VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1921, Page 4

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

TELEGRAMS.

[BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION]

LIBEL ACTION. WELLINGTON, Juno 6. The Supreme Court was occupied all day in hearing an action for alleged libel by Rev J. K. Archer,' of Christchurch, against the New Zealand “Times” claiming £ISOO damages. The case arose through an editorial comment in the “Times” on Marxian principles, alleged to be held by Rev Archer, who had been appointed Teacher under the Workers’ Educational Association. The case is unfinished.

WARNING TO HOTEL KEEPERS

DUNEDIN, June 6

At the annual meeting of the City Licensing Committee to-day Mr H. A. Widdowson, S.M., Chairman, said a great deal of illicit business was done after hours, and the Committee wished him to warn hotel keepers that this sort of thing must cease. He also drew attention to extensions of bars and means of obtaining liquor, which had had the effect of curtailing accommodation to the public. The Committee felt that something should be done in the direction of showing more consideration for visitors and providing them with more accimmodation. Another matter brought under the notice ol the Committee was in regard to the number of women and children seen in hotels in the vicinity of the bar obtaining liquor. Women were obtaining liquor and children were with them. Still another matter was in regard to boys selling newspapers. These boys were allowed to hang about bars. The committee thought that these lads should lie kept out of hotels altogether.

CLAIM AGAINST MEDICO

CHRISTCHURCH, June (i

At the Supreme Court, before Mr Justice Herdman, Ada Fleming, a married woman,, proceeded against Maurice Louisson, a medical practitioner claiming £1730 damages for alleged negligence in treating her during an illness. Plaintiff claimed that in Lite course of an operation, the defendant negligently and unskill ally either left in the wound certain swabs, or allowed those who were assisting him in the operation and acting under his control to do so; and also that after the operation the defendant omitted to explore the wound in order to ascertain rf any foreign body was present in it. and that when dressing the wound he omitted to use sterilised instruments. The defence was a denial of plaintiff’s allegations. The case is unfinished.

BUSHMAN KILLED. NAPIER, June 6

A workman named Nuttall was kilim at Taradale this morning by a falling tree. While trees were being felled one hung on another, and the latter fel without warning, a branch striking deceased on the back of the neck aw death was instantaneous. Nuttall wa: a married man with five children.

ItA 11,WAY (TIOSSINC FATALITY TIM ARE, June G

A mail who was just able to give his name as Thomas Shannon, before he died, was fatally injured by being struck by the second express about a mile north of the railway station, lie was seen walking along a footpath parallel with the line, and was struck where the path crosses the line, and carried about 25 yards and thrown clear. He died on the way to the hospital. It is surmised that he came from Christchurch, where a man of that name was known to a police officer live or six years ago as a single man living at Sydenham. Apparently lii> was about 45 years of age. An inquest will he held to-morrow evening, when the train men will he available as witnesses.

THE BONUS

EMPLOYERS’ CASE

WELLINGTON, June 6

Mr S. E. Wright, Auckland, representing th(> employers, said the present was a most anxious time for employers throughout the Dominion, who were faced with a big falling off in trade, varying from 10 to 50 per cent. Already a number of hands had been pul off. Consequently a .much larger number of men were applying for work. Most employers were doing their best to assist in keeping staff's employed as long as possible, hut necessity knew no law, and stocks could not he accumulated indefinitely. Financial pressure on employers was extreme. What they must aim at, he claimed, was increased production", and that at a lower cost. The standard of living would not necessarily lie reduced. A final adjustment might take time to develop, but eventually natural laws of evolution must prevail, and all tilings find their normal level. Trade would not revive until the consuming* public was convinced a normal level had been reached. With falling prices they must have a fall in the cost of production—that was, in wages, or have increased production for the same wages. These would not really he detrimental to wage earners. Their watchword for the present must he: ‘Production and economy in all departments.” Any addition to wages would result in many workers being thrown out of work. Employers asked for workers to co-operate. Decision was reserved.

MISSING. WELLINGTON, Juno 3. A well-known hardware merchant, Mr Joseph Tonks, has disappeared. Mr Tonks visited a 'Wellington business man at 12.15 p.m. on Tuesday, but sinc e then, beyond a possible clue contained in a statement that a man was seen wandering aimlessly about the vicinity of tile cutting;; leading iiom Seatoun to the quarry near the Heads, nothing has been heard *or seen of him. Search parties are out, but no trace of the missing man has been discovered. Mr Tonks is said to have been suffering from a nervous breakdown.