1931-10-22 — Page 11

RECORDER AND WAR OFFICE SECRECY.

SUBPOENA ORDERED TO

BE SERVED....

' '

OFFICER ACCUSED OF LIBEL.

Strong criticism of the attitude af the, War: Office was made by the Recorder (Sir Ernest Wild, K..) at the Oki Bailey recently during the hearing of a case in which Major Hamilton Stratford, Collins, aged 43, a former assistant commis sioner in the Gold Coast Colony, who gave

an addrese at Suar. borough, was charged with publish ing bels concerning Mr. Angus Colin Danean Johnstone, provin-" cial commissioner in the Gold Coast

Colony

ગુ

Detective Sergeant Collins said that Major Collins was awarded the D50. in 1910, and, in March, 1020, was placed on half-pay oxing to ill-health coatsed by a wound. He had been unable to discover frtun, the War Office what the

ture of the wound was,

The Recorder: Do you mean to say that if a Judze wants to know, from the War Office what wounds a man has releivel they will not tell him? If that is so it should be looked into. If I thought it mat tered I would have the War Office here.

"Sec that a communication in sent to the War Office to the effect that, assistance should be given in these cases and aat hindrance," he addled. Any time a public de partment refusen information, please apply to the Court and have the subpoenaed to attend to ex- plain, their 'conduct."

Lator he made an order for a subpoena to be served on the War Officye.

· Legal Ald.

MAINTENANCE CASE.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

The caso in which Mrs. Glad stone, wife of Mr. H. A. E. Glad. stone is seeking a maintenonto order against her husband, together with the custody of her children, was continued nt, Central Magis trhy before Mr. W Schofield yea terday.

Mr. E C. 5. Brooks appeared for Mrs. Gladstone and. Mr. D. B. Evans represented the husband,

The afternoon was devoted en tirely to the cross-examination of Mr. Gladstone by the solicitor for the projecution.

Under

cross-examination, Mr. Gladstong agroad that he had held six posts since 1998. He also ad- mitted that he had had a fight with a man in Kowloon,

р

Mr. Brooks: That. I suggest, is not a very good record for a man in your position?

Witness replied, with regard to the fight, that the matter was not reported to the police and the afair was not pressed.

Mr. Brooks queationed witness in regard to an incident in Mrs. Gladstone's fint, in King's Terrace, when; at 10:30 in the night he is alleged to have followed her up- stairs and endeavoured to take her Away by force. Witness explained that he waited for his wife because, he wanted to consult how about an amal for their children. She ar rived at the flat on the pillion seat of a motor cycle. He admitted that he tried to carry his wife away to the Peninsula Hotel.

Witness, in answer to another question, denied that he attempted to force his wife out He was then shown a letter written by him in which he apologised to his wife for attempting to carry her away, by force. Witness admitted writing| the letter.

19

Mr. Gladstone denied the allega:

he tion that told his wife,

wns

do.

Mr. Johnstone was called, and said that he had received letters And postcards from Major Collins necusing han of a number of while she was in hospital," that offences, including the murder of the best thing she could police orderly.

to die. Mr. Brooks then Major Collins, asked what he had asked if he had used aneb an to say, replied, "I wrote those les-expression at a later date and wit ters because I am firmly convinced ness admitted that he bad. Mr he committed these crimes. Call Brooks then produced a letter in it a libel if you like. I firmly be which witness had used anch and lieve it to be true, Everything expression among others. He then tends to prove it,"

asked Mr. Gladstone if he really suggested that any woman should live with a man who could write such a letter.

The Recorder pointed out that he was hit liberty to alter his plen to "guilty to publishing the libel not knowing it to be fulme."

Major Collins agreed to this. :"1 desire to justify the libel," he #nich He declined however, to employ counsel at the public ex-

pense.

H

The hearing was adjourned, Major Collins being delained in custody,

A few hours later Major. Collins, was ngain placed in the dock and asked whether he was ready with his plea of justiɓestion.

Major Collins: Yes, I have the papers here.

The Recorder: That is not enough. I am told that you want to the office thin morning and re- fused to help them. Is that right

It is not a case of refusing. Eventually Major Collins agreed to necept. free legal aid and the Recorder appointed Mr. Jeaar" to advise him.

EXCHANGE RATES.

BRITISH WIRELESS BREVIOR]

Rugby, October 20.

Answering further questions, wit ness agreed that there was a slight error in his evidence when he said earlier that when he arrived from Shanghai, he found his wife living on a monthly basis at the Kowloon Hotel. He agreed that that was

not so.

ין'

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1931.

Money and Markets

VITAL NEEDS OF

INDUSTRY,

LOWER COSTS AND LESS

TAXATION.

A grave warning of what may happen to this country if we fail to

store the competitive efficiency of our industry was given by Professor Henry Clay in an address to the British Engineers Association, at the Hotel Victoria.

E

GOLD DOLLAR BILLS.

INTEREST RATE INCREASED. BY HONGKONG BANK.

ا شهريا

The management of the Hong-

Kong and Shanghai Banking Cor poration announces that the rate of interest for Gold Dallar advances made against Bills from America, on the East has been increased from p., 10% and after

20th October, 1931.

Gold Dollar Bills, already renew "Wo find ourselvou suddenly coned at the rate of 5% pa. will bear victed, when we are least able to interest at this rate until due date, bear the strain, of living beyond our but it further ronowed from and income," he said. "We have lot our costa get out of line with costs after 20th October, the rate of in and prices in other countries. They terest charged will be .p.a from

date of such renewals. cannot afford to buy our produce; we cannot afford to compete with their prices.

"If we cannot correct this diver- gence, I am afraid that the crisis of August will be repented, becauso a country cannot keep ita currency on, the gold standard if it is annble to keep its costs in line with world prices"

There were two ways in which, in the past. British export industry had met'n falling off in trade;

1. It had contrived to get its costs down in those industries in which it competed with other countries.

2. More important, it fiad found new outlets for British industries in which other countries could not compete.

Creating New Outlets. Since the war the first method had been obstructed by the rigidity of the chief clements in costs. The second had been handicapped by

RUBBER TAX IN KIND.

DEFINITE PROSPECT OF AN

AGREEMENT.

London, Oct. 12. It is understood that there is definite prospect of Anglo-Dutch agreement on a scheme of rubber exports control by a tax in kind, the taxed or surplus rubber to be destroyed, says the London correspoident of the Straits Times The majority of the British and 70 per cent, of the Dutch producers are said to be in favour of the scheme, and details are now being formulated behind the scenes for presentation to the governments concerned for consideration in duo course."

The financial position of both the Dutch East Indies and the Dutch the continuous pressure of high tax-home governments is causing serious ation upon the profits out of which the experimental work and develop concern, and there is mutual an- ment required to create new outlets, xiety to resuscitats an industry for British industry would, before which has provided such substantial the yar, have been financed."

revenues in the past.

I understand that a delegation ze presenting British jptereats recent y discussed the prosposals with Mr. J. H. Thomas, the Secretary for

Long before the crisis he had eri- ticised the borrowing of £1,000,000 £ week by the Unemployment Insur ance Fund, and the expenditure of two-thirds of that amount on transi- tional benefit. So much could have been done to relieve unemployment the Dominions and Colonies, and by the development of industry in Mr. Thomas showed himself to be the case, Mr. Brooks suggested new directions hail a tithe or a that it had been taken by Mr.twentieth part of those sums been favourably inclined, provided that Gladstone from his wife's flat with available for financing experiments the British were not again left to out the latter's permission. Wit-and re-equipment.

"carry the baby." nesa anid that, that was not so an

Regarding a letter mentioned in

às

"Three months borrowing of the it was taken from the office where Unemployment Fund would be suf Mrs. Gladstone worked,

Regarding various incidents which ficient to make the British steel in- witness alleged bad taken place industry the most up-to-date in the

world, Brooks described.

But this anomaly never Shanghai, Mr. them in the course of his crons struck the country's imagination examination "extraordinary It was to the restoration of our competitive efficiency, by the re- stories," "dramatic incidente and pieces of imagination," Mr. moval of excessive costs and the Gladstone was asked why he ob amelioration of the heaviest taxa jected to his wife going with her tion in the world; that we must the look for the effective and permanent parents to

Y.M.C.A.", which were perfectly means of balancing our Budget. straightforward and properly con ducted affairs. Witness replied

dances

at

that he once found two drunken business was suspended only to marines at the danco. He agreed avert a run. that the invitations to the dances The bank's affairs are directed were issued by a reverend gentle by the prominent financier M. A man. Mr. Bronks putat to witness Vincent who is understood to have that his objection to his wife going heen heavily involved in the recent to dances was an unreasonable one,ifficulties of the Banque Nationale but witness maintained that it was de Credits which was anved from

failure by government credits,

not, so.

Regarding the incident described by Mr. Gladstone in regard to his wife leaving him to live in a board ing house, Mr. Brooks asked if it were not fact that the proprio. tress of the boarding house knew Mrs. Gladstone and that she had) lived there prior to her marriage. Witness agreed that that was the

Paris New York

100

3.04

Brussels

98

Geneva

,200

Milan

70

Amsterdam

Berlin Athens

17

310

Bucharest Stockholm

107

Copenhagen

174

Oslo

17

Lisbon

1091

Madrid

44.

Helsingfors...

192)

Vienna

30

Rio

Prague

132

Buenos Aires

33

Montevideo

20

Bombay

1/5 53/04

+27.75

1/74

Hong Kong

1/3

CORSICAN TOWN IN ARMS.

2/01

4.48

BANDITS' THREAT TO BURN DOWN HOTEL.

ELT

fense)

case.

After further questions, the case was hdjourned for a week,

BIG FRENCH "BANK SUSPENDS PAYMENT,

"COMTOIR LYON ALEMAND"

CLOSES ITS DOORS. '/

PLENTY OF GOLD TO

GO ROUND!

U.S. BANKER'S STATEMENT AT GENEVA.

AMERICAN DOLLAR TO BE MAINTAINED.

Basie, Oct. 11-There was 7

private meeting to-day between the directors of the central banks who are members of the board of the Bank far International Settlements, Dr. Randolph Burgess; deputy governor of the Federal Reserva Bank of Now York, attended the meeting-significant step as his for International Settlements. bank is not a member of the Bank

Dr. Burgess is understood to have described the economic posi tion in the United States; while. Mr. Meningu Norman, Governor of the Bank of England, explained that it would be impossible to stabilise the pound until after the general election in Britain..

A formal meeting is being beld to-morrow and certain measures Inny be taken to prevent large; fluctuations in the value of sterling.

Inflation Talk"Nonsense."

Basle, Oct, 11.-In the course of a five hours' preliminary meeting of the Directors of the Bank of International Settlements here to- day Mr. W. R.. Burgess, of the United States, told the financiera assembled hers that the prestige and fundamental soundness of the American gold dollar will be main tained throughout the world. asserted that there is plenty of gold to go round and he characterized talk of infation as "nonsense."

Но

Mr. Burgess made his exposition. speech which lasted for an hour. He spoke before a distin- guished group of bankers repre- senting nice Central Banks of Issue. They had expressed fears that the Americau gol dollar might follow the British pound stering into a period of decline, These fears Mr. Burgess undertook to allay.

The speech delivered by Mr. Burgess included a clear exposition of President Hoover's bank relief that the Federal Reserve System is plan. He declared categorically. in no way involved and that funds to put President Hoover's plan over have been subscribed by, pri- vate banks from capital already existing add without having to resort to inflation.

Mr. Burgess emphasized that the value of the American gold dollar will be maintained and that there is no danger of its declining and following the fall of the pound sterling since Great Britain sus- pended the gold standard.

GERMANY'S FAVOURABLE

TRADE BALANCE..

Berlin, Oct 14, Germany's for eign trade returns for September published to-day show a favourable balance of 387,000,000 Marks. This, Párie, Out. 1. France's finances amount exceeds the August surplus were shaken by another bank crash by 85,000,000 Marks and establishes to-day when the "Comtoir Lyou a new high water mark. In com- Alemand" with a capital of Frarca menting these figures, however, the in the provinces, suddenly closed its not to regard them as evidence of 210,000,000 and many branches Press unanimously warns the public. doors this morning and suspended the advent of a new prosperity. all payments. "So far the authorities They are, it is insisted, rather evi of the bank have not applied for a dense to the contrary, because lack receiver and there is still a prob- of credits and shrinkage in domestic ability that the difficulties are only consumption are compelling Ger- of a temporary nature and that man industry to force its exports, (Continued on previous Column.) løven if such methods entaila josa.

A.0.F. C. Average of Shanghai Stocks

ASSETS

£18,000,000

INTMENT!

OLAIMS PAID

£40,000,

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BUBONIC PLAGUE IN SHANSI

2,000

DEATHS" OCCUR IN DISTRICT OF HSINGHSIEN.

Taiyuan, Oct, 12-An epidemio of bubonic plage in raging in the districts of Linheien,, Hsinghsien, and Pantch, western Shansi, ac cording to reports received here. The plague is gradually sweeping enstwards and has already roached Kolan and Lonhsten.

Nice, Oct. 11.-En anticipation of an attack by bandits, the British Consulate at Ajaccio, Corsica, and the Granal Continental Hotel in the same town were placed in a state of defence to-day, when machine-guns with a strong force of gendarmes were placed around the two build. ings.

This war-like move follows the receipt by the proprietor of the hotel of an ultimatum said to be from the notorious Corsican bandit, Bartoli, that unless he pays a sum of £200 before the end of this month his hotel will be burnt down.

COMMENT ON "A.O.F.C. AVERAGE

!. TWENTY REPRESENTATIVE STOCKS

ed August 6 and some firming of sibility, and now that many so- prices is to be expected. Stocks be- counts are in a strong position, come more attractive as they fall traders are more confident. Basic back to prices somewhat cheaper conditions are still favourable for than those at which such enger buy the market, and the couras of least Enay tendencies of the Shanghai ing was taking place only a month resistence should be upward.

The statistical record of the market have apparently been halted and a half ago. for to time being, as a dumber of The anticipation or 14 TivaTADTC Average follose leading alooks are steady at current able conditions of money seems to

January 6 24.20 The British Consulate is also be market, levels. The AO.T.C: Avor-have lost most of its significance High for year September 10. 28.66

evious low point August 6 20.543 ing protected owing to the reportage has receded well below the as a market factor. The action of

October 18-20,23 ed receipt of a threatening demand, previous low point, 2054 cstablish stocks has discounted this.. pos

Acting on Instructions from the At Heinglisien where the disease Prefect of Corsica, the owner of the took the highest toll, over 2,000 hotel, has refused to comply with deaths were claimed among the Bartoli's demand and an attack on thousands of victime. The schools the hotel is therefore expected nt Were Closed 135chenzen of mont Mary embers of the Infection. The Provincial Plagus staff of the hotel have abandoned Prevention Burnau has despatched their places to bolder spirita medical relief and is understood. have ordered complete isolation of those areesizin

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