NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1928, Page 3

NEWS BY MAIL.

TWIN-MURDER TO BRING RAIN. BULAWAYO, (Ithodesia,) Aug. 2. The conflict between the laws of the white man and the’ customs of the native was illustrated by two. cases heard in court to-day. Both cases concerned the murder of twin infants. It is a native custom that when twins are born they are choked with a grass rope and their bodies placed in a pot and thrown into the river. This sacrifice is thought to ensure a goqtj rainfall. I,n neither of the cases before, the court was the murder committed by the parents. In one instance the grand parents were responsible . and in, the other a mother-in-law. The mother, in one,- case, declared that she did not feed the children, as it would have been against native law. The judge passed sentence of death on the accused, hut added that it was unlikely that it would he carried out. The custom of twin-murder, lie said was one which Europeans were trying to stamp out.

: THE MYSTIC SEVEN. NEW YORK, Aug. 20. Two red dice with the mystic seven n five and a two up,, settled the problem of life or death for Anna Green, a pretty 18-years-old brunette, last night. . Anna left home a year ago with the object of becoming an actress or writer or of making a successful marriage, but she failed to attain any of these aims. She was not even able to secure a walking-on part, in any play and the man with whom .she had been living for the last six months in a poorly furnished flat left her last night after one of their innumerable quarrels. • , In despair she, determined to stake her all oil the throw and play at dice with death. The mystic seven (fame up apd decided her fate. She turned on the gas and was found dead in her room this morning. Before her death the unhappy g'rt scribbled a number of precepts for marital happiness on a piece of paper. “When in the wrong admit it and kiss and make it up” and “Never forget the Seventh Commandment.

KEM.AU AND A PRINCESS CALCUTTA, August 16. Mustapha. Kemal Pasha, the President of Turkey, has asked for the hand of the Princess Kubra Jan, the youngest sister of King Afghanistan, according to reports received here from Peshawar. King Amanullah, it is understood has sent and invitation to Kemal to visit Kabul to discuss the matter. The Princess Kubra Jan is a slinp olive-ski lined, girl of 21'"years, who f5 leaks excellent English. She was educated in Paris and visited London with King AmanullaK this year. She is bobbed and wears pince-nez. Mustapha Kemal Pasha met his former wife when entering. Smyrna after his victories over the Greeks in Asia Minor. He saw the face of a young girl at a window. She was Latifer Hanoum, the 19-years-old daughter of a wealthy merchant, who had received part of her education at Chisleliurst, in Kent, He fell in love and proposed marriage. The wedding took . place soon afterwards.

In August 1925 Latifer was divorced, Kemal issuing his own decree. No reasons were given, ■

LAST RELIC OF THE VEIL. CONSTANTINOPLE, August 16. M.ustapha Kemal Pasha, the Turkish President, when attending a regatta dance on the shore of the Sea of Marmora last night, noticed that several Turkish women were wearing coloured head scarves—the last relic of the veil and of the Oriental costume. He invited them to take off the scarves, saying that they would he prettier and more at ease in dancing. They all did as lie wished. Summoning the, chief' .of the .naval orchestra, Kemal put him through a. lew Turkish sentences in the new alphabet (Latin characters, which have replaced the Arabic,) correcting las mistakes. The presidential suite.has passed an examination in the. alphabet before Kemal. The Premier, Ismet Pasha, who has just come from Angora, says that he has mastered the alphabet,, hut that he would be examined by Kemal.