GENERAL CABLES

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1928, Page 2

GENERAL CABLES

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

AUSTRALIAN NAVAL CEREMONY. LONDON, Feb. G. Comment has lieeii occasioned by the Australian Navy, for the first time in history, becoming a party to what is generally described as a newspaper advertising “ stunt.” An official inspection by Sir Granville Bvrie of the submarines Oxley and Otway at Portsmouth, arranged for today, was converted into a semi-private publicity parade, at which two silk ensigns, not provided through the usual ilmnnels, were presented to the ships. Thus what should have been a distinctive Commonwealth ceremony, became a distinctly strange event, humorously reminiscent of H.M.S. Pinafore. HINKLER’S FLIGHT. LONDON, Feb. 7. Hinkler left at 6.45 this morning on: his llight to Australia.

ALLUVIAL DIAMOND. CAPETOWN, Feb. 6. A large alluvial diamond, weighing 412 carats, found at Barkley "West, realised £SOOO. \NTHROPOUKHCAL DISCOVER!F.S. CAPETOWN, Feb. 6. Further anthropological discoverieshave been made in the dried bed ° • the Vaal River, at Illoemthof, Transvaal. Two teeth found a fe"’ months. a „o, have been pronounced as those ot a mammoth’s a thousand years old-To-day the smaller teeth were found, and thev are considered to support the tbeorv that Southern Africa was the. possible cradle of the human race.

ACCUSED IN COURT. LONDON, Feb. C.

A dramatic surprise was sprung in the South Western Police Court, when Kennedy and Brown appeared, charged ostensibly with the theft of a car. The Director of Public Prosecutions, when the names were called informedthe Magistrate that the men would he charged with the murder of Constable Gutteridge. Such intense interest was manifested that the police had to force the crowd hack from the pavement and everyone was questioned before being allowed to enter the doors, each of which were guarded by four policemen, and policemen stood between the f"° men in the docks.

Chief Inspector Bcrrett gave evidence that when told they would bo charged, Kennedy did not reply, while Brown answered “It is absurd, 1 know nothing about it. ’ LOCUSTS’ INVASION. JERUSALEM, Feb. (>. An almost miraculous change of wind saved Palestine and Syria from a destructive visitation ol locusts. For months past the Government anticipated the spring plague, and made elaborate preparations to combat the invasion. A vast swarming advance guard suddenly appeared near Petra with the winii drifting them steadily towards Palestine. A defence was immediately mobilised. ineluding batteries of ibnne guns, when the wind veered and turned the invaders in the direction of tlu> most barren and rockiest part of the desert where the insects are condemned to die ol starvation. half a million donation. LONDON. Feb. (5. A unique gift of half a million ster ; ling has been anonymously sent to the ( nancellor of the Exchequer, to he managed in trust for the benefit of the nation. The capital is to accumulate at compound interest for a long period ot years, and ultimately together with the. accrued proceeds, it will be applied to the reduction ol the National Debt. The bankers. Baring Bros., who will hold the money, also forwarded a letter from the donor saying that gilts to the nation of historic sites and works ot art happily are frequent, hut gilts to repay a debt are comparatively rare. The donor expresses the hope that others, from time to time, will ho prompted to add to or establish similar funds, the citizens and the city uniting | in an attempt to free the country from debt.

Air Churchill, on behalf of the Government. publicly acknowledging the gift, says it is important and unprecedented in character. He regrets he is unable to thank the donor by name. VOTE LESS WOMEN. LONDON. Feb. (5. Despite a semi-official forecast that the onef bill in the coming session will be that to give votes to women at tho age of twenty-one, women to-morrow will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the extension of the Iranchise to women aged thirty, by presenting a petition to Mr Baldwin at Downing Street and a letter to the King at Buckingham Palace. 'lhe letter declares that there are three million voteless women nude, thirty, which include some ot the most brilliant minds ol the day, and thou sands of wives, and woikets in shops, factories, and workshops, "he are doing their hit to build up nation;;, prosperity. The signatories of the petition include Miss Isabel MacDonald, actress; Miss Betty Chester, Gill Wrangler at Cambridge, women political candidates, municipal councillors, anil undergraduates.

BRITISH PARLIAMENT. LONDON, Feb. 7. To-day will be the first occasion since King George's accession that Queen Mary lias not attended the opening ol Parliament. Her absence created a problem regarding the conduct ol the ceremonial proceedings, but the authorities eventually decided to remove the Consort’s throne Irom the House ot Lords oil this occasion. S ELECT ING (X)CKTAILS. (Received this day at 8.50 a.m.) PARIS. Eeh. 7. To International Barmen’s Union organised a competition to decide what was the liest cocktail creation. In the only previous competition there were forty entries, hut this year three hundred competed, raising an unforeseen problem. After tile judges bad sampled twenty-three, they unexpectedly withdrew and when they returned, they announced it was beyond human capacity to take more than twenty or thirty cocktails, as afterwards all tasted alike. At first the judges attempted to work in relays, hut each relay gave up the task of finding a decision, finally it was resolved new judges must be appointed to decide the matter front the recipes.