TELEGRAMS VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1921, Page 3

TELEGRAMS

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

i BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. | MUNICIPAL COTTAGES, j WANGANU, April 21 j The Borough Council, by way of an j experiment), has completed the erection oif several municipal dwellings. r ihe cast of four-roomed dwellings, built of hollow concrete blocks is £745, and the cost of four-roomed dwellings, in it lid concrete is £698. The costs in both instances include plumbing and fitting.

j MOUNT LINTON FATALITY. ■ INVERCARGILL April 22. j The recent fatality at Mount Linf ton Mine had a sequel in the Magi- '{ strata’s Court to-day, when Glover i Gray, David Baird, and William Hunt ) were charged under the Mines Act Re- ! gelations with firing a shot without first ascertaining that all persons in. the vic'inty had taken she]te!r, and further with being guilty of negligence in the firing of a shot by which Beid. a miner was killed. Accused pleaded not guilty. Gray J was convicted and fined £5 and rests Jon the first charge, and Baird was conjvicted and discharged. The other in- ] formation was dismissed. The charges I against Hunt were dismissed. Leave to f appeal was granted, j Arthur Morris, manager of the mine, j was charged with failing to see that ; the working of the mine was carried out with reasonable provisions for i lie safety of the persons employed in the j mine, and also with negligence. Both j informations were dismissed.

; YOUNG DESPERADOES. i WELLINGTON, April 22 Several lads were before the court on charges of theft. The evideroe disclosed the lads had refused work, and adopted the life of vagabonds, taking to the bush, and living in tents and caves. They had stolen rugs, etc., useful for the camp life, and food and cigarettes. Thejy tracked a drunken man to a quiet spot and robbed l 'in of a sum of money. The leaders of the gang were sent to a reformatory home.

3 1 A BANKRUPTCY CASE. ’ j CHRISTCHURCH, April 22. ' Before the Registrar of the Supreme j Court an application was made to *»ave j William Allan Hopkins late agent, adi indicated a bankrupt. It was mention'ed that the estate was one of over j £IOO,OOO and the balance sheet ptej pared showed a considerable surplus. ; The Registrar stated that from evdj ence and affidavits lie was satisfied ; there had been evidence of fraud and i that in the interests of the public end I commercial morality the estate should be J administered under the Bankruptcy Act. | HOSPITAL COMMISSION. j CHRISTCHURCH, April 22. | At the Hospital Commission, Bishop I Brodie. on behalf of the Mount Magdala ..Home, asked that the Government J j grant of £BOO be continued. ; j Mr Wharton (Secretary of the North j 1 Canterbury Hospital Board) ndvoc lfed \ j in regard to contributions on capital * j expenditure raised bv levy that the : i Government should pay a subsidy of j I pound for pound. The cost of proposed j capital work's should be raised by j loan. [ LAND VALUATION. WELLINGTON, April 22. Some statomertts of general interest j regarding land valuations and rates j levied thereon were made by the Act- I ing Prime Minister in reply to a depu- ; tation to-day. The deputation referred j to the effect of the valuations recently j made, and asked that the Government ' should make taxes and rates payable ! on old valuations. It was contended ■ that owners of properties, the valua- i tion of which is now in the process of j alteration, would have a better chance j of securing reductions than those whose ! valuations were completed before the I drop in the price of produce set in. j Such owners would therefore have an i advantage over others. Sir Francis Bell pointed out that revaluations were continually being made j generally, at the request of local an- ; thurifies and once they were made the j revaluation became the roll automati- j tally. To hold over revaluations re- j cently made was not within his power, ) and if it were it would have a better j chance of securing reductions than last j year. The only possible remedy was ! for those who had the right to do now to object and for Parliament to consid- j , er whether there ought to be a redne- j . tion this year in tins Land Tax and in j the rates, to an amount which would | , bring their taxation down to a basis of j . valuations of, say, four years ago. He j anticipated, however, that if such legis- ; < laton were proposed, every local author- ; i ity in New Zealand would be at the ; throat of the Government. He promis- j ] ed that the Government would con- j ■ sider the matter and see if it were pos- j ( siblo to devise some method of propos- i ini* legislation next session. 1 < NEW QUARTZ ETNI). ; i ' i MINE INSPECTOR IMPRESSED, i i WELLINGTON, April 22. i I Mr Downey, inspector of Mines, has just returned from an inspection of the ' new quartz roof found four miles from the Manila Road, and 18 miles from Reefton. He confirms the richness of ( the quartz, which is in good solid country. Samples brought to Reefton are estimated to give over 100 ounces of j gold to the ton. All the quartz shows , rich gold. The reef is from five to ■ seven feet wide. It is opened up for two chains. i Two other reefs of 14 feet and three | feet six inches, have been also found a | little distance away. They are not so , rich, but all are highly payable. It is considered that this is the richest stone got south of the line. r Other claims are now pegged out and applied for. 'Hie find is in new conntry, where quartz had not been supposed to exist. i 1