BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 June 1927, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[BY TELEGRAPH- -PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

A -MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY. ROAIE, May 31. Alouiitaincers climbing one of the highest peaks on the Austraian frontier were amazed to find an Italian soldier with a service kit and bayonet fixed, apparently on sentry duty. He was discovered to be shot in the head and the extreme cold had preserved the body. 'Hie soldier remains as lie stood when killed.

UNEMPLOYED TOTAL. LONDON, May 31. The registered unemployed total 978,200, a decrease of 28,817 in a week, and the lowest total since 1920. The cost of living figure is the lowest since 1917.

AGRICULTURE IN INDIA / (British Official A\ ireless.) RUGBY, May 30. Alemhers of the Royal Commission on_r Agriculture in India are at present in London, and in pursuit of their investigations some important evidence will be taken in England. The terms of the Commission’s reference are very wide, covering, besides the technical aspects of agriculture, general matters of rural prosperity and welfare, as well as financial credits.

The state of Indian cotton production is one of the subjects with which the enquiry is concerned, and the evidence to be taken in England will include that of several Lancashire cotton experts, for the question of marketing and better transport is to be surveyed as well as that of improving the quality of the cotton produced. The Commission is under the chairmanship of Lord Linlithgow, and bis personnel includes English and Indian experts.

Since they began their investigations last October all the Indian provinces except Bibar and C’rissa and Burma have been visited. Next winter the Commission will proceed to these localities and to Karachi to complete the most comprehensive survey of the vast subject which has ever been undertaken.

SECRECY OF THE CONFESSIONAL. PARIS, May 31. A dramatic feature of the trial of Dr Brocher on a charge of murdering a friend with an injection of quicksilver was the Afagistrate’s intervention urging Dr Brocher to release a Reman Catholic priest, Father Clements, from the Confessional vow of secrecy. It transpired that Dr Brocher flew in an aeroplane and took refuge in Holland, where he attended confession. Dr Brocher resolutely refused the Magistrate’s appeal, insisting on the sacredness of the Confessional.

ENGLISH RADIO CONCERTS. LONDON, May 31. The British Broadcasting Company has arranged to continue its famous promenade concerts, which had been threatened with extinction owing to broadcasting competition. Sir Henry Wood is conducting a six weeks series. beginning in mid-August.

SPYING CHARGE. LONDON, June 1. The “Giorale d’ltalia” reports that tl;: Albanian Government have arrested a Jngo-Slav. Legation interpreter at Durazzo, also a police agent and two Montenegrin chauffeurs, on a charge of espionage. The police raided the interpreter’s residence and seized important documents. The Jugo-Slav Minister has p*l'tested against the arrest, but the Albanian authorities have replied that the arrested man was an Albanian subject, and was not diplomatically immune, because a formal notification of bis appointment had not been given.

The authorities also stated that Jugo-Slav Komitajis had attacked an Albanian frontier post, when two Albanian gendarmes were wounded.

FILAE RECORD. LONDON, May 31. Sir Douglas Hogg, K.C. (AttorneyGeneral) has tho distinction of being the first canned member of the Cabinet under the Conservative Party’s phono-film scheme for the propaganda purposes. Sir D. Hogg gave a ten minutes address on the Trades Union Bill, a record of which was enclosed in a small tin, and together with a filin is being despatched wherever required. Mean while a famous film showing all the members of the Cabinet working, is being installed in cinema vans on behalf of the Conservative Party for free open air shows in the villages throughout the country.

GREEK POLITICS. ATHENS, June 1. The Ministry has announced it lias taken successful precautions against a military coup designed to frustrate the reinstatement of a few Royalist officers, Venizelos has issued a manifesto against military interference in politics. Alost of the Cabinet members are of the opinion that the danger of the last twenty-four hours is ended.

EGYPTIAN CRISIS. LONDON. May 31. The “Times” in a leading article comments on the Egyptian situation. It says: All that lias happened is that Britain has found it advisable to check certain tendencies in Egypt, which if allowed to develop, might become dangerous. The British Note to Egypt affords a reasonable opportunity for discussion, but certainly Britain does not intend to be quietly elbowed out of her clear responsibilities for security of Egypt.

A HALT. CAIRO, Alny 31. The War Ministry vote, which was due to he discussed to-day. has been postponed in the Egyptian Chamber.

STEAMER FOUNDERS. DURING A TYPHOON. (Received this dav at 9.30 a.m.) MANILA, June 1. The inter-island steamer Negros foundered, 150 miles south of Manila y in a typhoon on 28th May. The victims included the captain, six of tho crew, chief engineer, and one hundred pasengers (negroes). She was a 280ton craft and left the island of Romblon on 26th May, with 150 passengers and a large cargo. She battled with a typhoon and terrific seas for two davs. t

The extraordinary heroism of one officer, during the first day of the storm is credited with saving the lives of fifty passengers and some of the crew. He succeeded in loading these aboard a lifeboat, after which they spent twenty hours without food and drink and were terribly buffeted in the wild sea and succeeded in landing at Tavadas Province on the 29th Two other steamers are overdue.