LATE CABLE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1931, Page 5

LATE CABLE NEWS

LUCKY PRISONER. MISTAKE SAVES SIX MONTH! LONDON, Jan. 22. Amazed to see a man who had rofab ed him of hundreds of pounds sterling at large before his sentence expired, i prosecutor who had expended £l2O tc bring him to justice, sought an explan ation. fie ascertained that the prisoner was sentenced at tile Marlborough Street Police Court to six months' imprisonment on each of two charges, but the commitment warrant, owing to an. oversight. ommilted to mention that the sentences were cumulative. The governor of the Wormwood Scrubbs prison necessarily discharged the prisoner after he had served + l>6 two concurrent sentences, less good conduct remissions. 'The Home Office believes that the incident is unprecedented, and considers that there is no power to rearrest the ex-prisoner.

EVADING EXCHANGE.

PURCHASE OF OLD MASTERS

LONDON, January 22

Anxious to get a sum of money to his daughter in England, but finding it impossible owing to rationing and the prohibitive exchange rate, a father in Australia is sending two valuable pic* turns by old masters to .England to b© auctioned at the forthcoming nates, and the proceeds to be given entire:/ to his daughter. This ingenious method overcomes the difficulties, because pictures are not subject to taxes, and enter England free like any other articles for sale.

Some Australians who urgently, need money are exploring the possibilities of purchasing rare stamps and other articles in Australia to be sold in England.

GATE TO DEATH.

OPEN BY PETITION

LONDON, January 22

Two years ago, on the petitions of Edward Read and other residents, the railway com any agreed to leave unlocked the gates of a- level crossing at Teynliani (Kent), which hitherto had been kept locked, being opened when necessary by an attendant.

Mrs Read customarily stood at her house door, 50 yards from the crossing to watch her daughters Dorothy (seven) and Peggy (five) safeiy across on tlieir way to school,'in company of Peggy’s twin brother, Peter, but owing to illthe mother was unable to do this one morning, when an express train, catching the little girls while they were crossing, killed them both instantly. Peter cried so bitterly at the inquest that he was unable to answer the coroner’s request to tell them what lie saw. The jury, in giving a verdict of accidental death, recommended automatically locking the gates.

SOBRIETY TEST.

WOULD HAVE BEATEN JUDGE

LONDON, January 22

Extraordinary tests for drunkenness applied by a police doctor to a man involved in a motor accident, were the subject of comment by Mr Justice Charles, when the man was before him. The doctor asked the accused to spell such words as Aberystwyth and Ecctefeclian, and to say who won the last byelection, and the month that General Smitli-Dorrien was sent home from the

The judge declared that the accused came out of the rests with colours flying. “1 should myself have bailed miserably in the spelling test,” he said.

The jury found him not guilty

ELECTRIC FILTERS.

NEW USE FOR TUNING FORKS

LONDON, January 22,

Permitting 20 to 40 seperate messages to be sent over a single line, the Stenode Radiostat system of multiplex telegraphy, invented by Dr J. Robinson, formerly chief of the Air Force Wireless Research Department, was. demonstrated between London amt Bristol, and back—24o miles. Communication at HO words a minute was achieved. Messages which otherwise would be mixed on the line during transmission are separated by tuning forks, acting as electric Alters. Sir Oliver Lodge is of the opinion that tJifc device will elirnate the overcrowding of cables, landlines and wireless. Lieut-enant-Colonel Adiran Simpson foresees the dav when facsimile business letters can be telegrohically delivered from England to Australia under 24 hours.