LATE CABLE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1931, Page 7

LATE CABLE NEWS

NEW YORK ENGLISH.

“SOUTH AMERICA SPEAKING.”

LONDON, December 20.

Even at 6000 miles range, New York English, spoken with a strong Spanish accent by a telephone senorita in Buenos Ayres, added to the problems' of the Post Office when the direct telephone to South America was opened.

RUSSIAN OIL.

PROSPECTS IN AUSTRALIA. LONDON, December 20. “While we believe that our products, especially our oil with its high heatresisting properties, are likely to be very welcome in Australia, it would be premature to make a statement at this end,” said an official of Russian Oil Products. “Our representative, Mr Thomas Barker,” he added, “went to Australia to make a six months’ investigation of the market possibilities, on which he will report to London. His headquarters are at present in Sydney. He may remain in Australia if negotiations are concluded satisfactorily. The prejudice against Russian oil has completely broken down iiv Great Britain and we are most hopeful that the quality of our products will immediately commend them to Australians.”

PRISONERS’ SONGS.

PREFERENCE SHOWN FOR JAZZ

LONDON, December 20.

“The Governor said, ‘lt is meant to be educational; sing them something classic,’ ” remarked Miss Laurel Mather, of Sydney. “I sang them two ballads, but they looked so hopeful of bearing something livelier that I had to give them jazz.” She was referring to her first engagement in England, which was singing to the prisoners at Wormwood Scrubs prison. “They were the best audience I have ever had,” she added. “They applauded everything, but I noticed that they seemed most appreciative of the opportunity for whispered conversations among themselves. I was surprised to see they did not wear broad arrows and did not have their hair cropped. They looked a very respectable class of men.”

EXHIBITION SHIP. TRADE IN SOUTH AMERICA. LONDON, December 20. When the announcement was made that the Prince of Wales was going to South America, 17 different firms, persons, corporations and companies conceived the idea that it would be an excellent moment to organise a trade exhibition ship to tour South American ports, simultaneously with the Prince’s visit.

The fate of 16 remains in abeyance, including one proposal to use a sailing ship, as the Belgians used L’Avenir in Melbourne, but the seventeenth is definitely arranged. The British National Exhibition Ship Co. has bought the former Bibby liner Leicestershire (which carried British troops to Russia, and repatriated thousands of Australian soldiers at the end of the war), and renamed her the British Exhibitor. They are sending her on a lengthy cruise .The promoters of the scheme state that at present they are not planning to go to Australia, but they hope that a second cruise will include Australia and New Zealand.

BEFORE 1936. NEXT NAVAL CONFERENCE. OSLO, December 18. “I believe that the next conference for the limitation of naval craft will be held before 1936,” said Mr F. B. Kellogg, author of the Pact of Paris, speaking at the Nobel Committee’s dinner, after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. He added that he believed the conference would make further reductions. TOM MIX LEAVES HOME. RUMOUR OF DIVORCE SUIT. ' LOS ANGELES, December 19. Disparaging remarks have been made by Mrs Tom Mix, the former Miss Victoria Forde, concerning her famous husband. She declares that Tom, the straight-shooting cowboy film star, galloped away from home, saying that he was not coming back to Los Angeles. Mrs Mix is reported to be suing for a divorce.