TELEGRAMS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1921, Page 1

TELEGRAMS

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION] A NAUTICAL ENQUIRY. DUNEDIN, August 11. The Nautical Enquiry into the collisf ion of the barque Rothesay Bay and steamer Calm in the lower Harbour on July 7th. has commenced. - Cambpbell master of the barque i stated the vessel arrived from Hobart with timber and was towed to Carey Bay anchorage. Riding lights were put in position. When lie came on deck after the shock ho hailed the steamer and asking name, heard no 1 reply. A question submitted by the Department was whether Braidwood the master of tho Calm failed to keep a sufficient look out or to keep the Calm sufficiently to the starboard side of the channel; whether Campbell failed to display and keep burning proper riding lights: whether the harbour Hoard pilot failed to anchor the barque in a safe anchorage, far enough from the fairway, and it was stated a turthor possible question might he whether the Calm failed to give her name when hailed. msON-KRS SENTENCED. CHRISTCHURCH, August 11. His Honor Mr Justice Herdman presided over a criminal sitting of the Supreme Court yesterday. Charles Downing, alias' Lawrence, labourer, twenty one years of -age, was brought up for sentence for stealing a bicycle and for breaking and catering and theft. His Honour said that the prisoner would Ire sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour uit each charge the sentences to he concurrent. William Henry Davis was charged witJi having made a false declaration at the registration of the birth of a child and Clarice Lela Thomas was charged with aiding and abetting him. His Honour said that a highly satisfactory report had been made by the police. Davis would he lined £lO in default one month’s imprisonment, and a conviction would be entered against the female prisoner. MIRCANTHE MARINE MEDAL, i WELLINGTON, August 10. During tho war men of the mercantile marine rendered magnificent service, and this work has been recognised by (lie issue of special mercantile marine I medals. For some time now the authorities have been issuing ribbons. As yet no medals have come *<> hand. hut as they arc now being distributed in Australia it is probable that they will arrive in New Zealand shortly. The mercantile marine medal is of bronze, with the King’s head on one side, and on the other a stemner going full steam ahead. Beneath the vessel arc the words, “For war service; mercantile marine 1914-1018.” The riband is of red. white and green, the colors being arranged vertical!v like the navigation lights of a merchant vessel un der way. This is the first decoration specially awarded to the mercantile marine. The transport medal given for service in Hv South African and China wars. I90(i and 1902. was awarded only In officers serving under special engagements on trnopdhip*. THE .TAM EMBARGO. WELLINGTON. August 9. Mr W. 0. MacDonald. Chairman <rf the Board of Trade, whit the authority of the Hon. 0. .1. Anderson. ActingMinister of Industries and Commerce, made to-day a statement in "ference to the Order-in-Coimci! prohibiting the importation of Vustralian jam nd preserves. Certain newspaper clitics said Mr Macdonald, had not given nlcquutc thought to the fnctp necessitating prompt Government action to -eifogttaril tho Dominion’s fruit-growing and jam industries against the disastrous effects of unrestricted Australian dumping. The order was not aimed against the cheapness of the jam, hut against the unfair competition of bounty-fed imports. The Australian inm-makers paid about the same price for sugar as the Now Zealand manufacturers, hilt to enable the Australian makers to develop external trace, the Commonwealth Government., controlling th- 1 sugar trade, recently granted refund of c2O per toll on the sugar used in exported jam. This reduction •mve I’m Australian jam-maker a very large margin to undersell New Zealand manid" • hirers. The New Zealand Government had not statutory power to impose a duty off-setting the bounty or to grant an equal bounty to Dominion makers. The only practicable course, therefore, was that which was taken, otherwise the Australian jam industry would have benefited at the expense of the New Zealand fruit-growing industry which was just now recovering after the difficult war years. As Viistrnlin’s 020 rebate applied only to sugar used in oxjwrted jam. tho New Zealand Government was obliged to take effective action against tin 1 scheme to hrin the \ustralian industry in a measure proportionate to the injury likely to lie inflicted on the sifnilar industry in the , Dominion. .i(;F ut RFT IKIvMENT. WELLINGTON, Aug. 9. > It is stated by the " New Zealand Times " that the Amalgamated Society oi Itailuav . .ervaiils is strongly urging that all public servants eligible to retire after over forty years’ service should be retired. Tho question of relrenchmenl in the I’tthlis Service lias been discussed at various branch meetings and the opinion expressed that before anything else is done in that' direction men of over forty yours’ service. entitled to retire, should he culled upon to do so. Strong protest was made against the dismissal of men not entitled to pensii ns as long as those after the age of retirement are retallied,