The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 7

THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, ME. BALDWIN TO RESIGN TO-DAY? YOUNG- MAN STARRED. THE TRAGEDY OVER 100 UNSTAMPED PAPERS. RAILWAY ENGINE'S PLUNGE. CATTLE DISEASE STILL SPREADING.

WILL THE TORIES CARRY THEIR NEXT LABOUR MINISTRY PROBABLE IF THEY REFUSE. MR. MACDONALD REPORTED TO BE READY. (From our Political Correspondent.) Loniwn, Sunday Night. party, 1 think, has made up its miud yet what course it would care to take the bewildering circumstances of the present raruamentary deadlock.

Mr. Baldwin has been conferring with some of his friends at Chequers, including Mr. Neville Chamberlain. Mr. Baldwin is to see the King to-morrow, and it is taken as certain that he will not only tender his resignation to the King but will resign from hi leadership of the party.

The King may then send for some other Conservative leader to form a new Conservative Administration to carry on lor the time being. Lord Younger has said that he would prefer that the Conservatives should go into Opposition, but is-evidently not quite certain tlrat as a matter of public duty they would he able to do so. If they did, they would be able to do no more than follow up a demoralising defeat with six or eight months of routine Parliamentary work. There is no measiirablo coincidence between Liberal and Conservative policy that would give the Conservatives support, for more than this. Jt seems to be generally agreed that coalitions of any kind are impracticable.

The Conservatives, however, may very well refuse this somewhat invidious position, and in that raws another and still more interesting situation would arise. Assuming that the Conservatives not. only should hold office until there was a direct Mr. Baldwin but, the party as a whole decline vote of censure. They would, of course, have to continue the task of government, it is to accept tho verdict of the HouBe of Commons generally assumed that the King would send I on these secondary issues and make the neces-for Mr.

Jtamsay Macdonald as Parliamentary I sary modifications, but under the present Par-leader of tile next strongest party in the liamentary custom by which the Government House. Tho question about which thero is regards a defeat on almost any issue, however most curiosity in political quarters is Would I small, as a vote of no confidence, a Labour OF WR ANGEL ISLAND. WHAT THE RELIEF PARTY FOUND. THE FATAL DASH TO SIBERIA. By Harold No ice, Commander of the WrangeJ Island Relief Expedition.

In August and September last we Mr. Harold Voice's cables describing ai--. attempt to rescue the four Arctic explorers marooned on Wrangei Island sine? Mimmer of 192; we begin the lion of his detailed account of wha: in- on tbp island. The only survhor the parti-was the Eskimo woman Ada Blackjack. O-v-of the men, Lome Kr.igbr.

was lyittc: nr.i.l a tent, and the nther three had whiic attempting to make their way to I. ''Hello, somebody! Thi important netted is to stiv that Knight is daid and I with my kitten is all alone please send somebwlv get- nte signed Mrs. Ada Blackjack." 'Hits was the Eskimo woman's desperate message to the world, when, siifi'eriuu from snow blindness and weakened by hunger and privation, slio was about to cast, it intn tlio sen in the hope of its being picked up In- a passing ship. 1 discovered it itt tho camp soon after our I expedition touched the island. Half territied by tho thought of meeting tho same tragi-: death as her four companions, she was on the point of putting tho message into it glass tube and scaling it with tallow, and committing it to tho.

mercy of tho waves. It was on tho morning of August 20, that our expedition drow near Doubtful Httrl hour, Wrangei. on the 71-lott motor schooner Donaldson. 1 hud been at. the tnastliciel searching the white 'stretches of ico for zigzag streaks -of blue that are the navigator's only means oi penetrating 1 lu.

great Hoe)-. We left Nome on August 3. ami had ha til. with the ice fioes for- ten yv smashed our bow, and our engine had down. When we got- into clear water 1 went, ashore with a crew el Eskimos iii bout.

Ada Blackjack, ihe seamstress (,, tim expedition, camo wading through water to meet us. There was a hunted look in eyes as she pushed' back the wolfskin fringn of her reindeer hcod. A pair of was slung over her shoulders. Broken English and 'rears. mat moment, we learned Mio patty from the broken Knglidi il.

weeping f.skimo woman. "There is nobody here but inc. jvttigi.t he died on June 22. want, to go dnck' my mother," and Ada Blackjack fell stvoon-ing into my arms. The woman had built herself a miki.1I canvas boat, and her tent was hung from a cntdo framework- of driftwood.

She had made a cooking stovo out of empty kerosene tin, and all tho food she had a little fcard bread and a few pieces of dried meat was kept in a small box. 1 sorry and 1 can't give you any good tiling to cat," site said, as we sat. round tho stove, but I make a little tea." At that, moment Vic, tho ship's cat, came out of im Judiug-placo tttid joined the little party. From our conversations and from the discoveries made at tho camp I was able to piece tho complete tragedy together. The brst thing wo did, Ihowov'er, was to bury Kuight on tho highest point of the island.

Wo placed a wooden cross on the grave, and we pushed our hoods back from our heads, and for a few moments stood silent, each man deep in his own thoughts. "Wo hang up lantern for ship, because we atrajd slnp go past us in the night," Ada said afterwards. We could not sen any ice and there was plenty big waves. Then aftr a few days tho ice came back; and all the ocean is white, and then we know ship never come, and take down lantern." Allan Crawford and his comrades O'all-Maurer, and Knight, were the victims of the spirit of adventure. But for their vouth and inexperience all of them might be" alive today.

They made three great mistakes tirey left Nome with insufficient food i.upplin. they failed to take with thorn Kskitm. hunters, they went without. equipment. The Fatal Dash.

'From Ada Blackjack's story, told in little touching sentences, and from the diaries of the dead men I gathered that thu-lDSl oatlv pitched their camp on the beach four east of Doubtful Harbour. Game was plentiful tho first year, and a number of Polar bears were shot, but because of snow for sledging a large quantity of food was eaten by foxes and bears 'before it could be drugged into camp. Matters grew worse in November. supplies ran out, and they started cjk their own provisions for the dogs, and as time went on they eked out a hare, living on pilot bread Only two walrus were kil! in the spring and autumn of the next yen. and on November 15, 1922, the ramp wis moved to Doubtful Harbour.

After pi-liminary failure to reach Siberia Galle, and Maurer made their fatal dash for' the mainland on January 28, l'J'23. with five dogs and one sledge. I found Knight's diary iu his Icut papers belonging to his comrades in trunks outside. I never saw a more disheartening Tin boxes, boots, mittens, socks, nhd knives were scattered in disorder round tent. The dirt, floor was littered with book-, and magazines.

Tattered volumes from the university classics, and crumpled periodicals wern jumbled together with unwashed dishes soiled clothing. There "was a second cam-as cot in the tent in which the' Eskimo woman had slept during the long months when Knight lay slowly dying in his bag. It was a place that must have been the abode of despair long before death came. After we laid Knight to rest I went through the rusty trunks. Evidently Crawford was confident of reaching civilisation, for he had taken his diaries, records.

I maps with-the party. With the except: in of of. them had left a -letter addressed to his parents: Maurier had letters to his wife and mother. Maurer rad been married only a few days before he joined the and his sea chest contained several; packages of letters from his wife. My fears of insufficient' ammunition clothing were ungrounded, for I found three and a half cases' of cartridges untouched, making :3,500 rounds 'of; ammunition, with a case and a half of shot-gun-ammunition.

The purpose of the 1921 was to' occupy Wrangei in the name 'of King George. Crawford had orders from f-te-fanssbn to keep this secret; The' purpose for found the lost leaders' proclamation enclosed in a bottle placed in little oblong 'wooden' box covered with mud--, I will- deal with rKnight's'unpublished diary; itr the. instalment. 1923.: In 'Great Britain by tha "Manchester Guardian and' Daily Kews in Ireland'hy the Irian Times Vj- to Australia' by the Melbourne" South America bv "La' and elsewhere by-itbe North American -Newspaper niiinjrice.j C''- K'i" TRAFF0BD PARK OUTRAGE. THE CARR'S WOOD CASE RECALLED.

A young man named Eylands. 18 years of cge, was found on Saturday on a barge on the Bridgewater Canal, Trafford Park, with a wound deeply stabbed above the heart. He was taken to the Salford Royal Infirmary, and last night was reported to be in a critical condition. The police have issued a description of a man they are seeking, but up to a late hour last night no arrest had been made. The case Teoalls in oino of its features die Carr's Wood murder case, which attracted so much public attention not long ago.

The youth who was the victim in that case was stabbed just as Kylands has been stabbed, and the assailant got away. He has never been discovered. 4 GIRL MURDERED IN THE STREET. MAN ARRESTED AT CARDIFF. Cardiff, In Cardiff on Friday night a girl named Elsii Payne, aged 12, was murdered under mysterious circumstances.

While out on an errand for her parents she was accosted by a man. who asked her if she. could direct him to Clifton Street. Apparently with the intention of showing him the way, she accompanied him along thu street. Shortly afterwards a scream was heard, and tho girl was seen with blood flowing from her throat.

She rushed into a shop occupied by lier aunt and collapsed on the Boor. She was lemoved hurriedly to the Royal Infirmary, where she died. A crowd gathered outside the Infirmary, and dozens offered themselves for transfusion of blood. Surgeons were actually making blood tests of the girl's brother and uncle and of another man when she died. Later.

An a made this evening in connect ion with the death of Elsie Payne. The man will be brought up tu-morrou before the magistrates. WANTED MAJOR STILL MISSING. TRACED TO LONDON HOTEL. LETTER TO CHIEF CONSTABLE AND NEWSPAPER.

Major Norma Peroival Bailev. wlm i by the police in connection with the. death of bis wile. iUrs. Marcerv Bai ov.

lias vd'll tint been found. Scotland Yard are searching for nun. On Friday Mrs. Bailev was found in a Inrlturi room in their flat at Hove dead from wounds inflicted by a revolver. She was also stabbed.

A driver of a taxi-cab reports that he drove the major to Brichton Station iust, hefnrft hvn trains left within a few minutes of ach other lor JLiondon. llic major booked a room for the night at an hotel near Charing Cross. He did not sleep there, but left an attache case. In ont: of the rooms of Hie flat the police found a note containing (he words: "Not jealousy. r-owardicr, but love.

Look for me ai water's edsjr. Letter to Chief Constable. The Chief Constable of Hove received on Saturday morning a letter-card signed by Major Bailey, saying: Dear chief. 1 must have been verv mad. had a brain-storm.

1 woke up in the. night with war horrors, and the next thing I knew I was in London. Tell the coroner that financial matters did not affect me. The letter-card was posted at 8 15 p.m. on Friday, the postmark being S.E.l.A.

Another letter-card, marked London, December 7, 8 IS p.m., and signed Norman P. Bailey, reached the editor of the Staffordshire Sentinel," Hanley, on Saturday morning. It read "Dear Mr. Editor, If ust before I go to join my dearest Margery (his wifef I want to ask you to see that we are not wrongly judged. I must have gone completely mad, because my wife was my absolute treasure.

The happiest part of my life has been since we were' married, and she has been such a real mate and comfort. I cannot understand my brain. I had no financial worries. On the other hanH I had a wonderful outlook for 1924, and was arranging to have a big bank balance within a few weeks. Yours, Norman Bailey." Both Major Bailey and his wife, who before marriage' two and a half years ago was a Mrs.

Isobel Margery Malkin. are well known in the Potteries. They were both born at Burslem. On Saturday morning the maid at Bailey's flat received a letter enclosing a ten-shilling note for wages. Police Description of Bailey.

The following official description of the' man has been issued from Scotland Yard: Age about 28, six feet in height, well built, of smart military appearance, fresh complexion, dark hair; small military moustache, gold tooth on right side of upper jaw. He is believed to be dressed in a blue suit, dark green overcoat, and wearing either a trilby hat or a cap. He has in his possession a Q.o revqiver. Bailey is a native of nursleui, and is con nected with the Spitfire Light Weight Car and Scooter Manufacturing Company, Poole: He is well known to garage proprietors on: the South The police have ascertained that he is in possession of -a passport, which he used on a visit to America 1920 or 1321, LONDON CLUES. Detectives are working on definite London clues, -but Major Bailey is still missing.

On Saturday night a man giving the name of H. Bentley, of Shirley, booked a room. at a hotel near Charing Cross, and although he left an attache case in the care of the hotel cashier he never returned. His description tallied with that of the wanted man. A newspaper seller in Tottenham Court Boad eold a copy of an evening paper to a man who wanted to know "what the papers say about me." This man, who also resembled Major Bailey, disappeared in the adjoining tube RABY AEROPLANE SUCCESS.

HUMMING-BIRD CROSSES THE CHANNEL. Bbvsselb, Bombay. --Mr Alan Cobbanv the British airman, has landed at Berchem, near after flying from London in bis' Be Haviland aeroplane, whicb is fitted with a Bbcbseu, Sootat. rMr. Alan Cobham, who let Lympne: at noon yesterdav to fly to Brussels in a ffnmmling.bird,".

landed owing to a shortage of petrol, at Berchem St. Agatbe 15" p.m:i, which is less i'tfc'an a distance pf 10 Mhv mitres from the plao? where Be-intended-to -r--. ON? SIR R. HORNE AS CHOICE. say, perhaps authoritative one.

It is that if the Conservatives declined and the King sent for Mr. Ramsay Maodonald, he would be almost bound to accept. If he did not, it would do great damage to tho prestige of the party in the country. It would be said that the moment the opportunity of power came to the Labour party they had evaded it. It is true that such a Labour Government could rot do everything that it liked, but over a large field of legislation, as you have often pointed out, there is a great deal to be done upon which the Liberal and Labour parties are agreed.

The Labour Government, then, would go forward, but not upon the terms of.a general election in six months. It must have three or four years before it. It could not, of course, tackle the larger Labour schemes, if for no other reason than that the larger Labour schemes, like the larger Liberal schemes, wait upon an improvement of national finance and trade. in most of what it would want to do it would have the support of the Liberal party, and it could gradually clear up the financial mess and clear the ground for the work that it really wishes to do. It would be necessary that it should not be expected to resign upon every separate defeat of a secondary clause or a secondary matter, or even upon a secondary bill.

They Government could not hold office for many weeks. This is, I think, the more probable view of what tho Labour party would do in Mm circumstances assumed. MR. MACDONALD'S DIE-HARDS. Another section of Labour opinion, more apathetic to agreement with the Liberals, anticipates that if Mr.

Macdonald takes office it will bo for a limited time during which uo seriously contentious Labour legislation like the capital levy or nationalisation would be put forward. Tho Liberals, it is argued, would bo bound to support a Labour Govern ment, or be in straits at the next election. On tiieni would largely rest the choice of issue for the election. Tin's section of opinion would be prepared to push on legislation for the alternative vote, which is perhaps as far as the party will go. Since its successes in three-cornered contests there is less enthusiasm for P.R.

Tho view of many Labour members fresh from the polls, and often from a defensive fight against Liberals and Conservatives, is less favourable. There is to be no Coalition. On that all are agreed. There should aiso be no kind of agreement or accommodation between, parties even for the passing of agreed measures. Let the Labour party take office, put its programme boldly before Parliament, suffer defeat, and then go to tho country on it.

The counsel is heroic, but it is that of a considerable body of opinion, especially among the keener spirits of the Independent Labour party and the Glasgow group. Should he be inclined to take office Mr. Macdonald will have his own Die-hards to meet. They would be prepared to sacrifice the half-loaf and wait until a clear Labour majority can be secured. P.R.

OR ALTERNATIVE VOTE. MR. KHNOIMAN: CONDITIONS OF LIBERAL "TOLERATION." (From our London Staff.) Fleet Street, Spkdat Night. Mr. Walter Runciman, discussing the Liberal party's position with a representative of the Manchester Guardian," said My view is that we should enter into no arrangement whatever with another party.

I am strongly against entering into arrangements with them. Of course, it is reailly necessary that soine Government should set through the business of the next few months, and I dare say that all parties would be slad to take breath. What I hope will happen is that the present Government, with a different Prime Minister, will carry on in a perfectly non-contentious way and do nothinc beyond that. But the condition of Liberal support must be the introduction of either Proportional Representation or the alternative vote. Because of the ease with which legislation could be drafted I would p.efer the alternative vote, although in theory Proportional Representation is the better.

The whole influence of our party in foreien affairs ought to be directed towaxda more reliance on the League of Nations. I have very clear ideas myself about cooperation with the other two parties, think it would be absolutely fatal to the Liberal party, whose future is now so bright-, to cooperate with either one or the other. The only thing we can do is to tolerate them on the terms now that we are in something. ci a Constitutional dilemma of having that Constitutional dilemma made impossible in the future by the use of the alternative vote. suggest the Liberal party's attitude should be equally benevolent to whatever Government was eet apt" Mr.

Runciman was asked. He replied: Yes. If Labour lorms a temporary Government I should take exactly the same "line, and should say, We won't undertake to co-operate with you or to coalesce with you. If you are. prepared to carry on, do; but if you do anything we disapprove of we will vote against you.

But you must introduce either P.R. or the alternative vote. 4 Any Government must be temporary. 1 don't see how we can escape on election next year. The' Liberal party holds the balance between the' two more numerous parties, and we ought to make our influence I have arrived at these views without consulting the pgrty leaders, but I think they will have much the same feeling.

The more we can simplify our views.the fOther political news appears pa the nest B8e. comment tb ateottoB, LABOUR AND SEDGEF1ELD RESULT DURHAM MINERS TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE. The extraordinary situation in the Sedgefield Division (County Durham) election is beinc brought before the Miners' Federation for leeal advice. After three recounts a Conservative majority was shown as 6. It was discovered that as over a hundred ballot papers had not been stamped by the officers at the booths many had been lost to Mr.

Harriotts, the Labour candidate and previous member. In an interview Mr. Harriotts said: The facta will be nut before the Miners' Federation and their legal advisers. We are not satisfied with the decision and will probably carry the matter farther. I am entirely in the hands of our legal advisers, but personally I consider a scrutiny necessary.

I am certain I should have won the seat had not the unstamped ballot patera been rejected. There was no question of what the voters intended. The papers were plainly marked, the only defect being that the embossed stamp which it was the duty of the presiding officer to put on was not there. The matter is wholly unsatisfactory. I desire to say, however, that I have no personal complaint to make against the returning officer (Mr.

whose fairness and courtesy is beyond SIR JOHN SIMON. COMPROMISE WITH TORIES UNWELCOME. Sir John Simon, who was accompanied by Lady Simon and Miss Simon, received a cordial welcome from many friends on his arrival at King's Cross Station on Saturday afternoon from the Spen Valley. In an interview with a special press correspondent, Sir John said The result of the election creates a difficult problem, but it provides a clear answer on two pointsthat the country will have nothing to do with Protection; secondly, that, Mr. Baldwin's leadership of the Conservative p3ily has led it into trouble.

I should say the successes of Liberalism are due to the fact that it has stood out for a clear policy in which its supporters believe. The last thing which the keen Liberals of the North will accept would be a compromise with the Tories." Questioned as to the possibility of the Liberals joining forces or coming to an arrangement with the Labour party, Sir John said It is loo soon to say what can be done, but this I arn confident of, that Liberals will entirely decline to depart from its declared principles or to leave the straight road along which it has already advanced so far." A LABOUR CONFERENCE. There was no meeting of the Labour leaders ou Saturday. An emergency meeting of the party will be held probably to-day, but definite arrangements have been made for holding a joint meeting of the Labour party and the Trade Unions Congress on Wednesday to discuss the general policy of the movement in view of the new political situation. MR.

FENNER BUOCKWAV. I.L.P. WOULD RESIST COALITION WITH LIBERALS. Mr. A.

t'enner Brockway, secretary of the Independent Labour party, tweaking at Coventry yesterday, said he was quite confident that the Labour party would reject any proposal to enter a Coalition Government with the Liberals. As far as the Independent Labour party was concerned it would resist any such proposition, and that partv claimed as its members 126 of the 193 Labour members of the House of Commons. TORY -LABOUR COALITION DIVIDED TORY VIEWS AT LEEDS. Major J. 1- Birohall, the Conservative M.P.

for North-east Leeds, making a presentation to Mr. W. H. Clarke, president of the Leeds Conservative Association, on Saturday, said, in reference to the future of the Government, that the only solution to the position that he could seo was a Coalition of some kind. There ought to be a Coalition between Conservatives and Labour.

Acknowledging the presentation, Mr. Clarke said he differed from Major Birchall, and hope-1 there would be no further Coalitions, that the Conservative party would stand alone, and i necessary fall alone. Unless they did so there could be no hope that in the future they might rise again alone. POLICE RAID AT LIVERPOOL. 82 ARRESTS AT ALLEGED BETTING-HOUSE.

A rare occurrence in Liverpool was a special sitting of the Police Court on Saturday evening following an extensive raid on alleged betting premises in the centre of the city. It appeared that no fewer than 90 detectives in six motor-cars openly drove up to the establishment concerned, and as a result of a raid carried out simultaneously ort the back and front portions of the premises 82 persons of both sexes and various ages were arrested and conveyed to the Bridewell. The arrested persons included five women, three boys, and one girl. John Henry Rennison (40, was charged with keeping the premises for betting purposes, William Glover (32) and Oswald Holden 08) with having assisted, and the remainder with frequenting. It was stated that iu the premises there were three telephones apparently used for betting.

A large number ot people were writing out saps in the yard, and several hundred pounds and 200 football coupons were seized. By the deBire of the police the boys and girls were discharged, and the alleged principals remanded on bail. BRIDE'S LONG JOURNEY TO PACIFIC ISLAND. (From our Correspondent.) Liverpool, Satubdaz. Among the passengers by the Vifhite Star liner Cedrio from Liverpool to-day for America was Miss Margaret Birch, a young school teacher, of Ealing, who is going to Fanning Island, in the Pacific Ocean to marry Major Bum Cullen-dar, manager of a British company trading in copra.

On her arrival in America Firch will make her way to San Francisco, whence she will complete the remaining 5,000. miles of the journey in a 300-ton schooner, the Boris rans, which visits the mainland onlv' four imes a year. This part of. the trip' is estimated to ocoupy 20 days. FRENCH ENTERPRISE IN ATHENS.

Athens, Sunday. The Council of Ministers was occupied on Saturday with die of a French-group to utilise waterfalls and riven for the purpose of generating- electricity for lighting ana trans HUNDRED FEET FALL. DRIVER AND FIREMAN ESCAPE UNHURT. A remarkable railway accident is repeated from Abertillery, South Wales. An empty Great Western passenger train returning from Blaina to Newport early yesterday morning caught a point and the engine and two coaches were thrown over a steep embankment.

The locomotive and the firs: coach fell a distance of about a hundred feet. The engine driver. Ernest Posham, and the fireman, Charles Davey, both of Newport, were still in the cabin when the engine made it6 plunge. They had a remarkable escape, and no doubt owe their lives to the fact fh3t the engine fell into soft earth. ThSy eventually crawled out of the cabin almost unhurt.

How the accident occurred is at present quite unaccountable. The permanent way was sin up for about twenty yards and traffic had to be diverted on to a single line. ENGINE STRIKES CARRIAGES. Whilst au engine being attached to a train from Lowestoft Central Station (L. and N.E.

Railway) for Beoeles on Saturday morning the wheels skidded and the engine came into sharp contact with the carriages. Three passengers complained of being hurl, hut all three proceeded on their journey in the train, which started a few minutes Qate. MISTOOK TUNNEL FOR STATION. PASSENGER'S LUCKY ESCAPE. Mr.

Edwin Honeybouruc, of Wickmar, Gloucestershire, returning homo by train after judging cattle at the Christmas fat stock market at Karringdon Gurney, fell -asleep in his comer seat. The noise, of the train passing through Wickinar tunuel roused him and, mistaking the reflecting glare on the tuimel wall for the station lights, hastily jumped up. opened tho door, and stepped out. Other passengers pulled the communication cord, and when the train was stopped Mr. Honeybournc found unhurt in a recess.

His escape was due to the fact that, ho fell parallel to the train and the. current of air caused by the train's speed of 40 miles an hour blew out his overcoat, which acted as a parachute and broke his fall. MAH-JONG GAMBLING. CHINESE CHRISTIANS' APPEAL TO BRITAIN AND U.S. (From a Correspondent.) Chinese Christians are very exercised at the rapid growth of popularity in both England and America of the Chinese game of Mah-Joug.

As a result of a meeting which a group of them had at Hong Kong, the National Chinese Christian Council has sent a letter to representatives of British and American religious and missionary societies pointing out that the game in China is almost invariably played for monejr, often for very high stakes, and, broadly speaking, it is not countenanced by Chinese of high moral stawding. The fact, however, that the game is being so largely played in so-called Christian countries is, iu the mind of some, giving a certain sauctic-n to its use by Chinese Christians, with very deleterious results. It is not for us to condemn good Christian folk abroad who play Mali-Jong, nor would we say that it, is wron to play Mah-Jong withuut stakes. We do, however, feel that in view of the terrible curse to this land which comes through gambling, and in particular through this form of it. Christian, people in England and America should seriously consider whether they ought not to place a limitation upon what may seem to them to be: quite legitimate enjoyment.

We may remind you that the apostle said All things are lawful, but all things are not THE ICHTHYOSAURUS. PREHISTORIC SEA MONSTER DISCOVERED. Sydney, Monbat. While surveying the Darwin coast the war ship Geranium discovered the remains of a prehistoric monster which has been identified ts an Ichthyosaurus. Scientists state that the discovery opens up a new era iu research.

Beuter. LThe Ichthyosaurus was a marine monster of porpoise-like form, with four' paddle limbs. an enormous nead, long tail, and broad biconcave vertebrae resembling those of fishes. Sometimes the Ichthyosauri attained a length of 30 feet. A CARE3FULLY -PLANNED POST OFFICE ROBBERY.

Scotland Yard detectives are searching Lorn don for the perpetrator of an audacious rob bery at a sub-post office in Cierkenwell Green, London, on Saturday afternoon, when about 600 in Treasury notes and 10 in silver, was stolen. The police believe the crime was the result of an ingenious plan, involving a close watch on the premises for some weeks. They are searching for a man who for the past six months has been on speaking terms with one of the clerks of the post office. On Saturday, it appears, he arranged to take her to a football match, but instead of accompanying her he persuaded her to go with a girl who, he said, was his sister. The clerk left her bag containing her money and keys at the man's house, which: is near to the post office.

He promised to see her afterwards but failed to keep the appointment, and has not been seen since. While she was at the match the nost office was entered, the safe unlocked, and the money stolen. A description of the wanted man has been circulated by the police. His name is given as Jack Dean Devaney, aged about 26, height five feet or ten inches, complexion fresh, hair dark brown. He has a false right eye, and is believed to be dressed in a light grey check suit, grey cap, brown brogue shoes, and a blue frieze overcoat.

ITALY AND THE SOVIETS. Rome, Sbsdat. The Senate to-day approved-the decree giving effect to the preliminary agreement between Italy and Russia, which' -was signed an December 26, 1921, "and the decree giving effect to the preliminary agreement of the same date between Italy and the Soviets of the Ukraine. The. Senate also adopted a bill providing for the pavment of senators at the rate of 10,000 lire a year instead of by the present method of pey- ment of 100 Hie for each, sitting.

Beuter, SOCIAL ISOLATION MANY FARMS. ON GOLF LINKS GLOSED. HOPE TO STOP INFECTION' OF NEIGHBOURING FARMS. (From our 'Correspondent.) Kaxiwich, Saturday. Five fresh outbreaks occurred to-day on South Cheshire farms, two of these being close to Nantwich.

Farmers, owing to the epidemic character of the disease, are cancelling social functions, and farmer members of public bodies are not attending meetings because' of risk of carrying the disease. Since November 17 56 separate farms in South Cheshire have had outbreaks of the disease. Hundreds of cattle have been slaughtered and other herds are doomed. Closing Footpaths, Owing to cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the district the Prenton golf course at Birkenhead, one of largest 18 -hole courses in Cheshire, was closed indefinitely on Saturday on the recommendation of the authorities. It was deemed advisable to stop the passage of pedestrians along neighbouring footpaths and over the course itself in view of the many farms in the neighbourhood.

Christmas Cattle Affected. The disease shows no signs of abatement in the Runcorn (Cheshire) police divisional area. Another outbreak on a farm at Clifton was confirmed on Saturday. The affected farm is stocked with upwards of 150 head of cattle intended for the Christmas fat stock eales. The present outbreak is the fourth to be notified from farms in the area in three weeks.

Show Beasts to be Killed. The Smithfield cattle show is being held to-day only, on condition that the animals are slaughtered immediately afterwards. There are 360 head of cattle, 332 sheep, and 390 pigs. Ministry Concession. Despite, foot-and-mouth disease restrict ions a consignment of the King's stock from the Royal farms at Windsor will be sold at Slough Christinas cattle market to-morrow under a special Order from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Consigners have to obtain a licence to bring their stock, which will be sold lor slaughter within ten days. This ona'ales the Royal stock to go to almost any part of Great Britain. Further Cases in Scotland. A further outbreak of the disease was con firmed on Saturday on a farm at Ordless, Auchterless. Aberdeenshire, which is about a mile distant from another farm upon where about three week ago the disease broke out in a herd of pure-bred ehcrthorn cattle.

JEWELS STOLEN AT HA1LEYBURY. HEAD MASTER'S WIFE ROUBluD. Hailcybury College, between Hertford and Hoddesdon, was the scene of a burglary on Saturday evening, when jewellery to the value of several hundred pounds was stolen. The loss was discovered about the dinner hour by Mrs. John Talbot, wif of the head master.

The valuables had been taken from her bedroom. The window of a bedroom leading on to a verandah, which had been previously fastened, was afterwards found to be open. INJURED HANDCUFFED MAN ESCAPES. FIGHT WITH SHOPBREAKER. A police constable on duty at Oxted, Surrey, early yesterday morning heard a noise at the rear of a jeweller's shop.

When he went towards it a man came out and ran towards the railway station, where the constable came up with him. The man drew a revolver, subsequently found to be fully loaded iu its six chambers, which he aimed at the officer. The latter promptly felled him with his truncheon. Having handcuffed the man, the constable obtained assistance from the police station, only to find on his return that the man, though wounded and handcuffed, had vanished. ADMISSION OF CANADIAN CATTLE.

A SOLUTION SATISFACTORY TO OTTAWA. Ottawa, Saturday. The Prime Minister. Mr. Mackenzie King, made public this evening an undertaking given by the Minister of Agriculture, Sir Robert Sanders, at a recent conference in London, which is regarded by the officials of the Commonwealth Agriculture Department here as a satisfactory solution of the difficulties arising from lack of uniformity in the interpretation by British inspectors of the regulations governing the admission of Canadian cattle for feeding purposes.

The undertaking is embodied in a memorandum by Sir Robert Sanders, in which he agrees to instruct inspectors to issue licences permitting cattle to be removed when they are satisfied that the animals will be regarded as suitable for feeding for a further period of less than twenty days. When they are not so satisfied the inspectors may, upon application, permit the removal of the cattle to a slaughter house other than that at the landing place, or if the owner undertakes to feed them for not less than twenty-eight days a licence may be given for removal for that purpose. There is no change in the regulations regarding cattle not isolated three days before shipment and not passing veterinary inspection. Such animals must be slaughtered at the landing place. The Canadian Government were asked in the memorandum to instruct their officers not to certify as store- cattle animals which cannot reasonably be regarded as suitable: for further feeding; Renter.

MEXICAN REBELS GAINING GROUND. Washington, SatobdatJ It is stated officially that the State received -advices from Mexico to the effect that the revolutionary forces are gaining ground, ana that General Obregon is taking dras'ic acti-ri to stem their' progress. The revolution is said to have been caused by the oenfliatiug interests of candidate for the PreaJdaacy. Exchange, Mr. Macdonald accept? ii is difficult to answer, because the Labour party is different from the other two parties.

It has not, in their sense, leaders at all that is, leaders who would be faithfully followed bv tho rank and file almost whatever course they proposed to take. Naturally there is difference of opinion in tho Labour party as to what ought to be done iu a case. The Labour party will consult. Ono preliminary meeting will, I think, be held to-morrow. WHAT LABOUR COULD DO.

I have fwo Labour opinions which perhaps represent the two schools. Both agree that a Liberal-Labour joint provisional Government is impossible. Apart from tho Liberal side of the question fhoro is too much bitterness in the Labour party against the Liberal party, which is accentuated by a very few cases, of which Accrington is the most conspicuous, where Liberal and Conservative voters have combined against tho Labour man. The one view, rather representing tho younger end, as they say in Lancashire, is that Mr. Macdonald would decline or perhaps one should say that the Labotu party would decline and would leave Mr.

Asquith to form a Government for which ho would have Conservative consent, but against which the Labour party would be in active opposition. It was argued that the Labour party would not take on the inevitable unpopularities that any Government incurs in office for the sake of six or eight months. That is not an uninformed opinion, but tho other opinion is a much more responsible one, and, I should THE NEW HOUSE. ULSTER RETURNS TWO MORE INDEPENDENTS. With the two results declared on Saturday Fermanagh and Tyrone the state of the parties in the new House of Commons is as follows Conservatives 252 Liberals 153 Labour 192 Independents 7 604 The party divisions at the time of the dissolution were given Conservatives 346 Liberals 117 Labour 144 Independents 8 615 The discrepancy between the actual tfength of the Liberal party in the new House and the old figure plus the party's 48 -net gains is accounted for by the defection of members returned as National Liberals in 1918 and by other changes of In the above table Mr.

Austin Hopkinson, the member for Mossley, is included as a Conservative. He was previously counted nit An Trt3fn(ndfnt but wishes to ht fcnnwn as a Conservative Free-trader. Ten results now remain to be known. In 'tie remaining division West Derbyshire a by-election is pending. CABINET TO MEET TO-MORROW.

MR. BALDWIN'S VISITORS. Viscount Younger visited No. 10, Downing Street on Saturday morning' and. had a long interview with the Prime Minister.

Other callers at No. 10 were Viscount Cave (the Lord Chancellor), Lord Stamfordham (the King's private secretary), and Sir Philip Lloyd Greame President of the Board of Trade). Shortly before, hoon the Prime Minister left 10, Downing Street for Chequers, where he pent the week-end. The Premier, the Press Association understands, will take no active the future until- the roeetina of the new Cabinet, which, it was stated early on Saturday afternoon, nod definitely, been, fixed for Tuesday. port purposes mnmg,.