TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 June 1920, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

I |PKR PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.] COAL POSITION. WELLINGTON, June 1. The Prime Minister to-day made a statement reviewing the coal situation. IJe said a careful scrutiny of the figures covering the coal produced clearly indicated it was an impossibility at the present time to increase the allocation of coal for household pur- ' poses, that was without seriously inter- ! faring with the operations of important ! industrial concerns, and public services. J On these the prosperity and progress of the Dominion largely depended. “A shortage of coal is universal throughout the Dominion,” he said, “and it is not confined to any particular locality. If the insisted demands of some districts, now being made, were acceded to, it could only be done by withdrawing supplies from others where the shortage is just as acute. The position is being carefully sifted by the Coal Control Department, and the Coal Trade Committees in the four centres are doing their utmost to distribute all the coal arriving in their respective districts so as to avoid as far'as possible, any undue hard- , ship to the public.”

£503 mi .FOOT FOE. LAND. WELLINGTON, June 1. Wlint is believed to be a record price for any land sold in the city has just been paid by the Union Bank of Aus tralia, namely, £503 per foot for land, which has a 4'sft. frontage'to Lambton On ay, with a depth of about 50ft. * BURNING FATA LITY WAIEOA. Juno 2 'l’lfe ' police received information on Tuesday of a disti’cssing occurrence that befell Maori scrub-cutters in camp at Wailiui, which resulted in the death from shock, following severe burns of a girl named Tawai Wi Hone, aged 16. It appears the family retired to rest on Sunday, leaving a fire burning, a common practice of the the natives when the nights are very cold. About 1 a,.m. tlie father was suddenly roused up, finding the tent in flames. The' occupants had great difficulty ill ■ escaping with their lives, all being more or loss severely burned, especially the girl about the body and face. She was attended by Dr Somerville and Nurse Naern that day, but died on Monday. The father, mother and two children "'ere brought to Wairoa Hospital for treatment.

LLOYD BEATS WADDY. WHANGAREI, May 28. A boxing contest between Albert Lloyd, heavy-weight champion of Australasia, and Era Waddy, the champion of South Australia and West Australia, held in the Whangarei Town Hall last night, before a packed house for a nurse of £250, ended in favour of Lloyd on points. The fight went the full fifteen rounds. t

PRICE OF WHISKY. DUNEDIN, May 31. Whisky is becoming dearer, and hulk whisky is apparently likely to be scarce. Last week bulk whisky was selling at up to 40s per gallon, and it costs 18s more to get it out of bond.

A DIVORCE GRANTED. WANGANUI, June 2. At the Supreme Court yesterday, Mrs Pearce, wife of G. V. Pearce, formerly member for Patea, sued for a divorce

Ij’om her husband on. the grounds of misconduct. No evidence was catered on respondent’s behalf and a decree^,nisi was granted with costs, on the highest scale.

PENSIONS , BILL. WELLINGTON, May 31. , New Zealand’s pension bill for the year ended March 31st last was £2,705,. 160. This fact is contained in a return received by the Minister in Charge of the Pensions Department from tho Commissioner of Pensions, which details the various items as follows: £ War pensions 1,773,042 Old age pensions 732,966 Widows’ pensions 146,815 Maori war pensions 45,085 Miners’ pensions 16,652 SMALLPOX CASES. DUNEDIN, May 29.

Two fresh cases of smallpox were notified from Invercargill yesterday. It is stated that there are undoubtedly -in Dunedin a few severe cases of what is authoritatively declared to be American smallpox. There is reason to believe that many other cases exist of a, distinctly mild nature. The known cases in Otago are the subject of special and constant study and attention.

PRESSMEN’S THANKS. WELLINGTON, May 29. The Postmaster-General has received from the journalists representing the British and Australian Press, who accompanied the Prince in his tour of the. Dominion, a letter acknowledging with gratitude the admirable facilities afforded them by the Department, and the unvarying courtesy and readiness to assist them shown by all its officers with whom they came in contact. The journalists added an expression of their thanks, particularly to the senior telegraph officer who was detailed to accompany them on their tour and attend to their telegraph requirements.

INFLATION OF LAND VALUES AUCKLAND, May 31. A warning in respect to the inflation of land values in the Dominion was uttered to-day by Air J. G. Harkness. secretary of the National Dairy Asso elation, in addressing the Conference of North Auckland dairy companies. Ho stated that the enormous increase in land values during the past five oi six years was regarded with concern by the majority of thoughtful people. Dairy ing land in Taranaki was realising from £175 to £2OO an acre. All he coukl say was “God help the man who has taken up land at £2OO an acre.” He contended that a mail with a little capital should be able to take up a section ot land at such a' price that lie could make the land his own, free of enemnboranco, in fifteen or sixteen years. This could not bo done with land at the present prices. PARLIAMENT TO OPEN. WELLINGTON, June 2. Parliament will open on 24th. June.

COAL, MINES IDEE. i DUNEDIN, June 2. Tarata Coal Minors did not return to work to-day. The Company have two mines ordinarily at lull work and a, third mine is being opened up. All are idle to-day. The Company claim - that the point at issue should have been referred to the national disputes committee according to the national agreement. PASTORAL LANDS COMMISSION. -KAIKOURA, May 31. The Southern Pastoral Commission satwit Kalkoura to-day. Messrs David Iloyd, James Davidson, and Thomas Adair gave evidence to the effect that tho Department had not fos. tered close settlement in the district, that-the present methods of revaluation had a tendency to penalise industry and improvements, estates being allowed to deteriorate, which was to tile advantage of the holder and mitigated against successful settlement. It was mentioned that the Clarence reserve property previously carried 03,000 sheep, hut now only 18,000, chiefly through Die rabbit pest. The inaceessiblity of the estate made it valueless for closer settlement. The general tenor of the evidence was against the present method of revaluation. Visible improvements were now taken into consideration, but invisible improvements were not .

A TRAIN ACCIDENT. TAIIMARUNUI, June . 2. A liiim, not yet identified met with w shocking accident at Mangapehi about two o’clock this morning, falling from the extra express from Wellington. It is surmised that his head came into contact with a manuka •’-* and when picked up by a. 'slow train after daybreak he was laying in a pool of water arid in a half frozen condition. The injured: man was removed to Tanmarmini hospital where he lies unconscious and in a serious condition.