VARIOUS DOMINION ITEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1921, Page 3

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEM.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. OFFER OF OVERTIME. AUCKLAND, February 18. The watersiders will be given another opportunity to work overtime late this afternoon. If they decline, they will be informed they will not l>e reengaged. CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 18 Mr A. D. McGavock, of the Department of Lands and Survey, has been appointed to the position of Conservator of Forests for Westland conservation region of the New Zealand State I*oiest Service. He is a native of Invercargill and commenced his connection with the local Department as a boy, and remained there about twenty-five years, finally attaining to the position of chief clerk and secretary of the Land Board. He has been in all twenty-nine years in the

service. A few years ago he was tiansieii ed from Invercargill to the position of chief clerk at'Dunedin. Later he was secretary to the Pastoral Rons Commission, and he was also secretary to a Timber Commission whence he took evidence in the North Island. He was then made a relieving officer, and when he received his present appointment he W as attached to the Wellington Office of the Department. Mr McGavock is fourty-four years «>f age. During his years in lnverearg.il he was one of the best-known figures in sporting circles, being connected tor many years with the Invercargill Radwav Rowing Club and Southland Referees’ Association. Mr McGavock will take nil his residence in Hokitika shortly.

AUCKLAND LOCK-OUT. AUCKLAND, February 18. , The waterfront dispute has reached Isi further stage to-day. «The cm plovers to-day notified the men that unless they were prepared to work overtime no further gangs would be engaged to work on the ships due shortly or the ships which had not already been manned. All men who wen* approached declined to work overtime to-night. Consequently no new engagements were made. The position is that the men who are engaged in loading vessels will continue until they have completed the work they were employed to carry out. This should occupy them until Monday or Tuesday after which there will be no more work unless the watersiders change their attitude.

ALL WORK STOPPED. OX WELLINGTON WHARVES. WELLINGTON February 18. Without exception all the watersiders employed at Wellington to-das definitely declined to work overtime tonight,. This is the first occasion on which the men have been unanimous on the point. As a result of their ultimatum all work has been suspended on the waterfront to-night.

COM 1 ’UI.SORY CONFERENCE. MELBOURNE February 18

Justice Powers lias summoned a compulsory conference of the parties concerned in the maritime' dispute for the 18th. ,

MINERS' NEW TERMS. WELLINGTON Feb. 18

The current agreement between the Mine Owners Association and (he Miners’ Federation will. expire on .February 28th. after being in operation for 12 months. In conjunction with the Australian Miners’ Federation (with which the New Zealand Federation is affiliated) new demands have-been prepared. The chief features of the new proposals are:

A six hour tiny ; a five-day week ; a minimum weekly wage of £6; a fortnight's holiday on full pay at the end of each year. The demands have .not yet been considered by the Aline Owners’ Association.

TLMARU MURDER. CHRISTCHURCH. Feb. 18 Mr C. S. Thomas, counsel for Reginald Matthews, has communicated with the Minister of Justice with a view to securing a commutation of the sentence of death to one of imprisonment for life. Since the death sentence was passed on Matthews, lie has been in Paparua Priunti, where fie is under constant watch day and night. Matthews took his sentence with evident signs of its full import, but ho soon regained his composure. Although maintaining a rather defiant attitude, lie lias not spent any time in writing, such as Rggers, the perpetrator of the Runanga murders, did before his execution. ANOTHER PETITION. INVERCARGILL, Fob. 18 A petition is being promoted here praying the Governor-General to commute the death sentence passed oil Reginald Matthews for the murder of Clarence Wagstaffo at Timaru, and the Minister of Justice has been requested to defer Cabinet action pending presentation of the petition. The condemned man is a native of Invercargill. TOOK POISON IN .MISTAKE. UDNEDIN, Eel). IS. James Barker Wilson Crosbie, a bank clerk, married only last July, met liis death tragically this morning through taking a dose of Minient in mistake for some medicine. Both Dottles lay at his bedside, and to ease

pain he took a dose from the wrong bottle. Giving evidence at the inquest Dr Strain, who ordered his removal to the hospital, said the liniment contained aconite and belladona. Had deceased taken it otherwise than on an empty stomach, it would probably have done no harm. A verdict was returned of death by deceased accidentally taking poison. The coroner expressed condolence with the widow and relatives.