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Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1921, Page 3

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEM'*.

TFLRORAMS

(J BV TELEGRAPH —PRESS ABBN., COPYRIGH* r PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERS. ' WELLINGTON, Feb. 28. > A conference of engineers of the Pul lie Works Department was opened thi morning by Hon. J. G. Coatei e Throughout the briefness of his add ref f the Minister continually referred to th need for plain speaking, and fearles r criticism on the part of those pre - sent. Much of the success of the De partment must rest with the men ii charge of districts and therefore it wa essential that those men should .<riv their views frankly on the many sub i jects engaging their attention to the De pnrijment. Even if they had whn might he looked on as a fine organisa - tion of the Department it could nlwny: be improved, and be looked to the en i gineers- present to give any suggestion) l they might have. In this direction In . stressed the need for every District En • gineer to be in a position say what wai I the most urgent’ work in his area, ape he hop<*d the conference would discus* this matter. It applied to the whole Dominion. The trend of efficient organisation was towards a decent- realisation. while perfect control was maintained by the head office. SHIPPING POSITION. - DUNEDIN. Feb. 28. ‘ There is no change on the waterfront. The Pal.oona arrived yesterday- from -Melbourne and was laid up. SHIPPING MOVEMENTS. DUNEDIN, Feh. 28. Tho Tahiti arrived at ’Frisco at noon on Saturday from Wellington. The Vancouver mail service which has been disrupted through the Australian strike is about to be resumed. The Makura leaves Sydney on Mai'ch 3rd and Auckland on March Bth for Vancouver, via ports. The Niagara leaves Sydney on March 81st. Auckland on April stli for Vancouver. FIRE BRIGADES’ CONFERENCE. , ' . NAPIER, Feh. 28. The forty-second annual meeting of tht> Fire Brigades’ Association commenced at Napier to-day. Supt. C. Goodwin (Aharon), presiding, urged the tiro fighters to do their utmost to help the Dominion hack to pre-war conditions. -A BENZINE FIRE. NAPIER, Feb.. 28. The lienzine fire insurances total £33,000 with the New Zealand Insurance Co. Portion was reinsured with other companies. There were 19,483 cases destroyed. A big fire took place at Napier yesterday morning. A telegram to that effect was received by the Superintendent of tlie Greymouth Eire* Brigade (Mr T. Clarke) from a member of the Greymouth competitions team, Mr <P. Deere, who stated that at 10.10 a.m. yesterday a fire was still burning and consuming 25,000 cusqs of benzine. POTATOES. MABTON, Feh. 25. Mr T. Buxton, managing agent and organiser for the South Island Potato Growers’ Association, was in Mnrton yesterday, returning from the north, where lie has made arrangemiits for a strong organisation for selling and distributing the South Island potato crop. Owing to )imitcd«supplies in the north, Auckland will probably have to draw supplies from the south by the middle of March. Mr Buxton will visit Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki next week, when he will appoint representatives of the association in each centre.