DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1923, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[P.Y TELEGRAPH—PER PJIESB ASSOCIATION." ALLEGED THEFT. WELLINGTON, -May 24. Acting on the motion of the Government Auditor, who has been scrutinising the hooks of the Wellington branch of the Repatriation Department, Detective NTitta.l! yesterday arrested E. IT. McCardlc, who tor some three years past has been accountant to the branch, on a charge of theft of two sums of money viz. £l3O and £IOSO from the Government Department, "bile in a position of trlisl. It is understood the alleged defalcations extend over a edusiderahde period.

HARBOR BOARD CHAIRMAN. WELLINGTON, .May 21 Mr G. Mitchell, ex-.AI.R-, was last night elected Chairman of Wellington Harbour Board and Air H. D. Bennett. Deputy Chairman. INANGAHf'A COUNTY COUNCIL. [ REE ETON, .A lay 23. | O. A. AleA icar, was to-day reelected County Chairman for Inatigallila. A USTiU LI-AX I" NOES HUB LES. WELLINGTON, May 23. Two young Australians, Frederick Leo AA ilJipms, a.ud Tliomak Henry Murray, at the. Magistrate's Court today’ admitted the charge of burglary at .McKenzie's shop, Wellington, and stealing jewellery valued at £2OO. They Were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. They arrived a t Auckland seven weeks ago, having stowed away on Hie Mnluira from Sydney. I hey had spent much of their time m gaol since a; rival. They took the stolen goods to Frankton, where these "cie recovered by the police in the left luggage office.

ADVANCES TO EX-SOLDIERS. DUNEDIN, -May 21. It is understood that the statement made by Sir Francis Bell as to the Oovoniiucnt having to stop for the present applications for advances under tlie Soldieis’ Settlement Act relates principally, if not wholly, to the linancing of town dwellings. BE AU MO N'T EX PI.OSrOX. DUNEDIN, -May 23. The other men injured in the blasting explosion at Beaumont were Socles, Wade and Ganger Dickson. The latter liadi to be dug out from a fallen rock. His injuries consist o.’ dislocated hip and fractured ankle The accident occurred at the second last, the rock evidently retaining sufficient heat fioiu the (iist explosion tv; ignite prematurely the second. It was only necessary to bring I'.'oemnn to Dunedin, and the others were aeeimililodi ted at the Lawrence Hospital. I.A HOUR LITER ATURE. Cl IR fSTCII URCII, May 23.

The Christchurch Gasworks’ Employees’ Union has passed the following motion in connection with banned literature: “We utterly Shldcmn the attempt of tlu* powers that he to decide wlinl we shall read. AYe stigmatise the censorship of working class literature as an insult to uiir intelligence, and an attack on mil class, ami hi; pledge ourselves, individually ami collectively, to work for its abolition. ’’ DEATH OF A CHILD. AYELLINGTON, .May 23 A six-vear-old child, Catherine Sniylli, who had been admitted to the hospital for an operation for adenoids, died under an anaesthetic. The doctor, who administered the anaesthetic, said that particular care was exercised in those eases, in cross-examination lie stated that it was usual to allow a junior house doctor to administer the anaesthetic. Such cases were uncommon. The last one occurred Throe years ago. The Coroner found that there was no negligence, and that every care had been taken.

IXQFHST OX A. I EXT A L HOSPITAL ESCAPEE. CHRISTCHURCH, Alay 23. The adjourned inquest eoiicerning the death of the woman escapee from the Suimysido 'Mental Hospital, ■ who died from injuries received by being run over in the Lyttelton tunnel on Saturday evening, was concluded to-day before Coroner Widdowsnn. After further evidence had been heard, the Coroner said that one could only conjecture how she got the injuries. She had told the doctor that she had fallen off the train. It might he thought at first sight that she had deliberately chosen that way to end the life as her statements as to why she was going to Lyttelton were only ex-, eases. They were not reasons at all. If she had intended to take her liie in the tunnel, she was exceedingly cunning about the matter. Although she was looked on as a suicidal patient at the Mental Hospital, there was no direct evidence that she threw hcrscll oil the train, and there was a possibility hat she might have fallen otf. as she said she had. The Coroner said that, under the circumstances. lie would return the following verdict:—“Tint the deceased coed of shock through being run over in the Lyttelton tunnel by a railway train from which she had fallen.” Regarding the escape of the deceived from'the Mental Hospital the Coroner said that it was a matter for conjecture how the patient did escape, hut it. wits o very infrof|Uciit o<ciiitoiho.

ELECTION PETITION. OVER MAYOR AH CONTEST. IXV ER C A ROT LL. May 23. An election petition was hoard at the Magistrate's Court- by Air F. Cruiekskank. S.M.. in connection with the recent Afayoral election for South In-

vercargill. The petitioners set out that persons had voted who had im electors’ qualifications. also that a certain person, illegally on the roll, was permitted to vote; that certain electors on the roll were prevented from voting on the Mayoral election ; and that \oiiiig. F" 1 -'rs wore treated informal. The election resulted in a tie. and it was decided bv lot, Mr John Alitchcll being declared elected. The At agistrate ordered a recount before a member of the Court staff, and doubtful votes to he referred to the Magistrate, the petition being adjourned for a week.

DAIRY FARAIFib's. PALMERSTON X.. Alay 23. The Dominion Conference of the Dairy Farmers’ Union to-nignt approv'd of the following resolution moved by Air P. J. Small (Wairanga) I “That to safeguard the interests ot dairy farmers, threatened by the lifting of the nforatorionm, the Government be urged to appoint a Royal Commission ,f three practical dairy farmers, and one Government representative to iniatiate enquiries in the various districts.’ A remit was submitted by the Auckland province for the “encouragement of the principle of voluntary reduction of mortgages in preparation for liftoing the moratorium,” This° was lost.