DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1923, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY TELEGRAPH—PEB MESS ASSOCIATION.] ROW ON SHIP. DUNEDIN, April 30. A fireman named Finn, on the steamer Mallia, sustained such a serious injury in a hrawl on the ship that lie was taken to the hospital. It is staled that the injured man struck Tomkinson, a greaser, with a hammer, knot-kino him senseless, when tiie others dealt with Finn. Tomkinson received attention oil the ship. SUPREME COURT SENTENCES. TI.MARU. May 1. The Supreme Court sessions opened to-day before Mr Justice Adams, llis Honour congratulated the Grand Jury on the lightness of the calendar, there lining only lwo cases for consideration. The Grand Jury returned a no hill against Charles Henry Smith, alleged theft, James Myles who had pleaded guilty to theft was sentenced to >2 months’ imprisonment and Frederick 0. Smith, for theft at Wanna to, was found guilty and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and declared a ■ habitual criminal. I! UR CLARIES. DANXEYIRKE, .May I On Sunday three residences in different parts of the town were visited during the afternoon and evening while the occupants were absent and sums of money and a bicycle stolen. The proceed-, of burglaries amounted to about CSO. CHARGE OF THEFT. MASTEETOX, May I At the S..M. Court: to-day, Ralph Henry Percy Cook, accountant in the borough gas office, pleaded guilty To theft of CoOf), the property of the Borough Council, and was committed for sentence to Wellington. ■SOLDIER SETTLERS-. CHRISTCHURCH. April 3d. Since Thursday last, Sir Andrew Russell. Dominion President of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, accompanied by Air W. E. J.endley (secretary of the Cliri.-tehuivh R.S.A.) has visited between fit) and 7!) soldier settlers in different parts of South Canter1, iirv, wfth a view of ascertaining their requirements. “The spirit of the men generally,’’ Air J.cadlo.v said to-night, “is the same spirit as they manifested on active mtviee. and a lot of them are up against stiif hurdles. Some are behind with their rent, and others arc on too high a valuation, and they are hoping the next Land Revision Board, which is at present visiting them, in South Canterbury, will recominmeud measures that will bring some relief; hut we found them all still game.” A sum-

mary is to be prepared of the requirements of the soldier settlers, and a deputation. headed by Sir Andrew Russell will unit on Cabinet some days prior to Sir Andrew’s departure for England, about tiie middle of the present month. PRESSED BY CREDITORS. ALAS'! KRTOX, A lay I. Cook, in a statement, to the police, said he was pressed by creditors, lie look" the money from the cash to help him out. He began gambling on rarehorsss and took more money, intending, 'to pay it back, but he got further into the mire. SUGAR SUPPLIES. AUCKLAND, April 20. The siigtrc:-tie.ii that a further rise in the price of sugar was possible in ttic distant future wax referred to by representatives of the merchants in Auckland vcMerdav, and they gave if

a,:- their opinion that no change wr likely for several months, and tha even if any change took place, thei it would be so small that it would no maid billy affect the retail prices. Dis tributers of sugar throughout the Do minion have been experiencing eon-id erable difficulty in meeting the re quiremeuts of tho retailers during the past few months, said one merchant With the pulsing of the jam season it was expected that the demand vouh ease oil', but. to the surprise of id eoncernecl, this has not been the case In view cl' the fact that a- greatoi quantity lias been distributed througl cut the Dominion dining the past fruit season, as compared with the previous ones, the merchants are of the opinion that the abnormal demand is; causec by the tendency on the part ol con•aimers to purchase more than lboil usual requirements, for which eerlair statements published in the pa-t arc la reel v responsible. It is tiie et nxidered opinion of the merchants rhat nr change in the price is likely to lake place for some months and even then in view of tiie large supplies producer by Australia, over and above their requrenients, any such advance v.ouL probably not be of much consequence.

IIEAYILY FINED. FOR. POSSESSING ARMS. WELLINGTON, April 30. A fine of £2 and 7s costs was imposed on George Sellar by Air K. Page S.M., at the (Magistrate’s Court for being in unlawful possession of firearms. Defendent pleaded guilty, and explained that ho was ignorant of the lawon the matter. I7e had been given the revolver by a Turk after the end of the war, and he would never have brought it to New Zealand had he anticipated this trouble. 'John Ernest Denton pleaded guilty to being unlawfully in possession of an automatic revolver and ammunition. Senior-Sergeant Lander said accused was approached in the first place by a constable, and ho had thrown the revolver into the sea while on board ship. The police were not satisfied, and had to approach aceusd again when ho said ihe revolver had been thrown into the sea off Miramar, and that his first statement wa.s incorrect. This class of offence concerning aiilcmntii revolvers was most serious. Mr Mazeugnrb, on accused's behalf pointed out that he was also an exserviceman, and had been in possession of the revolver. The unfortunate position was that he made a mistake in making a mis-statement to the police when first- approached. Ilis Worship said he would have to impose a fine, in this ease of Cl -I and costs. CHRISTCHURCH ELECTIONS. CHRISTCHURCH. A [ay 1. Further counts have resulted in the return of the following to the City C'euncil:—Alessrs O. W. B. Anderson and A. AY. Heaven (Citizens’ Association), the Rev. Clyde Carr and Airs F. R. McCombs, wife of Air McCombs. ALP. (Labour), and Air AY. H. AVinsor (Independent).