OF A PLOT. LONDON, August ,‘io. The “ Daily News ” Berlin correspondent reports an extraordinary diplomatic scandal, in which a -beautiful Soviet spy is supposed to have played a most important part in agitating the countries bordering on Russia. The other actor in. the affair is Herr Birk, who was recently the Esthonian Minister as Moscow. Formerly he was a model diplomat. He was strongly opposed to Communism. He carried out delicate missions successfully, until he fell into the clutches of the “Chekka” through the pretty typist who was employed at the Esthonian Legation, who was the “ Chekka’s ” most dangerous spy. She persuaded Birk to show her secret documents. Having taken the first step on the downward path, he was soon under the Soviet’s thumb. The Esthonian newspapers allege that Birk sold one hundred important documents to the Soviet. Birk is now identified with the most

aggressive Bolshevik propaganda. TTo wrote to the newspaper “ Tsvestia ” at Moscow, denouncing He Estonian Government for plotting with Latvia and Poland against the Soviet, and declaring that it was the enemy of the people and that if was scheming for the downfall of the Moscow patriots. Estlionia summarily dismissed Birk and instituted an investigation. THE EARTHQUAKE. v LONDON, Aug. 31. Reports from Azores state six were killed and many injured in the island by the earthquake. Great damage in ohpitnl, Horta and all over the , country. Cracks appeared in the streets. A number of houses collapsed, terror stricken people camping in the squares. All Britishers are reported to ho safe.