TELEGRAMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1920, Page 3

TELEGRAMS

,;PK„ I'J'tiSS ASSOCIATION". CfiPTHIGHt. 1 EMBEZZLEMENT BY A POSTMASTER. INVERCARGILL, .February 24. Harry Leonard Malthas,. postmaster at Edendale, was charged with theft of £3OO, paid him by a farmer to invest in the War Loan. He admitted the offsnees, stating that he had been heavily involved through betting and that he would replace the money. He was committed for sentence.

CHARGE OF BIGAMY. AUCKLAND, February 24. Rosa May Dolphin was committed for trial on a charge of bigamy, in that, i having been married at Whangarei, in April, 1915, to D. E. Dolphin, a school teacher, she, in December, 1917 went through the form of marriage with D. S. Cattanneh,' a commercial traveller.

RAILWAY SERVICE. HIGH COSTOF LIVING. WELLINGTON, This Day. At a meeting of the Wellington branch of the Railway Officers Institute, the following resolution was passed:—

“That in view of the discontentment and dissatisfaction existing and evidenced by officers of the railway service owing to the present high and prospective higher cost of living and inadequate remuneration paid to officers this branch calls upon the executive control to take immediate action with a view to obtaining the finding of the Wages Board, and to have same brought into operation immediately. It is again pointed out that the financial position of railway officers and the conditions of employment are having a serious effect upon the efficiency of the service, whilst the living cost on three food groups alone lias increased over 50 per cent. Increases paid since 1914 to April 1918, vary from only 7 per cent in highest to 20 per cent in the lowest grade.”

ADULTERATED MILK. “THREE BUCKETS OF WATER TO TWO OF MILK.” AUCKLAND, Feb. 25. “One of the most extraordinary cases we have had,” declared Sub-Inspector Wohlmann when Alfred Sexton, of Hobsonille, was charged with having sold adulterated milk in which the deficiency of milk fat and excess of water ran to 40 per cent and 50 per cent. The analysis taken suggested that the mixture was in some eases three buckets of water to two of milk, and that was the sort of article that the defendant sold to the Takapunn Dairy Company. His Worship quoted front the analyst’s report the phrase, “one of the most grossly adulterated samples or milk I have ever analysed,” and stated lint if the milk had been sold to the puHfc for use instead of being sold to a t; ctory, the defendant- would have been sent to gaol. As it was, defendant would be fined £SO and costs.

THE TAILORING TR ADE. BLENHEIM, Feb. 27. A conference regarding wages lias been held between Blenheim tailors and male employees. Application was made by the workers tor a 25 per cent increase, owing to the advanced cost of living. The masters recognised the demand as justifiable, and granted the demand, suggesting at the same time, that, the continual process of putting up

THE ISLANDS TRIP. RARATONGA, Feb. ,27. The conditions of life and mieds of Mn lignin, where the Parliamentary Party spent Wednesday, are typical in many respects to other islands in the Cook group. No vessel had touched Mangaia since the Governor-General’s visit. Half a dozen Europeans and native population were surprised and delighted at the visit. The Party had a novel experiencew.il en crossing the reef in outrigger canoes, skilfully handled by natives. Speaking at the State School, at> tended by 200 chnaren, Sir James Allen said he hoped to arrange an interchange of teachers• between Now Zealand and the native schools. The Island Council suggested the provision of an inter-island State steamer, carrying outlying islands’ produce to connect with New Zealand steamers. This suggestion is already prominently before the Party.

ILL-TREATMENT OF CHILDREN. WELLINGON, Ebb. 27. Mr Page, S.M., delivered judgment to-dav in charges against Charles Gray, ndler, secretary of the New Zealand Shearers? Union, for ill-treating his three children, two hoys aged 11, and 13, and a girl aged 8. Evidence was given during the hearing that the children were cruelly thrashed and kicked. The Magistrate said that he must enter a conviction. The defence raised was that Gravniller at the time was not responsible for the acts and was a lunatic within the meaning of the Act. No doubt the man was sick, but the defence was not sufficient to exempt him from criminal responsibility. A fine of £lO, in default 21 days on the fmslt charge of ill-treating the lx>y of 11 years was inflicted. He was convicted and ordered to come up in 12 months on the other charges.

RAILWAY FATALITY. I AUCKLAND, Feb. 27. A man named Joseph W. Boggs, a returned soldier, (whose addrses is unknown), attempted to board an outward bound train from Auckland at Wiri, ! near Manurewa, and fell beneath the train. His legs were terribly injured and lit) died shortly after admission to the hospital. j URUWERA LANDS. ' FURTHER SETTLEMENTS. 1 Regarding the opening of 300,000 acres far settlement in 'the Urower.i j Country, the Minister of Lands states that lie proposes! that the work of partitioning the Native interests shall be taken in hand as soon as possible. lie will have surveys made of the main outlets, and anticipates that one road will follow the AVhakatane River Valley and that another will come out near Waimann. The Minister states further that be intends to arrango that the Uro. wera lands benefited by the opening up of the country shall bear a share of the cost.

NEW SUGAR AGREEMENT. ’ AUCKLAND, Feb. 27. The conclusion of arrangements for next year’s supply of sugar for the Dominion was announced by the Prime Minister to-day. An agreement has been arranged with the Colonial Sugar Company, which has not yet been signed , however. The terms of this arrangement ensure a supply of sugar for New Zealand for twelve months as from Juno 30th, which was the date to which tlio previous agreement, which, had been due to expire on March 31st, had been ! extended. I

TH. PRICE OF HIDES. WELLINGTON, Feb. 27. After the Auckland sales of thi week it was anticipated that hides wool realise firm prices, at the first sale lie! in Wellington since the lifting of ' th, embargo on exports. When the sal was held, prices made a record for Wei lington ,nnd showed an appreciable ad vance on those realised at Auckland Approximately 13,000 hides and calf skins were offered. Prices general]; were from 80 to 109 per cent, higliei than the Government, schedule prices 'Buyers operated on behalf of English, Canadian, United States, and Australian firms. It will be remembered that the fixed price for ox hides, best quality was 13d a pound first. Thd first to sell - to-day obtained 22*d a. pound for first quality ox hides, 22d for cow hides, 26gd for kips, 28R1 for yearlings, and 44d for calf skins. The latter price was paid for a shipping line. Beef tallow realised £Bl a ton; mixed tallow, £7B; and tinned tallow, £65. manufacturing and retail prices was not the true solution of the problem. The solution, they nrguqd, was not in the direction of shorter hours, increased payment, but rather a return on the part of the consuming public adopting more simple tastes, also less expensive habits, as well as increased production on the part of the workers generally. The matter of a* 25 per cent increase on ladies’ costumes was considered by the masters and several suggested the possibility of having to discontinue taking orders for ladies’ costumes. The “Press” understands unofficially that the Christchurch wheat conference arranged that next season’s prices should be the prices as fixed for this season’s crop, namely, 7s 3d, 7s 6d, and 7s 9d per bushel; but at f.o.b.

WESTPORT TOTE PERMIT. WESTPORT This Day. Minister of Internal Affairs Hon. F. D. Bell, telegraphs granting the Jockey Club a second day permit. The Oil iff > was granted two days iast-ycar, hut one day was taken for the Jellicoe Christ—church meeting. It is now restored.

RED -CROSS SOCIF/IT. MEETING OF NX COUNCIL. CHRISCHURCIT, February 27. At the Annual meeting of the Dominion Oounqil of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St John of Jerusalem,' the Governor-General presiding. Earl Liverpool was elected President. It was decided that his ExExcellency he requested to ask -’that the offer of the British Bed Cross to return £30,000 he accepted, and that it he recommended that after the claims of sick and wounded -soldiers and sailors and' 1 military nurses had been satisfied, the money he used in establishing a fund for providing trained nurses for alleviation of sickness and suffering wherever necessary. It was resolved that the question of a further grant to the Starving Children Fund be referred to the Executive with power to act .

The following resolution wa s carried: “That' having considered the circular letter of the Minister of Internal Affairs of October 23rd, this Council desires to point out that its war activities cannot cease until military Hos-t pitals in New Zealand have been evacuated, and that thereafter its objects are likely to he extended to other objects in peace time, which are to he undertaken at the suggestion of an International Conference of the Red Cross Societies in consequence of a provision of Clause 25 of the League of Nations, so that it will have ample use for all funds which are in hand at the present time.”