VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1921, Page 3

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

TELEGRAMS.

[BY TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION] SUPPOSED DROWNING. HAMILTON, Jan. 27. C. R. Smallfield, a well known stock buyer and owner of the racehorse Lucy French, went swimming in company with an employee named Keith Chapman. After spending a short time in the water both headed for the bank. On climbing ashore, however, Chapman was surprised to find that Smallfield had disappeared. Chapman searched, but he found no trace, and the only conclusion is that Smallfield was drowned. The police carried out dragging operations, but have not found the body. . KAITANGATA MINE.. DUNEDIN, January 27. •The position at Kaitangata is unchanged. Six men who refused to attend the stop work meeting are still working and others are remaining idle. The whole matter is now referred by the Union to the Federation, who will take the next step.

TO FIGHT FLAX. DISEASE

PALMERSTON NORTH Jan. 27

In the flax disease Dr Tilyard urged that a committee be -set up partly of millers and partly of scientists to form a biological station to investigate the disease. This course was agreed upon and the scientists appointed were Dr. Tilyard, Alfred Cockayne and Waters. The flnxmillers are. Ross, .Seifert and Bell.

SCIENCE CONGRESS.

PALMERSTON N. Jan 27

The Science Congress to-day discussed yellow leaf disease in flax. Mr Cockayne said the disease was a fungus, attacking roots and causing a complete cessation of water absorption by the roots. If an antidote were not discovered ,the whole flax area would be extinct in a few years. He advocated 'root examinations of all types of flax and growth of such plants as appeared immune. To discover if it were really immune or not. If so then the difficulty would be overcome, encouraging signs that immune plants would be found, but the investigations would be slow, and bv the time it was consummated there might be no flax .

CONVICTED FOR SLY GROG.. TAUMARUNUI, Jan. 27

Before Mr Burton, Magistrate, John Micbalick was convicted and sentenced to six months for sly grog selling at Taumariinui, Four men went to the accused’s bouse where one man bought three bottles of whisky at twenty-five shillings. When the whisky was drunk and the party were leaving the house, the purchaser discovered that £6O was missing from his pocket. This is the accused’s third conviction for sly grog ging here.