TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1920, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

Il’KB PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.! MOTOR CAR COLLISION. 1 GUiuti, May 24. A motor car crashed into a gig at Riversdale on Saturday, smashing the vehicle and throwing out the occupants -Miss Lynch and 2 children. Miss Lynch sustained a fractured skull and was rendered unconscious, and is in a serious condition in a private hospital at Core, j ■ WHEAT STOLEN. , j PALMERSTON NORTH May 24. ! Twenty-lour sacks of wheat were stol- 1 en from a Flourmill at Palmerston on Friday night. CONDITION SERIOUS. PALMERSTON N., May 24. Kidman, one of tjio victims of the motor smash at Sanson on * Thursday night is in a very serious condition. The doctors hold out no hope of his recovery. DEATH ENSUES. PALMERSTON N., May 24. Frank Kidman, a third victim of the recent motor collision at Sandon, died in the hospital to-day. Deceased was aged 32, and was the proprietor of the Trocadero at Wellington. Ho leaves a widow and one chiid.

WANGANUI MAYOR CHARGED. WANGANUI, May 24. Maekay, the ex-Mayor of Wanganui was charged with attempted murder of Walter Darcy Cresswell before the court this morning. He was further remanded till Thursday.

CRESS WELL’S CONDITION. WANGANUI, May 25. The Courthouse was packed yesterday morning in anticipation of the charge of attempted murder being heard again Maekay. Tile medical men, .however, refused to allow' Cresswell (the injured man) to make a statenient although he is making satisfactory progress and there is every reason to believe his recovery is certain. The doctors would not consent to any risk being taken. Maekay was further remanded till Thursday.

SMALLPOX OUTBREAK. INVERCARGILL, May 24. Two further notifications of mild small pox brings the number of cases in the Southland hospital district to 14, 10 being in Invercargill, and four at Gore. All contacts have been quarantined, and the District Health Officer issues a further warning to the public regarding the wisdom of submitting to vaccination. DUNEDIN, May 24. 11l view of the fact that in the Southland district the epidemic of varioloid varicella, otherwise modified small-pox-shows a tendency to increase, the Health Department is now urging the advisability of general vaccination of the people in the Otago Hospital district. The outbreak appears to ho about stationary, and in the Vincent and the Timaru districts no fresh cases have been reported. COST OF LIVING. WELLINGTON, May 24. The cost of living was considered at a meeting of the Women’s National Council to-night. It was decided that on a fixed date every member of the Council should early in the coming session send to the member of Parliament for lior district a postcard drawing his attention to the rising cost of living, and stating that she expected him to take action in the matter. It was also decided that the Women’s National Council should concentrate upon a reduction of food prices and of New Zealand woollen goods, and join with the Returned Soldiers’ Association to discuss a campaign for turning down the prices of necessities.

CHARGES OF PROFITEERING. WELLINGTON, May 24. Air W. T. Strand, a prominent fanner in a letter to the “Evening Post,” criticised the Government for its liandliug of the high cost of living and profiteering problems. He wrote that, as one who did all he could to put the party into'power to grapple, if returned, with the problem, lie was disappointed with the results so far, and suggested that inquiries should be made into some of the large clothing and produce companies and concerns in the Dominion, and especially mentioned woollen manufaeturerers and butter. He also referred to the fact that unless something oT the kind was done, if pro. duee went higher still, they would have more trouble in New Zealand than they had had in the past. The letter was referred to the Board of Trade, and in reply thereto, Mr Collins, secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department, pointed out that the board and tribunals were in-

vestigating the charges of profiteering which were to a large extent in the hands of the general public. If profiteering on any article was suspected

and was the subject of complaint, action was, or would be taken. The ward knew quite well that recent prosecutions had had a. most salutary effect throughput the Dominion on the price of goods. In many cases, retailers had re-marked their goods so that they should not fall within the reach of penalties. Mr Strand had suggested an inquiry into the operations of clothing and produce companies. A very copiprebpnsive inquiry was being made into the whole woollpn, drapery, j clothing, and allied trades, and the inj quiries so f>:- as they related to the j woollen aspect were almost complete. ' The public, although strong criticisms j were often heard and plentiful charges ' of profiteering were often made, had brought forward very few cases. This especially, related to the prices ruling for woollen goods and clothing. It was

. remarkable that so few complaints of profiteering in these were ventilated he. fore the board itself or the tribunals in the four main centres. As to the price of butter, there would be a small extra charge made, but it would only be such as was sufficient to cover cost of storage and distribution. Provision had been made for rescrying ample and reasonable supplies for some months ahead.