BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1927, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

fAustralian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

JAPAN’S EMPEROR. TOIvIO, Jail. 0

While reported to ho recovering satisfactorily from attacks of influenza, the Emperor and Empress are unable to participate in the palace ceremony of the removal of the encofiined body of the late Emperor to a specially constructed Chamber, where it will await tho funeral day. Takamatsu, the EinIKTOr’s younger brother, with the Dowager, headed the Imperial party partiepating hereafter in tho death watch, to he maintained hv members ol the funeral commission, of which Kanin is the chief. PRINCE’S GIFT TO THE MAORIS. LONDON, Jan. 6. The mystery of the Princes of Wales’ recent request for the Maori’s names and initials his been revealed. He had a set of medals struck which he presented to .Mr Coates for individual presentation. He has also given Mr Contes a shield for annual competition by Maori teams in New Zealand. The Maoris laid a wreath of roses and orchids on the cenotaph with a Maori inscription.

OBITUARY. LONDON. Jan. 0. Obituary—Frederick Cayley Robinson, tho artist. FRENCH AGITATION. PARIS. January 7. An acute controversy over the date of the evacuation of the Rhineland has arisen through an amazing argument of the extreme Nationalists that before the evacuation, the Army must he reorganised so as to he capable ol quick nml infinite expansion, and so that the whole of North Eastern France may he equipped as a strongly fortified line of defence. The equipment of lliis potential battlefield would require years and milliards of money.

There are many shades of opinion between these extremists and moderate Radicals, hut the opinion is current that the ‘‘Locarno spirit” is going to he subjected to its first rude test.

M. Rrinnd (Foreign Minister) whose secret departure continues to puzzle Paris, has been discovered to he staying in Cannes. M. Rrinnd declares that lie needs a rest, but. the press insists upon attributing political motives to his movements. INTERNATIONAL DEBTS. LONDON*. Januarv 7. M. Caillaux (ex-French Finance .Minister) in an article in the “ Daily Chronicle ” says he believes that the “international debts will some day he wiped off the slate.” lie adds : “ The transfers from one nation to another is the cause of complex problems that can only end in the creation of a situation as disadvantageous to the creditors as to the debtors.”

DUTCH ART. LONDON. Jan. 0. Eight hundred masterpieces of Flemish painting are gathered at Burlington House. They are insured for three millirjn sterling, but their auction value is at least ten millions. This constitutes the most remarkable art collection of the present generation. Famous Continental and American collectors have loaned their treasures, necessitating a hand of watchmen in the galleries night and day.

There are sixty of Ruben’s and Van Dyck’s pictures. They include Ruben’s “Descent from the Cross.” which is from the Antwerp Cathedral. There is a series of Flemish tapestries lent by the Austrian Government. which is alone worth a quarter of a million.

The Vnmlycks are nobly represented by Hubert Vandycks ‘The Three Maries at the Senuleh.ro,” and Jan Aandyok s “Portrait of his Wife.” from Bruges, which was discovered in a Belgian fishmarket where it was used as a tray by a fishwife. Tt is now valued at fifty u.ousand sterling.

Rogier Vandepweyden, Hans Momling Afrnrd, David John Mabuse, mid the sculptor Constantin Mounier, are all splendidly represented.

EARTHQUA KES PREDICTED. ROME, Jan. (1. Professor Bendandi, the noted scismolgist, nrophecies that the present year will be noted for great earth paroxysms which will scatter death and destruction in. most distant parts of the world. About January 13th. there will he a series of violent oarthqnukes in Europe, Asia and Polynesia. In February the seismic fever will be more intense, and it will seem as if the earth is trembling. Central America will he violently shaken and with the advance of spring, shocks will he felt in Europe. There will he violent earth commotions and volcanic eruptions in the summer in. Japan, and hv JuTy seismic forces will lie m -full activity in Southern Europe, Mestern Mexico and California. The year will bo extremely agitated Oil all continents.

DOMIN' lON A CTOXOM V. LONDON, January f>. Mr Philip Snowden, in an article in “The London Weekly,” says lie cannot envisage a plan whereby the Dominions can be autonomous in the control their external matters since a common Empire policy is essential, lie does not see how the makeshift of an Imperial Conference can he permanently workable. If an Imperial Council is impossible. proper consultation is equally so. since il cannot be conducted by cable or by despatch in half a dozen different states simultaneously. The Dominion have the option of appointing diplomatic representatives abroad which entails the right to make separate treaties. Common agreement on this noint is almost unattainable. The new arrangement appears to have multiplied the difficulties sixfold.

MUSICIAN'S C'EXTENARY. PARIS, Jhn. 7

The French Cabinet have decided that France shall participate in the Beethoven centenary celebration in March.

MOST POPULAR SNAPSHOT.

LONDON. Jan. 7

The most reproduced photograph of the Duke and Duchess of York’s departure shows the Prince of Wales kissin igtlie Duchess on the deck of the “Renown.”

INFLUENZA. BERLIN. Jan. 0

The influenza epidemic has developed with extraordinary suddenness here. The Health Commissioners had announced that there was no sign of an epidemic, but during the night two hundred cases were sent to the hospital, while one death was certified as being due to Spanish influenza. Though the number of cases at present is not serious, empty buildings are being prepared for use as emergency hospitals. A CHURCH LAW. (Received this day at 9.0 a.m.'. PARIS. Jan. 7. The little town of Villestrou. in Vosges, having been sentenced to bo wiped out by military authorities who are desiring to extend an adjoining camp, decided it would be the easiest plan to demolish the place by a- common fire, The parish priest adopted a

clever ruse to avoid the sentence. He discovered under the old law that no church could lie destroyed as long as two people attended daily mass. Since then the Church has been thronged daily, and the military are powerless to carry out the destruction.

HOSPITAL TRAGEDY. AIADRID, Jim

In the middle of the night screams were heard at the hospital at Rihadoo whole it was found an old mail had murdered three fellow inmates. One victim had his head severed, another his heart cut out. The murderer declared he ( enmitted the murders in order to go himself killed, because he had i i (be courage to commit suicide. A fit BOMBERS. (Received this day nt tt.O a.m.i LONDON. Jan. 7. The Gazette states in connection with tho expansion of the home air defences, th Air Ministry has ordered thirty Grant-Handley Pago night bombers, designed to attack aerodromes. They are driven by two Napier engines, totalling a thousand horsepower, and are painted a. greenish brown, which experiments proved them almost invisible at iilight. even in the rays of u searchlight''