TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1921, Page 4

TELEGRAMS.

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION]

STRUCK A ROCK

S.S. ATUA WRECKED. WELLINGTON, May 24

Mr Morris, Secretary-General of the Post Office, has received, the following from the Auckland radio station: “Union steamship Niagara reports having received messages, to the effect that the s.s. Atua struck a rock off Navua at 5.30 p.m. to-day. She has been beached at Naitonitoni. It was added that the passengers would be all right.

LATER The ship Atua was safely beached. SUVA, May 24

The steamer Atua, has a cargo of sugar from Lautoka to Suva. When she struck the reef she began making water in the engine room, and had to be reached at Naitonitoni.

THE GAMING ACT. CHRISTCHURCH, May 24

“As far as book making generally is concerned,” said the .Minister for Justice (Hon E. P. Lee), emphatically today, “I introduced t-lie legislation last session, and so far as I can,-I will endeavour to see that the law is effectively carried out, and I have instructed the police to carry out the law. What seems strange to me is that in the bookmaking prosecutions it is always pleaded that the law is a new one. The law is known to all bookmakers and it is ilso known that people being with bookmakers arc equally liable and tbe police have been instructed to prosecute any person committing a breach of tbe Gaming Act.”

OMAKA WRECK SEQUEL. WELLINGTON, May 24 Judgment was given in tbe Arbitration Court to-day in claims for compensation arising out of tbe deaths by drowning of tbe captain and engineer of the auxiliary schooner Omaka, wrecked off Pencarrow Head in January last.

Tbe question at issue in each case was whether the deceased was a worker employed by way of manual labour so as to bring him within section 2 of the Workers’ Compensation Act. Judgment in tbe case of the captain was given for defendants. The widow of tbe engineer was awarded £SOO and costs £l2 I2s, and funeral expenses £2B.

The mother of an able seaman was awarded £l5O with costs, and the mother of another member of tbe crew £3OO and costs.

UNREGISTERED PRINTING PRESS

THREE IMMIGRANTS FINED. AUCKLAND. Mnv 24

John A. Revan, Michael Angelo Bevan, and Gordon Bevan, recent arrivals in New Zealand were fined in the Police Court £5 for possessing an unregistered printing press. Detectives paid a domiciliary visit to defendants’, horse in Mill Hoad, where they found two power driven printing presses set up, as well as type and other incidentals to a small printing business.

Chief Detective McMahon stated that among the printed literature on the premises were two or three pamphlets ■if American origin with scope of Socialist literature of an inflammatory i.vpo forbidden for sale and publication within New Zealand. Some of the ■a I let work, not of a harmful nature,, which was on the printing press at the time of the raid bore no imprint.

Counsel for defendants stated that his clients had been in the printing trade in England for 30 years and brought the presses with them. Jn England the law did not require the registration of printing presses, being satisfied with the registration of newspapers, and in struggling to gain a business footing in New Zealand, the defendants blindly accepted the statement in the immigration guide book, that “the administration of justice in New Zealand was the same as in England.”

The Magistrate expressed seeplisism about the absolute freedom of printing presses in England in view of the fact that it left the way open to publication of poisonous, literature. Jn any case administration of justice was obviously a tiling apart from the making of laws ns every country must have different laws adopted to varying local conditions. It was equally obvious that the avenue for literature urging lawlessn ss. class distinction and animosity must be under control. FARMERS’ UNION CONFERENCE. MASTERTON, May 2L Tlie ■Wellington Farmers’ Union conference lias adopted remits as fololws: “That the wool brokers be asked to reduce the storage amount now charged.’’ “That the regulations dealing with wool ottered for auction whereby the same can only bo offered twice, be repealed, as its operation is unjust, especially to small growers.” “That the Government amend the regulations as to the sale of wheat, and endeavour to prevent middleman’s profits on the resale of wheat they do not mill.” “That the Government he urged to i the Board of Trade.” On the motion of Mr Hugh Morrison, the Conference favoured the Government taking off the 50 per cent super land tax.

The State aided shipping proposal was referred to the Producers’ Commit-

The Agricultural Department was requester! to adopt a universal ago mark. The Conference rejected a proposal to abolish the branding of cattle. The .Agricultural Department was strongly urged to enforce restrictions against cattle tick. Colonel Young said the Department had the matter in hand, and he shortly would place certain proposals before the Minister which he considered would he adequate. Mr L. Geo. Witters (Poverty Bay), addressed the Conference, and it was decided to support his scheme for farmers to realise on accumulated stocks of wool and participate in n distribution of the £8,000,000 wool surplus held by the Imperial Government.