VICENTE IBANEZ DEAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 265, 30 January 1928, Page 9

VICENTE IBANEZ DEAD

EXILED SPANISH AUTHOR WRITINGS AGAINST KING By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Reed.9.s a.m: MENTONE, Sunday. The well-known Spanish novelist, Blasco Ibanez, has died at his beautiful villa, Fontana Rosa, from bronchitis and pneumonia, at the age of 61. Sorrow at his prolonged exile from his native land is believed to have undermined his constitution. Latterly he divided his time between his famous garden, which he intended to bequeath to the writers of the world, and his new book, which he proposed naming “The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse.” He attended the last assembly at Geneva in order to obtain local colour. His sons arrived by airplane before his death, but his daughter and her husband were too late. The novelist wished to be buried at Mentone, saying that he did not want his body to be taken to Spain as long as the present regime existed. A. and N.Z. TRIBUTES FROM SPAIN By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Reed. 9.5 a.m. MADRID, Sunday. Newspapers of all shades of opinion pay tribute to the late Senor Ibanez. More than 4,000 telegrams have been dispatched to Mentone, and many delegations are journeying thither. —A. and N.Z. The late Senor Ibanez was born in Valencia in 1867. He studied law, and while still a youth, joined the Republican movement in Spain. He was several times imprisoned for his work on behalf of the Socialist Party, but later he founded a Republican newspaper, and was elected to the Chamber. His denunciation of the King of Spain and General Primo de Rivera led to his exile from his native land. His chief novels, several of which have been filmed, include “Blood and Sand,’’ “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” “Enemies of Women’’ and “The Pope of the Sea.” His political writings include “Alphonso XIII. Unmasked,” “A Sequestrated Nation,” “Spain Under the Military Terror” and “Alhponso XIII. and the Military Terror in Spain.”