VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1921, Page 3

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

f BY TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION J INQUEST VERDICT. WELLINGTON, March 3. I At an inquest on Dorothy Robeck, a , single woman aged 31, a verdict was j returned of death due to poison, selfadministered while in a state of mental , depression. RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD. PRODUCTION OF RECORDS. AUCKLAND, March 1 A matter of importance to railway j officers was the production at to-day’s I sitting of the North Island Railway Appeal Board of the service records of officers who had superseded those whose appeals were before the Board. The hearing of the cases in question had been adjourned for the production of these documents, which the advocate for appellants had declared was necessary to allow of a comparison being made. The chairman ruled that as the records were of a confidential cliara®fc»r, all witnesses should leave the room. The chairman also- decided that tlicie could be no limit as’ to the date to which evidence might apply. Tiie District Traffic Manager was then called and gave a general statement of the records. The advocate fOr the appellants asked the Board to indicate its opinion on certain of the existing regulations, in order that liq might know whether the onus was upon the appellant or respon- I dent in disproving or proving, as the case miglibt be, that the superseding j officers had been rightly preferred to the present appellants. Tiie Hoard indicated that it was not prepared at the present stage to rule . u|x>n the point in question. * MEDICAL CONFERENCE. ] NAPIER, March 1. I . The conference of the New Zealand j j branch of the British Medical Associa- j | tion was continued to-day in commit- j tee. Papers were read on matters of; ( professional interest, and Sir Andrew j Russell addressed the gathering on the j ( subject of a Community Club to stimu-[ | late interest among the Cadets and advance their well being.

M ETII01) IST CONFERENCE

WELLINGTON, March 1

The report, of the Eire Insurance Fund presented to tin* Methodist Conference to-day showed that the past year was the most successful in the history of the fund. The income totalled £2105, and expenses £5(50. Accumulated funds now were £12771. New risks accepted during the year aggregated £46,765.

The balance-sheet, ol the Home Mission Fund showed that the income was over £10,00(1, mid the exjH'nditure £9555, leaving a credit balance ol £1023. The. announcement of a record year was received with applause. 1 lit* estimated income lor 1921 is £10,859, and the estimated expenditure £10,83(1. The Rev T. G. Brooke made an urgent call for men for the Christian Ministry. The constant, repetition of “one wanted" in station sheets had, he felt, been detrimental to the best interests of the Church. The shortage of men had compelled fh<‘ Church to send men into work without the needed special training. He appealed to the Church to provide men for tin* work of the ministry.

The most interesting feature of £ long discussion whiiffi followed was an address by the Rev Robert Hn'ddon. a well-known Maori missionary. . Referring to the coming of the Hindus into certain districts, he said he had no objection to Asiatics coming so long as they brought their wives with them, but tin* crossing of Indian and MaAri was no good.

FIRE BRIGADES’ COMPETITION. i NAPIER, March 4. > Rescue Event.--Onolmngn— 29 2-5 I ; Hillside —30, 2; Greymoutli—3o 2-5, 3; Christchurch Railway 31 2-5,* 4 ; Masterton—3l 4-5, 5; Oainaru —32 2-5 (!. I ! AMERICAN ENGINEERS. ( EVES ON NEW ZEALAND. WELLINGTON, March 2. Several months ago, when the Minister of Public Works outlined the water-power resources of the Dominion, he used some phases ajiout millions which have evidently attracted the attention of American engineers. One of their technical publications got hold of a story about electrical developments in Now Zealand on which millions were to he spent instantly and the English sterling translated into dollars looked prodigious. The result has been a veritable flow of applications from American electrical engineers for positions under the New Zealand Government. The Prime Minister this week referred tin* three hundredth application to the Chief Electrical engineer, who does not want them, and will doubtless take some steps to remove the misapprehend sioti. This is a sample of how New Zealand news is dressed up for American consumption in a magazine of recent dale circulating among the professional classes: “In all New Zealand there is not a single millionaire, and there are no paupers. There are no slums in her cities, hut she has some labour troubles, especially among miners, and is experiencing a shortage of coal. The Government therefore has determined to develop thc hydro-electric resources of the country as i) source of power. For this purpose it announced that it would issue a loan providing for compulsory subscription equal to one year’s average income tax. This, it is calculated, will furnish the capital necessary to begin the development of her water power.”

COAL CARGO AT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, March 4. A request was made to the Stevedores Association for baskets mid shovels to discharge coal from the Capt. ; Premier. The Captain is endeavouring to. purchase the necessary gear and hopes to get the unloading begun on Monday or Tuesday.