VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1921, Page 1

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

(BY TEDEGHAI’n —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. RAILWAY FIGURES WELLINGTON, August 25. [ The railway traffic returns gazetted to-day show a total falling off of 310.27 in the number of passengers, a drop o' 239,400 in the number of cattle, sheep, and pigs carried, an increase of 151,217 in tons of timber, minerals, and other goods carried during the period April Ist. to July 23h1., 1921, as compared with the corresponding period last year For the, same periods the total revenue of the North Island railways was £1,258, 27!) and £1,139,083 respective, ly, and the expenditure £1,186,403 and £798,730, or 94.29 and 70.12 per cent, of revenue respectively. For the South Island the figures compare as follows, those for 1920 being given in parentheses: Revenue, 866.462 (L'836,876); expenditure, £933,436 (£674.559); percentage of expenditure to revenue, 107.73 (80.06). • 1 The Dominion totals arc as under: Revenue, £2.124,741 (£1,975,959); expenditure. £2,119,810 (£1.473,281) • percentage of expenditure to revenue. 99,77 (74.56). urewera lands. WELLINGTON, August 25. Good progress is being made in regard to the consolidation of the Government and the Native land interests in the Urewera country. In the Runtoki district, matters have been definitely arranged, and negotiations are now proceeding in regard to a reserve of 20,000 acres. At AYaikamnoann there is a forest area that it is advisable to acquire for the conservation of the waters of the lake basin. The I action of the Native owners in giving j 20.000 acres of land as their contribi:- i tion towards the cost of mailing has largely simplified this issue. The sites and direction of the roads will he fixed with due regard to the interests of the Government and of the Natives. GAMING ACT CHARGES. AUCKLAND, Aug. 26. At the Police Court to-day. John Weston was fined £IOO for having kept- } a common gaming-house known as the Waverley Club. I A similar charge was laid n.oiinrt | Edward Williams, but the information j was amended to assisting, and lie was j fined £SO. Frederick Lovelock was fined L‘ls on ’ each charge of betting at tntalisalor J odds and publishing charts on the Can- j ferburv Jockey Club's recent meeting, j Tim offeree was committed in an hood bar. A BY-LAW CASE. | . j GISBORNE. August 25. A case of considerable importance to motorists. Borough of Gisborne versus Matthews, ex-chairman of Conk County was decided to-day. Defendant j was charged with driving a private | motor-car within the borough without holding a license to drive issued by the borough. Tn his judgment. Mr Barton S At., said lie clearly was of opinion that, it was competent for the borough b> legislate effectively for Hie protection of its citizens and regulation of traffic by requiring all drivers within its streets to conform to a standard of competency. Mr Barton .however, held that the by-law in question, as drafted, was defective, oppressive and unreasonable and dismissed the information.

A BURGLAR’S CRIME. TIM.ARE, Aug. 27. ('unstable Christopher did not see the murderer, and so far there is no trace of 1 la l miscreant. li appears that four shots were fired one taking ell'oct, entering Dorgnn’s right- hrenst and proving fatal within a few minutes. Another slioi went Mm nigh the lop of bis shako. Dorgan nas 38 years of age, and leaves a widow and llireo children. NO CLUE VET. TIM \R F, Aug. 2 There is little to add re the murder of Constable Dorgan. lli.s torch was full ml in lbe corner of the yaid, and shuffled footprints prove that some (•basing if not a sciill'le, occurred belore t be shoot ing A post mortem was held last evening and tln' bullet extracted. All inquest will be opened to-mor-row. At'piesent there is no clue to the culprit. The police are up against a blank wall. The Minister of Justice lias scut lnspeelor llastie a message ol condolence Inr Constable Dorgan’s widow and family. The funeral takes place on Tuesdav afternoon.

MON ('OATHS AT TF AWA.M FTF. FLFCTRIC SITI’LY AND RAILWAY ('OXSTIUTTIOX. Tlv AWA.M FTF. Aii”;. 27 Tin- lion .Mr Coates, .Minister lor Public Works, visited To Awamutu yesterday and inspected Annahue Soldiers’ Settlement, which is one o| the most suceesstul in the Dominion. He attended the switching on ceremony. when Mrs Coates touched the button. Hooding To. Awamutu with deIl ie light. The supply is from 11 1 ra bora. r |'he announcement was made that the Power Hoard had arranged a ten years’ loan of KF'.OOU in Australia at par, 7 per cent being the balance authorised to complete the district scheme. A hundred dairy plants will he connected within a week. Mr Coates, replying unfavourably to a deputation re the proposed I’utaruru railway scheme, said he believed the past policy under which the railways had resulted indiscriminately from promises of a (iovernment or Minister was wrong. The. policy should he lirst, that the Public Works should survey and estimate the cost of various possible mutes. Next the Railway Department should determine the best route lor rolling stock, finally, the Agrieultui al Department shorn! report on prospective tradio so that prolitable lines only would he built. Concerning electricity, the (iovernment was looking to places like To Awamutu to demonstrate Clio existence of the demand for electric power on dairy farms.