NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1929, Page 2

NEWS BY MAIL.

1 GAGGED GIRL. STAMFORD, Dee. 4. Stamford, Lincolnshire, and Peterborough, Northamptonshire, police are limiting for three men who attacked anil gagged .lliss Elsie May Coles, aged 26, a domestic servant, of Tinwell, Rutland. 1} miles from Stamford, late last night. Miss Coles was found unconscious by three other men. They carried her to the house of Mr R iddington, a magistrate. She recovered later and was able to give an account to the police of the attack. She stated that as she was walking to Woltliorpe, near Stamford, she was stopped by three men, one of whom spoke to her, but when siie did not answer they attacked her. She was then rendered unconscious, possibly by a blow. A piece of material was found round her mouth, tied with twine. Her handbag containing about £'3 and a gold brooch, is missing. The girl is now at home suffering from concussion. Two of the wanted men wore mackiii. toshes and the third overcoat The police description puts their ages at about -10. DEITY IN A PLAY. TEAR BOMBS AT ACTOR, BERLIN, Dec. 1. Protests are being made in German cities against two plays which are attracting large audiences to two of Max Reinhardt’s theatres in Berlin. One of them is “.Marriages Are .Made in Heaven.” God is represented in it as an old man in goltiiug clothes who, after a game, talks over the affairs of mortals with Alary Magdalene, who is represented as a flirt. Representations have been made to the authorities of Frank-fort-on Main that performances there should be forbidden. “The Criminal,” in which forms of crime and erotic mania which may not lie discussed on British or French stage arc presented, aroused a storm of protest at Hamburg. Stink and tear bombs were thrown on to the stage. Many women fainted and the audience rushed to the doors. A number of demonstrators were arrested.

GAMBLING AGAIN. SWITZERLAND’S DECISION. G'ENEVA, ('Switzerland,) Dec. 4. A project for the re-introduction of gambling in the Swiss kursaals was carried to-day in a referendum by 20,001) votes. ‘•La houle” was abolished some years ago after a referendum, and 9 more or less derelict kursaals were on the verge of bankruptcy. They formerly provided not only gaining tables but also highclass .music, which was no longer available owing to the lack of funds. Visitors have been able to take part in ;v form of play at the tables which did not infringe the anti-gambling law. TWO JGW EL CONJ UII VMS. Slot* THIEF WHILE STAFF LOOK ON. MERLIN, December G. Diamond rings worth more than £IO,OOO have been stolen from a jeweller’s shop in Uhter den Linden by thieves who worked with the ease ol conjurers. The first sleight-of-hand expert arrived on Tuesday with a platinum ring set with brilliants, which he proposed to exchange for one of a different style Mo mentioned that he was Secretary of the Italian Embassy. He saw nothing, he said, that took his fancy and he lelt, but the next morning it was found that a diamond ring valued at £OOO, which had been on a tray he examined, had disappeared, and in its place there was a wothless ring with a false stone. Two men who spoke with an American accent entered the same shop yesterday afternoon. One asked in broken German to see some inexpensive tiepins. The other man lounged against one of the glass doors at the back ol the show-window, while his accomplice bought a tie-pin for only 27 marks. Thi! purchaser gave a 1,(100 mark note in payment and while the assistant was getting the change his accomplice was using his technical skill to open the window and abstract a tray ol diamond rings valued at £IO.OOO. Shop assistants had kept a sharp eye on him, but did not detect a suspicious movement. One of them ran after the men when they had left the shop to return the umbrella and gloves which one ol them had forgotten. SALT TAX FEARS. PEKING, November 20. The announcement by Mr Hussey Freke, who has recently become Associate Chief Inspector of the Salt Gabelle, associating himself with the intention of the Chinese Nationalist Government to take over the salt tax revenue, has created an extremely unfavourable impression here. It follows the statement by the British; French, and Japanese Legations declining to recognise the Nationalists’ repudiation oi the Salt Gabelle service as arranged under the Reorganisation Loan Agreement of 1913. The seizure by Yen Hsi-shan, the former commander of Peking, of the Kalkan salt revenues during the week-end threatening to use force it necessary—is increasing the difficulties ol the situation, which is being discussed by the Legations. It is apprehended here that the Japanese intend to take a firmer stand to protect their loan securities. Last September the British, United States, and Japanese Govern liioni drew the Nanking Government’s attention to the- organisation of the salt tax administration. The powers pointed out that the proceeds of the tax bad been treated as security for some of tlio Chinese loans. EMIGRANT HITS BACK. A HOLD-UP THAT FAILED. EDMONTON. Alberta. Two brothers named Nichols, farmers at Stoney Plain, near Edmonton, Alberta, with the aid of two accomplices, are accused of staging a cowardly daylight hold-up. The surprising and unexpected resistance of the. victim, a young German immigrant named Retry, who bail l>oen working all the summer as a farm band for one of the Nichols brothers, toiled the plans of the men, however, and all four of them now face trial charged with robbery with violence. Petty himself is in the hospital recovering from scalp wounds sustained when one of the men beat him on the bead with a revolver. Retry, having completed the term for which be was hired, receiving bis wages, amounting to about £lO. and was brought into Edmonton by lus employer, as lie wished to go east to ’I oronto. AVitli a confederate driving a motorcar, the brothers staged a liolil-up in the’ear in which Retry was a passenger. I’etry put up a fight, and despite the - fact that lie lmd three men against him. contrived to scare his attackers so nnicli that they jumped out of the (•aland ran away, followed by their intended victim. \ driver for the Hudson’s Bay Company’s retail store beard Uetry’s shouts for help and took up the elmse. Others joined in and two of the men were surrounded. The other members of the conspiracy were arrested later.