TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1921, Page 1

TELEGRAMS.

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIDHT

FIRE AT PATEA

LARGE STOCK OF BUTTER

DAMAGED

NEW PLYMOUTH, March 21

A destructive fire, involving the loss of a two-storeyed wooden building and damage to 28,000 boxes of butter, occurred at Patea this evening when a fire broke out in the West Coast Refrigerating Company’s grading stores. The buildings comprise an engine shed a two-storeyed wooden building which housed butter, and a detached concrete building, which stores cheese. The outbreak occurred in the engine house and quickly spread to the building containing butter, the structure being destroyed only the charred shell remaining to-night. The butter was stored in specially protected apartments and these the fire did not penetrate but much damge is expected from water and smoke. The concrete buildings con tabling cheese is intact. From details available in New Plymouth to-night the loss cannot be fixed but it will lie heavy.

In the Patea fire, ten thousand boxes of butter wer c undamaged. Insurance £II,OOO in Royal Exchange and United Offices. It is expected the machinery will be ready for use again in nine or ten days. The butter undamaged is to be sent to Wellington as early as possible.

FOUND DEAD. DUNEDIN. March 19 Signer Mossop, aged 07 years, employed by the City Corporation as a driver, was found dead this morning on the foreshore of the harbour. Tin* supposed cause was heart failure. THE LABOR CANDIDATE. RAWER A, March 19. Mr Lewis M’llvride, who contested the Wanganui seat a I the General Election lias been selected as the Labour candidate for the Patea seat. The campaign is expected to be vigorous, and a team of Labour leaders promise to work the whole district. COAL INDUSTRY. OWNERS REFUSE CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, March 22 Serious possibilities of further tioublc in the coal mining industry are threatened. The mine owners have repealed, in a letter to the Miners Federation, their refusal to accede to the men’s request for a conference for discussion of miners demands for the new agreement. 'I lie owners state they will refuse unless certain clauses are withdrawn. The Federation declines to withdraw j the claims referred to. The Federation advises that it may take steps to force a conference, failing an arrangement l>eing agreed to lor a conference within seven days. MINERS’ SECRETARY. STATES MEN’S CASE. WELLINGTON, March 22

In a letter forwarded to-day to the Acting-Secretary of the Aline Owners Association, Afr Arbuekle (Secretary of the Miners* Federation) reiterates that the decision of the miners is that they cannot withdraw their six clauses that are protested against by the employers organisation.

Air Arbuekle also replies to the allegation made, that certain statements: made by him were untrue. Mr Arbuekle states that he is prepared to donate CIO to the Wellington Hospital if any such untruthful ness can bo proved, provided that the employers also back up .their statements by similar amounts.

Regarding the matter of the refusal of the owners to enter a conference, the miners’ secretary continues .-—Seeing that your Association has rejected every proposal for a conference, other than the withdrawal of our demands, f have now to inform you that the federation demands that a conference be arranged within seven days, otherwise they will take what steps they deem necessarv to force a conference.