TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1919, Page 4

TELEGRAMS.

[PHIt PHKBB ASSOCIATION. —OOPYHJUHT CHARGE OF MURDER. AUCKLAND, November 23. At the police Court, Harold Percy Stapleton, aged 21, and Alexander Copell, aged 20, were charged with the murder of Frank Brasier, licensee of Clarendon Hotel. Dr. Haurenton desscribed Brasier’s injuries and said the fracture of the skull could have been caused by a fall after a blow had been struck. Dr Bull, who made the post mortem, said the cause of death was celebro haemorhage, following a fracture of the skull. Possibly it was a blow that fractured the skull, but more likely the latter was caused by a fall of some violence. Brasier was a powerfully built man, and it was evident he had been handled severely.

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC. HEAVY POSTAL BUSINESS. WELLINGTON, Dec. 22. To-day there was quite a long queue at the railway booking office in the centre of the city. Both by rail and steamer the traffic is likely to lie ahead of all pre-war records. The North Island trains are already packed with travellers, and it has been found necessary to increase their size. The railway officials are having a busy time. The postal and telegraph departments arte also exceptionally busy. English and American mail matter just to hand adds to the press of the work in, the post office, where the building is literally packed with packages, parcels and letters. The postal note section is equally busy. The damaged cable in Cook Strait has been repaired so that there should be an improvement in the telegraph despatch between the two islands.

RAILWAY FATALITY. PAHIATUA, Dec. 22. A railway crossing fatality occurred at Mangamaire, a few miles south of Pahiatua, to-day, when the express train from Wellington crashed into a cart driven by Allan. Amos Roil, 18, a son of a well-known local farmer. Roil, who was severely injured, was brought to Pahiatua, but he died en route. The horse was killed and the cart smashed. CANADA AND NEW ZEALAND.

EXCHANGE OF GIFTS. WELLINGTON, Dec. 22. Mr Massey has received a letter from Sir Geo. Fisher, Acting-Prime Minister of Canada, acknowledging the gift of kauri timber wherewith to decorate the room of thle Prime Minister ini the new Canadian Parliament buildings. Sir Geo. Fisher added that Sir Robert Borden had asked that arrangements be made to forward some representative Canadian woods for incorporation in New Zealand’s new Parliamentary build ings. Mr Massey has also received a letter from Mr W. A. Beddoe, Canadian Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, asking for particulars of the finishing planned in the Prime Minister’s room m the Parliament buildings, and stating that the proposal of the Canadian Government is that Mr Massey’s new room should be finished in birds-eye maple for the pannelling and walnut for the framing.

SHORTAGE OF BACON AND HAM . WELLINGTON, Dec. 22.

In. reference to the shortage of bacon and ham, a local authority says pigs are now .almost as valuable as fat cattle were a few years ago. Ten pounds can now be got for a pig, but it is claimed that it does not pay to buy at? such a price. The merchant referred to suggested that the inflated prices were due to the operations of the Meat Trust, and stated that the farmlers were selling their pigs to somebody who was willing to pay the inflated prices. A peculiar fact is that for some time past pigs have been in exceptionally good demand, but no ham or bacon is available. He concluded that the Meat. Trust had secured control and that prices would bo further increased later on when the trturl had gained complete control.