TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1921, Page 4

TELEGRAMS.

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

[IiY TELEGRAPH—* Ell PRESS ASSOCIATION]

PRISONERS SENTENCED

WELLINGTON, July 22

WiJlliam Grant charged with escaping from custody at Wellington, and with violent assault on a China man at Invercargill, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, and declared an habitual criminal. Trevor Cargill, for theft of J6OO from the Union Bank of Australia, at Nelson, received two years; Philip Paul tor bigann thr-e/e yeartf reformative treatment; Henry Turner for forgetry, twelve months; and James Gresen, theft and forgei'y, two years.

POACHERS FINED

TTMARTI, July 21

Two young men were before tin Court to-day charged (1) with unlawfully killing opossums on a game sanctuary at Mt. Nimrod, (2) with being liUnlawfully i.<j possession of a live opossum, and (3) with being in possession of opossum skins. This was the first case of the kind in South Canterbury. One of the defendants was fined £6 and costs, and the other £5 and costs and the skins which had been taken from them wore confiscated. The ranger who caught thorn, tool possession of their rifles, hut the Magistrate ordered that these be returned to the defendants.

found shot. BLENHEIM, July, 25. George "William Dnikee, aged 35 vafound dead in a wharc from gunshot wound. He left a note saying he was tired of life and intended shooting himself.

COST OF BUM.DING

INTERESTING FIGURES

WELLINGTON, July 22

Before the Valuation Court it war stated by Mr Martin, of the Valuation Department, regarding Imilding cost 1 that in 1905,' taking an average five roomed house, the cost, per square foot of floor space was Us fid. In 1903 tha' price increased to (is Sd, and in 1907, il was (>s 10d. From .July, 1907, until [9OS there was a slight slump in the Dominion and the price dropped to f>Id. The price rose to (is 7d in 19(1 and increased as follows in consequent years s <1 1910 7 0 1911 7 2 1912 7 fi 1913 7 9 1914 S (i 1915 10 (i 1910 ’ 11 3 1917 II fi 1918 Hi fi 1919 17 fi 1920 20 0

The same type of building to-da\ costs from 20s to 22s (id per square l fooi of lloor space for the best class of Imild ing material. The valuing system employed by (lu Department was based on a sliding scale, varving from 15s to 20s ix’i

square foot, according ic type of buil ing and material 1 ises. At a later stage .Mr .Martin sto:. that la- quite believed the cost of hui! ill •_< would come do.vn. ■

POLICE FORCE. TRANSFERS AND PROMOTIONS WELLINGTON, July 22 The following additional transfers and promotions in the police force tin announced:— Sub-Inspector Willis is transferred from Wellington to Dunedin, to replace Sub-Inspector Murray, who litis been promoted to the rank of Inspector, and transferred from Dunedin to New Plymonth where he will Lake charge. Inspector Hutton, New Plymouth,is transferred to Gisborne, to replace Inspector Cassells, who is transferred to

Christchurch to till the vacancy caused by the promotion of Inspector H end rev to the rank of Superintendent in charge to the Canterbury division. Senior-Sergeant Fitzpatrick is transferred from Palmerston North to Gisborne to replace Senior-Sergeant Quin, who goes to Rotorua. Const,‘title S. J. Martin, <>f Auckland, has been promoted to the rank of sergeant, and trail stored to Palmerston North, to replace Senior-Sergeant Fitzpatrick.

SECRET COMMISSION. Wellington, .inly 22 At the Magistrate’s Couit to-day, Donald Campbell, for some years ehiel steward on the Amokura, was fined ,C2< for attempting to get a secret c«mmission of 2.) per cent on goods supplied to vessels by the New Zealaiu Co-operative Distributing Company. Aa matter of fact, Campbell laid .not received any commission. His cottnse said he had not been the first to suggest the arrangement, hut had I'allei in with it. The penalty for default was fixed tit two months' imprisonment.

DECREASE in BEERr-DRINTCTN(J. DUNEDIN, Jullv 21. An extraordinary falling off in b r '<‘r drinking is noted in and about Dune din, especially by suburban hotel-keep-ers, and the Otago breweries are finding a marked slackening in orders from the North. Questions on the subject lead to the belief that such is the experience right through New Zealand. There is usually a slight falling off in beer when the winter cold sets in, but the reduction noted this year goes quite beyond the normal, and nobody can account for it, except by the suggestion that unemployment or the dread of unemployment is inducing economy and a cutting out of luxuries.