BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1927, Page 3

BRITISH AND FOREIGN NEWS

[BY TELEGRArU—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

BLACKMAIL CHARGE. LONDON, April 27

w Israel Molchor, fifty-four, was cliarg- ’• ed at Old Bailey with attempting to 's blackmail Harold Rubin, a wealthy y pearl dealer, and prospective Consorvag tivo candidate for Wednesbur.y. Evi- '■ deuce showed Rubin’s father acquired e a fortune from the West Australian d pearl trade and sent Melchor to Sharks e Bay buying pearls. Melchor said be ■s lived a lonely life for seven years and then his health broke down. The prosecution alleged Melchor threatened to disclose Rubin was paying secret commissions and thus ruin Rubin’s political career. It also alleged that - Melchor retained papers appertaining to Rubin’s business. Rubin denied all the allegations. The ease was adjourned, “ OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT ACT. . LONDON, April 26. j The Overseas Settlement Committees report for 1926 marking the close of the first five years' administration of the Empire Settlement Act, announced improving conditions overseas and further facilities for assisted passages resulted in an increase of assisted migrants under the Act, from 39.559 | in 1925 to 05.103 in 1920, of whom 25,999 were children. The figures for . Australia are 22.527 and 32,732, an increase of 10,205; New Zealand 9,097 and 11,795; Canada. 9.809. 21,311 and 12.535; South Africa, 120 and 132. Great Britain’s annual excess of births and immigration over deaths and emigration has fallen from 383,000 in 1911 to 175,903 in 1920. The net migration movement from Britain in 1920 was 115.539 against 94,259 in , 1925. The report stresses the findings of ] the Imperial Conference sub-committee to the effect that future' official action must he based on recognition of the fact that whilst the hulk of the population here is urban, dominions settle- | ment must ho based oil agricultural development. The principal results of the sub-com-mittees work has been the grant of free ' passages to women houseworkers to Australia. which is already operating, and-a new scheme for land settlement * in New Zealand and rural housing in Australia, both of which are being nrranged. The Australian thirty-four million loan agreement of 1925 will he modilied in view of the increasing number of schemes the development of many of which are already sanctioned, involving loans of three millions sterling. The sub-committee welcomes development of Migration Commission with which it proposed to keep in closest touch, recognising developmental research is ’ most effective in accelerating the redistribution of population. The report concludes by stressing the importance of agricultural training in j. three English centres, Catteriek Clay- ,| don and (Yandon. It is intended to shorten the courses and increase the accommodation. A residential course in London is being arranged to prepare domestics for Australia in hatches of forty. l> ’A BIG ESTATE. P LONDON. April 27. ' ■Marshall Hall's estate was declared 1 at £110,64-1. DAMAGES GRANTED. DUBLIN. April 27. The High Court awarded a domestic servant £355 sterling damages against " De Valera for injuries sustained when ‘ she was knocked down bv his motor ’ car. P A WILD SCENE. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.} PARIS, April 27. Q There was a wild scene at a city " cinema during the screening of the " “Big Parade.” Several shouted “Down with war.” Stink bombs were •' l hurled in the anditorioum. The police b’ were called. Two persons were badly injured and several arrests made. TIRTANDES SILVER JUBILEE. PARTS, April 27. M. Briand celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary of parliamentary life and received congratulations from all over Europe. He has broken all records, having been Prime Minister ten times in and Cabinet Minister sixteen. H A COURT PASSAGE. «-•!: LONDON, April 27. cl Barnett admitted to-day that he sold le the house at Bournemouth before he M approached Cowards regarding the sa Nelson appointment. .1 udgo McCardie a pointed out that lie had previously tr said he sold the house to take the gi promised post. ft was therefore a nc falsehood. Barnett apologised saying o; it was a mistake. 111