TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1919, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

(PER PIIKBS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.) LAND FOR SOLDIERS. BLENHEIM, Nov. 13! Government has acquired two properties in Marlborough for soldiers’ settlement, Pike Bros farm of 261 acres, in Dillon’s Point district, and Roskruge’s farm in the same locality of 156 acres. The Land and Survey Department, has noiv subdivided them. Several other properties were rejected as too high pric , ed by the owners, or unsuitable. j

INFLUENA CASES. HAMILTON, Nov. 13.

Several cases of pneumonic influenza have appeared, 'mostly slight. The health inspector advises caution.

PAYMENT OF GRATUITIES.' WELLINGTON, This Day

; The Returned Soldiers Association having asked Sir James Allen to expedite the payment of gratuities, the Minister replies that the Department is already working at exceedingly high pressure. Some accounts are complicated and take much time. During the last week payments averaged 760 per day and the number is increasing. To date £856,630 hag been paid out, representing 23,271 applications completely dealt with.

KEEPING A GAMING HOUSE. NAPIER, Nov. 10,

This afternoon the police raided the premises of two bookmakers in different portions of the town, and secured evidence of betting transactions. The police answered the telephone for an hour or two, and also secured documents.

Late in the afternoon, Frank Bax and James Golding both pleaded guilty to keeping a common gaming house, and were each fined £IOO.

TRAIN FATALITY. FEILDING, This Day. The man killed by the train was Alex Woods, a carpenter, single, aged seventy. He was on board the main trunk express and tried to leave after the train had started. Constable McDonnell saw the man’s intention from a distance and rushed to prevent the accident ,but could no treach him in time. Woods fell between two carriages right across the rails. His head and one foot were decapitated, death being instantaneously. INFtLIENZA. WELLINGTON, November 13. A statement of the number fo cases of influenza reported betiveen noon ->n 6th and noon on the 10th inst., is as follows:—In Wellington, 8 mild, 1 pneumonic; Auckland 8 mild; 4 severe; Canterbury 1 mild; Otago nil. THE ISLAND SERVICE. DUNEDIN, Nov. 11. Owing to the congestion of work at Port Chalmers the Navan’s recondition cannot be completed in time to enable her to enter the Island service this month. The Talune therefore will be required to make another round trip to Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, leaving Auckland on November 22nd. The Navua will be ready for this second week in. December.

PUKEKURA SANATORIUM. •- SOLDIER PATIENTS’ COMPLAINTS WELLINGTON, Nov. 11. The Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association to-night considered the report of the delegates who visited the Pukieura. Sanatorium, near Waipnkurnu to investigate complaints made by the patients. The report expressed the opinion that great inconvenience and discomfort to the patients were caused by the occupation of the building before it was completed. Mr Badger, one of the delegates, said there had been a good deal to complain about. The place was only half finished when the men went in, and they were subjected to needless discomforts. He contended that the complaints were well founded. There should be more sympathy and less discipline about the place. A motion was passed approving of the delegates’ report, and regretting that the military authorities had placed patients in the sanatorium before the building was completed.

INTERCOLONIAL SHIPPING. DUNEDIN, Nov. 11. The Maori, which has been extensively overhauled, will leave Port Chalmers on the 20th mat. direct for Wellington, apd thereafter will maintain the running in the Wellington-Lyttel-ton service. This will release the Manuka, which will then take up her former running in the intercolonial trade between Wellington and Sydney. Three vessels will maintain favourable conditions for shippers making use of the Sydney-Welling-ton-Lyttelton service. These will be the Moeraki, Manuka, and Riverina, sailing weekly from each terminal port. Arrangements have also been made for the extension of the WellingtonSydney service to Hobart, the Moeraki the Manuka being detailed to call at the Tasmanian port, which for some time lias been included in the itinerary of the Riverina. These alterations mean that thjc Wellington-Sydnev service will be restored before the end of the month to its pre-war conditions. As regards the Auckland-Sydney service, the, Maheno will in the meantime continue to maintain it with a fortnightly time-table. Additional trips will be provided in the services between New Zealand and Australia, the Pacific Islands, and Vancouver, by the Niagara Makura, and Atua,

CUT HIS THROAT. HAMILTON, This Day. A young man C. It. Cox, applied for work at Matangi Glaxo factory yesterday and was told to start this morning. He took a room in a hoarding house last night and was found by a member of the staff with his throat cut. He was brought to Waikato hospital and is progressing favourably ,the wound no being serious. He is a returned soldier with no relatives in the Dominion.