BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1927, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[BY TELEGRArn —rEit rnESS association.]

SHORT MURDER TRIAL. ' LONDON, March 10

Stratton, charged with murdering a I girl in a train, was sentenced to deatli after one of the shortest trials on I record in Old Bailey. The accused I pleaded guilty, after which the Judge I sent him below to consult counsel. 1 On returning Stratton refused to I withdraw bis plea. The Judge: “Then there is nothing I I can do but sentence you.” I The trial lasted six minutes. The prisoner was unconcerned. THEFT OF GERM TUBES. LONDON, March 10. I A startling announcement from Scotland Yard that eight test tubes stolen I from a doctor’s car in Bloomsbury contained germs of anthrax, typhoid and other diseases, “and are highly infectious and dangerous,” excited speculation. The danger of a fearful epidemic was relieved later in the day when the test tubes were found at Lincoln’s Inn fields, the thief having hurriedly discarded them on discovering their nature. A DOCTOR SHOT. PARIS, March 10. A controversy in Franco as to whether doctors should be permitted to end the sufferings of incureable patients has arisen from the action of Raoul Martin, fifty-three, a resident of Dessouden, fatally shooting a doctor who informed Martin that hi.s case was hopeless, whereupon Martin entreated the doctor to give him a release. The doctor declined and was leaving the room when Martin produced a revolver and fired.

IN LIQUIDATION. • LONDON. March 10. The liquidators of AY. A. McArthur and Coy are making the first return to ordinary shareholders of ten shillings in the pound. The remaining assets are being collected and the litigation of Australian revenue authorities in connection with war-time profits will conclude.

AIR MAX’S PR EPAR A TTONS. LONDON. March 10. Airman Hinkler is busy testing the Baby Avro in which he will fly to Australia. It is fairly definite that lie will start the first week in April. GREEK CONDITIONS. ATHENS, March 10. The Government adopted a drastic remedy to combat the biggest general strike in the history of Greece. The trouble was due to heavy taxation, against which even shopkeepers were closing their premises as a protest. Civil servants and raihvaymen were discussing whether to join the strike, whereupon the Government decreed the instant mobilisation of all strikers. Troops ' suppressed Communists disturbances at Salonika.

GERMAN ATTITUDE. • GENEVA, March 10. Herr Streseniaini, in a statement to journalists, declared entirely he did not entirely believe the report that Britain was making an effort for the isolation of Russia. Tlie “ Isvestia’s ” allegations that Germany and Poland -were aiming at a formation of a Cossack Republic were also ridiculous. Ho added that Germany would regret Anglo-Russian complications. The Russia-Oermaiiy treaty did not contain secret clauses. Germany wanted Russia to develop on a healthy basis, assisting in the economic restoration policy which was unchanged despite the •Nationalists’ inclusion in the Cabinet. Germany would shortly raise the queston of the evacuation of the Rhineland on the grounds that disarmament Was contemplated. He thought the question would be satisfactorily settled.

RESCUED A non. LONDON, March 16. Sir J. Parr on behalf of the Sncietv for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals presented o silver medal to a New Zealand visitor Robert Fox. who dived into a river and rescued a dog entangled in weeds at AVeston on Trent.. PACIFIC CABLE CHAIRMAN. LONDON. March 10. The “Daily Express” says an agreement has been reached by the Governments of Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to offer the chairmanship of the Pacific Cable Board to Sir Campbell Stewart as soon as the new bill becomes law. AIRMEN RANSOMED. PARIS, March 10. Borges and companions were ransomed and have arrived at Crpe Jubv aboard two aeroplanes. AVALANCHE DISASTER. BERNE, March 10. Avalanches at DaYos overwhelmed four German skiers including a woman. A fifth escaped.

NURSE DANIELS TRAGEDY. • LONDON, March 10

The mystery surrounding the death of Nurse Daniels is no nearer solution, as a i result of the Boulogne enquiry. Nurse McCarthy in statements said she had no intention of going to France to give evidence before a magistrate and added: “1 am willing to be examined in England by a lawyer or magistrate but my nervous condition , won’t permit me to endure the French method of interropfition.” McCarthy is at present in a state of nervousness, bordering on hysteria following wlmt she describes as the persecution of amateur detectives. In the meantime the Boulogne magistrate says “we can do nothing more until we have McCarthy. If new evidence is available we will order the exhumation of the body and a special expert examination.”

PRLXCE OF AVALES. LONDON, -AI arch 10.

A motor car that was following crashed" into the Prince of Wales’s car at Leicester. The accident was owing to the Prince’s chauSeur pulling up suddenly to avoid a dog. The Prince of AY ales was shaken and his car was damaged.

king and the turf. LONDON. March 10. His Majesty the King has leased four yearlings from the national stud.

GOVERNOR IMPEACHED. PARTS. March 10.

Aliening that the Socialist GovernorGeneral of Indo-China, M. Alexandre Varenne. has protected a high colonial administrator who had prompted murders. the newspaper “ Liberte ” lias induced the Government to consent to a discussion upon M. A'arenlie’s administration in the Chamler of De; utie's next week. The “ Liberte ” asserts that the same administrator is also guilty of extortion, violence and of illegal executions. The paper says that Varenne illegally sentenced four natives. Then he feared that a certain prisoner would reveal his malpractices, and so he forced the police to murder him. The police confessed to receiving 30s reward. Further charges' state that the Administrator ordered two prisoners to lie hanged though the necessary authority had not been obtained. Tn the case of one of the prisoners the rope broke, and the police then riddled him with bullets. The “Liberte” accuses A T arenne of not onlv failing to bring the administrator to justice, but actually of promoting jiiTPi

STRIKE CALLED OFF. ATHENS, March 10. I he strike has been called off. •menace of warfare. . LONDON, March 11. A group of the Labour Members of the House of Commons have tabled a motion in favour of the total addition ot the Air Force. The motion will be moved in connection with the Air Estimates. Fourteen members of the House of Commons have promised their support. including Messrs Ponsonby. Salisbury, Scurr and Salter.

annexation by roumaxi.a. ROME. 'March 10. Signor M'ssolinl. Premier of Italy, in presenting a Bill for the ratification of the Uessa r diian Treaty to the Italian Cln." be;-, asked for an immediate decision.

Signor Torre said that Italy's policy was in accordance with the principles of nationality, of internntional equilibrium and of peace. In passing the Bill the Chamber would lie accomplishing an act of international loyalty and of justice, and would itdke a recognition of the historical political rights of a friendly nation. The Bill was agreed to bv SCO votes to 1.

FRENCH CRITICISM. LONDON, March 1(1. The Rome correspondent of The Times states: “The Italian newspapers universally resent the French suggestion that Italy lias ratified the Roumanian annexation of Bessarabia at Britain’s instigation. The papers ask when will the world learn tint Italy is not the satellite of any power.” The newspapers also carefully explain ihat Italy’s attitude is not aimed against Russia, and some sugget that French malignity is trying to mislead the Soviet opinion. REDUCTION OF AIR ARMAMENTS. LONDON, March 10. iTn the House of Commons. Miss Lawrence moved that in view of the growing menace of competition, it wus incumbent that the League of Nations should seek a common agreement to reduce the air forces. She said the Goveruiunent ought to instigate proposals to this end for the forthcoming disarmament commission. Sir Philip Sasson (Conservative) replied tlrtit apart from the Government’s desire to see the progress of general disarmament, they were sincerely anxious to see a limitation of air armaments; but their attitude must not be governed by an insistent demand for inter-imperial air communiditions, and an imperative need for adequately protecting the centre of the Empire. They could not act alone, intake the initiative on the question of air disarmament. There must be a general movement based on a formula (accepted® by the other powers. Until then, they must take adequate precautions for the safety ot the civil population. The amendment was rejected by 112 to Co.