NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1929, Page 8

NEWS BY MAIL.

GIRL SMUGGLER

VIENNA Juno 21

Systematic robberies at the largest Austrian tobacco factory at Hamburg, 2/ miles from Vienna, have been exposed through a girl’s careless smuggling. The profits of the factory are earmarked for the payment of interest on the international post-war loan to Austria mainly subscribed in London. 'flic daughter of Othmar Grosspitz head foreman, was arrested on entering Vienna with a handbag crammed with cigarettes. The lather also has been arrested as well as Ferdinand Bakins, a State railway inspector, of Vienna. COFFEE HOUSES SUPPLIED.

Bainon’s flat was searched and large stocks of cigars and cigaretts wore found. Batons had supplied coffee houses at prices below the State tariff.

Officials of the Central Tobacco Regie in Vienna are involved for complicity or careless supervision. The State lossess are estimated at £IOO,OOO.

A CONSUL SHOT AT. k _ x BERLIN, July 21. Mine, Marakov, a young Russian woman, arrived at the French Consullate here to-day with her husband and baby and asked to see the Consul, M. Binet, who willingly consented. y The woman stated that she had been injured in a tramway accident in Paris that she had been wrongly treated in hospital, and had in consequence had her foot amputated. As she had not obtained compensation . from, the French authorities, she added, she expected the Consul to pay the expenses of the journey of herself and ifamily to Riga. The Consul refused whereupon his visitors became very excited. Finally Mine. Marakov drew a revolver from her vanity bag and fired three shots — but, fortunately, only the wall was damaged. “Whether she aimed at me or not 1 really do not know,” said M. Binet afterwards. The police however, were sent for and the Russians were removed to the police station.

ABANDONED MENAGERIE. FLORENCE, June 27. The authorities here are faced by an unusual problem,. How are they to provide for 27 wolfhounds and one genuine wolf 'that have been abandoned in a villa at Greve, between Florence and Siena P About eight' months ago an English couple, giving the names of Charles and Hilda Stewart, took up their residence at .Greve with their little girl. They speedily attracted notice by their large menagerie, which originally consisted of 35 dogs and 2 wolves, to all of which Mrs Stewart was devotedly attached. She declared that several of the wolfhounds were very valuable and had been frequent prize-win-ners at London shows. The animals were lavishly fed and Mrs Stewart would often take seven or eight of them into Florence on her car and feed them at a confectioner’s shop wit hcakes and sandwiches. About three months ago the woman and the child left the villa, to he (followed some weeks later by the husband who had left only sufficient money to keep the animals for a few days. In the meantime local tradespeople to whom large sums were owing begfin to take legal proceedings and the villa and its contents have been sequestrated by the judical authorities.

But no one knows what to do with the unfortunate dogs and the wolf, which are being fed at present partly by charitable neighbours and partly by the Florence Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. From being permanently chained up the dogs are becoming diseased and extremely savage. An attempt to find homes for them tnay lie made this week by selling them for the benefit of the creditors. LONDON SIGHTS. LONDON, June 24. One of'the sights of London which impress visitors most are the horses of the mounted polic. Apart from looking so wonderfully groomed, their quiet ness and behaviour- astound the sightseer. In Piccadilly yesterday a policeman mounted on a fine bay horse was directing the traffic. A heavy steam traction engine passed within a foot of his horse but it showed not the slightest signs of uneasiness. Later the horse put its muzzle into the open window of an expensive limousine and accepted a biscuit from an old lady. Horns were sounding all round, but not so much as a twitch of the car came from the horse. An American passing at the time was heard to say to his companion: “That horse is just typical of a lot of you English folk. It does not spem to matter what goes on all round you. You just carry on and take no notice.