BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1927, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[BV TELEGRAPH— -PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] COLLIERY TRAGEDY. LONDON, April 12. A f/Let ii red live wire caused an explosion following the fall of the roof of Wliarnclill'e colliery at Barnsley, entombing fifteen men. Three were fatally gassed when reached after eight hours work in quenching the fire with grunte dust. Herbert Smith descended to assist. VOTES FOP WOAIEN. LONDON, April 13. Reliable political correspondents assert that the Cabinet, after successive deliberations, has decided that Air Baldwin’s pledge of 192-1 must he carried out, and that votes must be conferred on women of the age of 21 years, and on all women precisely on the same terms as men. It is estimated that this equalisation of the franchise will mean an addition to the British electorate of from four and a-ba.ll' to live million women voters. and that the women voters will outnumber the men at the next general election by at least two million votes. The Cabinet rejected the proposal lor an equalisation of the sexes by raising the voting age of the men to twenty-five veals, and lowering the age of the women to 25. as it is understood that the excess of the women then would have been even greater than with the age of 21. There was also a proposal to refer the matter to a conference of all the parties, but the Labour Party, in advance. refused to participate in such a conference. Several of the Conservative papers strongly oppose what they term ‘‘votes for girls.” AVomen at present get the vote at the age of thirty years. PLOT TO KILL MUSSOLINT. LONDON, April 12. The Times Pome correspondent telegraphs:—Zauiboni (charged with plotting to shoot Mussolini) made ::i dramatic confession at the resumption of his trial. He spoke loudly and defiantly, and lie expressed no regrets, lie said he realised that the? Fascist regime was getting stronger, and that it could he overthrown only by direct action. He haul failed to organise direct action, and so he decided to lad alone. He fixed the date, and bought a rifle, with which he practised daily to ensure kill iug Signor Mussolini. Ho declared—

■'And 1 would have done so if the police had not arrested me. I do not blame* these poor devils,” he said, pointing to those with him in the cage ‘‘l alone am responsible.'’ Tlnj hearing was adjourned.