DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1923, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

|_Uk' XiiLISOUAEU —FEII FItESS ASSOCIATION.] PUBLIC' SERVICE ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, July 17. The annual conference of the PublicService Association opened to-day. Mr p. Sinel, president, was in tlio chair. The conierence was addressed bv Mr .Massey, who expressed appreciation ot the work o£ tlio Association, which should be B ei icon raged as an organisation making for ellitaency in the Rublie Service, lie could not say the Public Service Act was perfect. It was proposed in 1913 to amend it, but the war came and altered everything, 'i he Act was far too controversial a matter for the National Government to touch. Certain amendments were made during the war. Personally, he did not like them then, and he didn’t like them now, and when the opportunity came lie* would like to strengthen the Act, always, however, retaining the vital principle of no political control. He congratulated me Association on w appointment of -Ur \ el'sciialielt as Public Service Commissioner. He ban watched -Mr Yerschaffelt’s career, and would lie disappointed ii he did not make a first-class Commissioner. Mr .Massey referred to promotion by seniority. which, lie said, was all right on paper. If a man had qualifications for a good officer he should have the opportunity to come out. As to the rule about being retired after forty years’ service he mentioned that during the last six months a number of men had left the service in choir very prime, ami quite a number were getting outside the service at a higher salary than they over got before that, in addition to superannuation. He would like the Association tc endeavour to find a way out to retain the services of such men to the country as long as possible; men who were as good to-day as ever they were. The President made feeling reference to the death of Sir William l easer. WAR FUNDS COUNCIL.

WELLINGTON, July Hi. So far ns is known hv the War fund: Council, the voluntary contribution ih! 0(101 Is made liy the patriotic people of New Zealand up to .March -M-t. was lur in excess of the re.-nlts nchivtcii in nnv other part ci the Km-pite. lue value" of the total donations was £O.IB-1.002 equal on a capitation _ basis to £5 lfis (id per head of population oi the Dominion. Of this amount £5.75!),- !;!)! was collected by patriotic societies, while .moils were shipped abroad to the value of £557,530. At March, 1923. the sum of £1.385,0(57 remained available to met the various trusts set up under the provisions of the War bunds A: i. 1915. and its amendments. ’1 hey figures are published in a synopsis covering a financial statement ol me War Ruuds Council from the period o! (lie date* of its establishment, November. 1929. The Council aiforcis assistance to soldiers and dependents without delay, consistent with the merits of the case. factory accident. AUCKLAND, duly 17. i Kllen Ferguson. 29 years of age, an ! employee of bedding and mattress. - manufacturers at Grey Lynn, was i endeavouring to replace a bolt on j seme driving machinery whey she got : hot hair caught in the shaft, flic hair was lorn from the scalp, leaving a deep - wound. She was removed to 11n- lm-pi-ta], She is now- progressing luvour- ! ably. OLD MEN DYING.

ASHBURTON, duly 17. Several old men have lately been found dead, they dying miserably e<>!d in llimsilv-built iuds on waste spaces in l':o Asliiiu rl on Coiuiiy. A lev.' nays i> man stubbornly anpi ahd t,, the Magistrate against his removal to an oilleial home. Another (banter was opened tc-iiay. when an old l'ensinner was found banged to the branch of a willow at the riverside near Ashhurlt.ii Bridge. A boy made the d: • mvery. and told bis falln-r. who cut the rope, and informed i..e l.mic-e. Ihe scene of the occurrence is a singular riverside settlement. It. contains about 2d huts, built- of kerosene tins, canvas, and other material, where the muiK-ipality has. permitted old age pmisioners to reside rent free for the past 20 years, but every death has been pillowed by the destruction of a hut. A BAD TRAGEDY. ASHBURTON. .Inly 17. Mr .In-n.ih Sinmiti-.-e is the saddest lm her in New Zealand to-day. Alter sawing a tall pine, he inserted a wedge and walked towards his house, intending to return and complete the job. The u-oe crashed prematurely, pinning bis son. Harry, aged 29, under Dm branches. Apparently he was nut tal.illy iiiiur.-d. Seizing a .--harp axe.’bis father hacked the branches in ih-wiernte haste. He ai-idenlaViy cut his sou's leg which was c-onceaU'd hem-ath Die loliage. The son shouted; •'You've cut me !" It was found neeoasary to saw the tree across. The son meantime bled to death. He was the only boy in a family of seven. appeal upheld. WELLINGTON", July IS. Hulling, a tobacconist of l’etniio, w'ho was (cpvictod under the Gaming Act of using premi.-es in bis occitpati-'ui as a gaming house and up[ ended. Judge Salmeml upheld the upped on the ground that there was no instance of •icts with any other person than the constable who sought the defendant ait and made a hot with him mi two occasions. The Judge heiil that the nroso-.-utien could not, lay proving one or two bets with a single indii iduab call upon a defendant to rebut a mc-:c oas| iejon. These Lets might, in truth, have been episodes in the conduct of an established betting business conducted upon promises in violation of the Act.