GENERAL CABLES.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1927, Page 3

GENERAL CABLES.

*By Telegraph—Per Press Association.: RAILWAY ROBBERY CASE. NEW ZEALANDER ACQUITTED. LONDON, Dec. 15. The Foster case, cabled on -Ith November, in Old Hailey ended in tlie jury interrupting counsel’s speech for the defence, saying they had made up their minds, hut would like to hear the summing up of the Judge. Ernest Wild said there was little doubt Foster could have been tlie thief, but the law insisted that tlie crime must be proved. Ihe case could not he stopped unless tlie jury were unanimous. The jury retired for five minutes and then returned with a verdict of not guilty. Foster had previosulv given evidence that he was a New Zealadoer. Mis father, a clergyman, died in 1025. Mis mother and sisters were still living in Hamilton. Me went to Britain in 101 I and lived at .Merthyr Hydfiln. lie was engaged in hook-making under the name of Roberts and in football betting under the name of Thomas. By February he had accumulated hv hotting. LI 101). and went to London to open a starting-price office. Me travelled from Cardiff alone and denied knowledge of the robbery. Me subsequently decided to go to Now Zealand with his wife ami family. On arrival at Auckland he discovered the police were inquiring for him. Me admitted he had not told the New Zealand police he obtained money successfully by hotting. The best counsel in New Zealand advised him not to make a statement. Me was anxious to face the charge and had not raised a defence in New Zealand to prevent publicity, for his peoples’ sake. Cross-examined, he said he opened a hanking account with hank notes where into a bookmaker ('handler had now changed Treasuries in order to start business. He denied he feared the use of Treasuries would arouse suspicion •

MR TIM HEALY. RETIREMENT EXP EOT ED. LONDON, Dec. 15. A Dublin message states that Mr Tim Healy is about to retire, alter five years as Governor-General of the Irish Free State. MOTORING. PARIS. Dec. 15. Bruces resumed at I) a.in., a delay of fifteen hours completely spoils the average, hut they are still ten hours ahead of the record schedule. SHEEPSKIN SALES. LONDON. Dec. 15. At the sheepskin sales .‘l,O-18 hales were offered of which 2,035 were Australian and 8(12 New Zealand. There was a good audience and keen general competition, America, Home and the Continent operating. Prices were dearer compared with 2« s lOd. Merino three-quarter fnll-woolled par to 5 per cent. ; liall'-woolled fully 5 per cent ; crossbreds, Australian 5 per cent., and New Zealand 5 to 10 per cent pelts. Lambskins were verv firm.

THE PROSECUTION’S STATEMENTS LONDON, Dec. 15.

The prosecution said Yervers stated lie came to London at the instigation of the Russian Communist Lovinsky to obtain naval and military information, for which he repeatedly visited the United Services Club. Scotland Yard inquiries from various officers showed the charge of espionage was unjustified, but Yervers was an habitual criminal with five convictions. Me was wanted in Copenhagen for fraud and did not pay bills in London and repeatedly borrowed from hotel staff's.

ROYAL APPROVAL. LONDON. Dec. 16. The King lias approved of .James .McNeill, the High Commissioner of the Free State in London, succeeding Tim llealy. COUNTRY’S SURVIVAL. ROME, Dec. 16. Signor Mussolini, in a statement, says the country’s tranquility and evident iiiiiocuousness of surviving antiFnscist remnant has enabled tbe regime to offer a further proof of strength l>y releasing 260 adversaries out of 6(H) at present confined, lie emphasises the necessity for cordial Franco-1 talian relations. Diplomats would shortly examine the problems which were, neither grave nor insoluble and after that a meeting of the Ministers would he arranged.

RIVER OF PETROI.. LONDON, Dee. 16. A Liverpool correspondent states that the authorities consider that all danger has ended, but precautions at tbe locks are not relaxed, although smoking is no longer prohibited on tin ferrv boats.

The salvaging of the Seniinoles’s mulispersed oil has begun. ’lbis was contained in uninjured tanks. A twelve inch flexible pipe has been erected. It is carried on stilts, and connected with the oil tanker, Tamarac, a hundred yards distant. The oil is pumped out by compressed air from five pumps. It is expected that the pumping will last thirty hours. The escaped oil was valued at £10,600.

A AVAR RESULT. LONDON, Dec. in.

The Alinistry of Labour circularised the local education authorities stating as a result of the low birthrate during the war which will become apparent in 1933, it is computed that juveniles in employment are likely to tall from tbe present 2,176,000 to 1,766.000. A decline of eighteen per cent in six years must binder a revival of trade. Alleviation would be possible by tbe transfer of selected juveniles to districts where there is a shortage. GERMAN AGREEMENT. MERLIN, Dec. 16. After a week of arbitration and negotiation, by Essen and Dusseldorft iron firms, averted the closing down of the works which the employers threatened in reply to the unions’ demands for wage increases and diminution of working hours. The employers now agree to increase wages about two per cent while either the three-shift or twoshift system will he introduced in certain mills.

against greyhound, racing. (Received this day at 5.30 n.m.) LONDON. Dec. 17. Remarkable scenes, accompanied the protest to the City of London Corporation against greyhound racing at Crystal Palace, as a result of which the corporation decided to take steps to obtain an injunction to restrain the Trustees of the Palace, also the Greyhound Racing Association from conducting the sport. Thousands thronged Guildhall wearing white badges with the words, “Crystal Palace protest.” The Bishop of AVool'vioh headed the deputation and presented a petition signed by forty-four thousand in Foutli London, including seven Bishops. Sir Ernest Lamb (Trustee of Crystal Palace) in moving a resolution after the withdrawal of the deputation, attacked gdevhound aring. which he said W"S a device for the exploitati-'U of gambling and the betting evil. It was unbelievable that, the vices of humanity

should lie encouraged. England, after all, was a Christian country. YON TIRPITZ’S VIEW'S. (Received this day at 8.50 a.m.) i BERLIN. Dee. l(i. “ Sir E. W’cig says Room Forty (cabled on the 11th) was the best kept war secret,” said Yon Tirpitz when interviewed. “ Here’s another. I am not in the least surprised. Germany is not surprised. Britain had systematically prepared for war against Germany for a year. Even before the war she covered Germany with a network of spies. We were not naive. We allowed captured British ships to go scot free, despite decoding messages from the German Admiralty. The British fared none too well at Jutland, where their losses were thrice ours, though their strength was double. Even the British Admiral admitted the German Navy, ship for ship and gun for gun. was immeasurably superior.’Yon Tirpit-/. allowed himself to he drawn into an expression of opinion on the so-called Anglo-American naval rivalry. “If I were an American I would whole-heartedly favour the United States programme. Germany was not engaged in naval rivalry against England. Before the war Britain spent thrice our sum. From this fact one draws one’s own conclusions on a possible Anglo-American naval race. Who can tell what half a century will bring forth? ”

VALUABLE AUTOGRAPH. LONDON. Dee. Hi. An autograph of Robert Burns letter containing the words of the song “ My l.ove is Like a Red, Red Rose.” was auctioned at Sothcrhys for 02.000. RELICS FOUND. LONDON. Dec. 1(1. M.iny gold relies are among the discoveries at Ut of Chaldees, according to a report of the joint expedition from the British Miisceum and Pennsylvania I niversitv. A royal prince’s grave dating probably 3500 years before Christ containing a gold headdress, gold wig. and nearby golden howls. lamp, beads, ear rings,, silver daggers with gold bills, gold-mounted spears, and many articles of silver Lapis Lazuli. Other finds showed women once wore hair in a net woven with gold ribbons, from which hung beads of lapis cornelian, also huge ear pendants. A later fashion decreed weaving ribbons round tresses, which were looped overhead. The ear rings were quite small.