BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12405, 29 December 1909, Page 7

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

(United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, December 27. Foreign firms holding English patents hav9 expended half a million in purchasing land and erecting buildings and •plant in England, during the present year. The "Daily Express" states, m connection with" 1 the pure milk campaign, that the municipalities of London are striking a thousand milk shops off the register for the New Year. Senator Patania. a Neapolitan, was reported to hae left a fortune of £800,----000 enclosed in a safe, but when it was opened it contained nothing. The heir believes that the money and notes were stolen, and declares that Patania's jewels were recently pawned. The Navy League has issued a poster to the effect that every candidate refusing to accept the two keels to one standard is a traitor to his country, and urges electors to drop party and vote for a supreme navy. Ex-President Zelaya, the Nicaraguan adventurer, is at Salincruz, and is expected to proceed to Europe, where he has accumulated a large fox-tune. His perquisites through trusts are estimated at £8000 monthly. Madriz's treasury is empty. The " Times' " Bombay correspondent says that the discoery of an arsenal at Nasix, India, shows that the Arms Act has failed and needs revision and strengthening. Machinery to prevent illicit importation is wanted, and resolute use should be made of the power of deportation. Criminal after criminal confesses he is inspired by the vernacular Press. What is required is to make the sedition law more operative, by taking security from all newspapers and registering editors and managers. It is believed that the Government of India sought these powers, but have been denied them.

BERLIN, December 27. A balloon with a lieutenant aboard, left Dresden on the 18th and passed Stockholm northwards on the 19th, and is now missing. NEW YORK, December 27. A Board of officers at Washington is inquiring into the usefulness of the fire control masts introduced in 1908, owing to some allegations as to their excessive vibration.

Tlie worst snowstorm and blizzard experienced in the Eastern States for the past 20 years is raging. The railday, telephone, and telegraph services in New York are paralysed. Tens of thousands of belated suburbanites have been forced to walk home. Large snowdrifts occurred on Christmas night.

PARIS, December 27. In consequence of " King" Pataud's (the strike leader's) activities, M. Briand, Minister of Justice and Public Worship, secretly connected all the electric light stations in Paris with generators and driving tiibe trains. Pataud called upon M. Briand on Christmas Eve and threatened to throw Paris into darkness unless the electricians were granted increased pay. M. Briand refused to accede to the request, and Pataud was helpless. The newspapers are rejoicing at M. Briand's ingenuity.