MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1928, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

MURDER CHARGE. MELBOURNE, Feb. 3. Griggs, whose arrest on a, charge of murdering his wife was cabled yesterday, was not ordained as a Methodist minister, but was a probationer with two years’ service. He was suspended by the Methodist Conference immediately the police commenced their investigations. The case has created an immense sensation in the Omeo district where for some past the Grigg’s domestic affairs have been the subject of much discussion. ;

A GRUESOME DINNER. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m). LONDON, Feb. 3. For the purpose of defying superstition members of the Seize Club dined at Dunkirk in circumstances which were as astonishing as any in ages long history of hospitality. The head of the table was overshadowed by an authentic guillotine with triangular blade stained with blood, an executioner impersonated by a wild creature carrying a formidable knife, accompanied by a victim stripped for execution. A basket was ready to receive the bead. The diners were seated at tables covered with white shrouds, lighted by ghostly flickering candles. r l be walls were draped in black. Members ot the Seize Cluli pride themselves in their courage in disregarding superstitions and say the gathering throughout was el the gavest despite the gruc.seiue Mirfeundings. A SHAKESPEARE DISCOVERY. LONDON, Feb. 3. The discovery is announced by the •• Daily Telegraph ” of a manuscript of a commonplace book likely to solve the age-long mystery oi the identity ol Mister \Y. IL. to whom Shakespeare’s sonnets were dedicated bv Thomas Thorpe, who published the well known biblophile. Edmonml Rung, who came into possession of the book, sent it to America for examination by the most erudite authorities of the university.

“The book.” says the “Daily Telegraph.” “ is indubitably that ot AN illiam Hntgatc, a seventeen-year-old son of a wealthy inn-keeper of the Rose and Crown at Sa.,ron NNalden. It is known Shakespeare and bis travelling company visited the town in 1607, two wars before the publication of the sonnets. Those interested will study sonnets 10-1 and 135. The boy’s interest in Shakespeare was proved by bis copying the favourite sonnet, ns well as current references to Shakespeare, including a rli.vnimg letter revealed for the first time, from Francis Beaumont to Ben Johnston, in which Shakespeare is proclaimed as a deathless genius.

SCIENTIFIC’ RESEARCII. WELLINGTON. Feb. 4

Arising out of a request made by the Scientific Research Council, tlio Empire Marketing Board lms offered to grant a sum of 112,500 towards the cost of establishing plant breeding and sced s research work in New Zealand. In addition the Board is prepared in contribute £2,500 annually for a. period of live voars towards the cost ol maintenance and running costs ol these researches.

lliis announcement is made by the Prime Minister, who added that the experiments would probably be carried oul at Massey Agricultural College, and will embrace breeding, selection and I continent against diseases of grain and other crops of the dominion. Negotiations. said Mr Coates, were in progress with tnc Agricultural Department and Agricultural College Councils with a view to arranging the details neecssni.v lor the carrying out of the work. CAR. tragedy. (Australian Press Association A Sun.) (Received ibis day at 9.30 a.m). PARIS. Feb. 3. The modest taxicab, as a car is earning a reputation as sinister as the limousine, in which the Austrian Aicliduke and Arch-duchess were killed at Sarajevo, since it has been attended by tragic results. Despite changes of ownership last Juno, chauffeur Sou lie was shot by a architect’s clerk, who was recently sentenced to death. Now the same cab has been found abandoned on' a lonely roadside with a pool of blood on the floor. It is assumed the driver, Cadoriu, was killed and his body thrown in the river.

rirxTrxG a criminal. LONDON. Feb. 3

A Berlin correspondent says the Resident Police Detachment, of Reichs-v.-.hi- has forme.l a cordon round a wend at Coburg in which an armed criminal, Hein, has taken refuge, tie in is suspected of robberies and four murders. The police sergeant who jumped olf his bicycle and attempted io rescue him was shot through the head, and Hein rode off on the bicycle. A second police officer over-look him and Hein took an ambush in a. ditch exchanging a fusilade until liis ammunition was exhausted. Hein, who was thought to lie wounded, escaped. He and an accomplice raided the post office at Ililigs at Christinas time and shot two officials. His accomplice, I.arm, was arrested. Hein afterwards shot two other policemen when they were trying to arrest him, one fatally. A MARE’S NEST. LONDON, Feb. 3. Sell nee. cabled on Ist February, and also Stresemann, have taken too much for granted in allusions to Tanganyika. The official attitude is firstly that Britain has in no way suggested any East African scheme to involve a violation of rights under which the mandate is held; secondly, if iSchnec had read Hilton Young’s commission terms reference he would have found they merely concern similar domestic supervision within the mandate territories to adjacent colonies. There is no suggestion that the British are introducing sovereignity into the mandate. The mandates commission has full right to question whatever happens within the mandate, likewise any action contemplated therein. The British attitude definitely does not propose an alteration in the mandate system, therefore there is nothing for the German Government to suppose. U.S. POLITICS. WASHINGTON, Feb. 3. Tho Senate Commerce Committee began hearing the Jones Resolution to prevent the Shipping Board sale of American, Australian, Orient and the other lines scheduled for ITTth February.

Ben Grosscup, represening Pugent sound business, said his clients wished to be enabled to buy a single line, not all three, as the Board advocated. The possibility of action this session of Congress on the eight hundred million dollar naval programme appears to lie fading. Jones’ intimations, cabled on Feb. 2nd., of a possible further international naval limitation df the Coolidge speech, cabled on Jan. 30th. strengthened the opposition. It is pointed, out, moreover, it is practically an impossibility to get both Congressional approval of- the programme and appropriation in the short time. It stressed Congress is a year behind in appropriations for measures long authorised.