DOMINION ITEMS?"

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1923, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS?"

[by TELKCKAPII —TER TRESS ASSOCIATION.]

LEVEL CROSSINGS

WELLINGTON, July 27

The President of the Autinobilc Union dealt exhaustively with the subject, of level crossings in a report presented at- a recent meeting. fit this, he caitie to the conclusion 1 1 1 a r an attempt to throw all the blame ami tesponsibility on tbe llniiwttyway Department was linrea.sonabie and tin justified. The public is always agitating for reduced fares and Heights and on the other hand wants to throw tin enormous extra cost on to the Department. lie said that there were three thousand level crossings in tlie country, and proceeded to show that protecting litem by bridges, bells, wigwags. flagmen, gates, or any known means would cost from L’OtiO.OOO to £8.(190,009 annually. Even then experience showed that accidents could not be prevented, and lie quoted instances where ears and lorries had actually been diivett into train- that were standing still.

".it is now ecogniseil in some countries.” the report continues, “that no device is worth the expense incurred. They are being abandoned ami tlie onus i- being thrown on the use's of the highways.”

He suggested that the most that could be done wav to remove tlie obstructions in the way of trees, hedges and even houses, and possibly to bridge a. few of tlie most busy crossings. Heavy penalties, lie continues, should fie imposed on those who iailed to take due precautions.

AN IMPORTANT JUDGMENT

WANGANUI. July 29

In rel'ei'cme to tin- judgment given by Mr Barton. S.M.. for tbe Crown against- tbe Wanganui Meat Fieezing Company, a claim tor tin- value "1 sheep sold fiy a returned s"blier who obtained payment therefore from the company without disclosing that the stock was under mortgae to tlie Crown, the Magistrate held that, sections 25 and 99 of tbe ( fialtels I muster Act which provide that a stock niortsgsgo must eunta in tlv.o 'brand and earmaik. do not apply to eases where the Crown is the mortgagee.

Tire decision is important to freezing companies and stock buyers generally.

BANKRUPT GAOLED. WELLINGTON. July 29. A Russian l*olo named Joltn Joseph a bankrupt, formerly a draper at Eastbourne, was charged at the Magistrate s Court with failure u> keep hooks. Joseph had lately been employed at Auckland, and was gradually getting "11 bis feet, but as the law did not permit, of a fine he was sentenced to three months' hard labour. I i.e Magistrate remarked that the Supreme Court bud it dow n that | re,'.alien should nut be granted, ill theses eases, and be bad t" uhido 1;v iliai. ruling.

AM ATEI'R PHOTO display. TI.MARU. July 89. A New Zealand amateur photngraphu compel it inn is being held hero tor th. first time. The exhibition will be open ed to-night fiv the Mayor. Result' Invercargill. 1972 mark-: Dunedin IdC-j : Tiniarn. 9'9 ; Wellington circles psl ; Wellimgl on A.P.S.. 919; Chi isl church, .'59 : Auckland. 'B7 : W.mganu not complete.d

S'! LAMER DAM AGED

\\ ELLINGTON. July 30.

SS Alarscllai-e wirelessed that Ihe ship was damaged fere and alter part, [.at 3" S.. Long. 170 E approximately. The' principal trouble is the telemotor steering gear. She does not require assistant e. MANDATE MATTERS. WELLINGTON*. July 27. Sir Francis Bell says the Gnvcrn-nn-iil is awaiting with interest the lull revolt of the Maiquess Thond.nl Us speech Oil mandates summarised in me cables, and is grateful for his endeavour to meet New Zealand's objection to tile’ procedure adopted at the third Assembly of tho League til' Nations. Them is every desire on the part of New Zealand to arrive at a process convenient to the Council if Die League, hut eoiisoiiant with the status assigned to New Zealand hv the Covenant of the League. It is Imped that the second objection raised to procedure adopted last year, under which tlm Committee of the Assembly refused to express its own opinion on points of objection by tile representatives of mandatories to the terms ol the report of the Mandates Commission, will he considered by the Conned and the-Assembly in the same spirit as has been adopted by tlie president of die Mandate, Commission.

FOOTBALLER'S DEATH. Al t KI.AND. July 30 While practising Association l out hall at Devonpart yesterday, James -Alexander Putman, aged 311, collided villi another player, their two heads striking forcibly. Roth men were knocked out. hut l’utman recovered sufficiently to walk home. When a doctor was called in he ordered his removal to the hospital where an operation was performed, hut death supervened during the evening. Putman served nearly lour ve’.rs at the frond.

SAFE BURGLED. WELLINGTON. July 33. Eastbourne Borough is the latest sufferer from depredations of thieves, which is rampant iu.-t now. An <”.nplotee placed £O3 in cash in a safe and locked if. Next morning the safe was still locked, but the money was gone. There were no signs of burglarious entry. RETURNED SOLDIERS' DEATH. NAPIER, July 23. The death has occurred of Mr I'ranels I Frank) Leonard Xockels. wellknown in Napier as a pianist and singer and as a member of the Napier Drphatts' Club- - , . . . , On July sth last deceased visited the Workingmen's Club and complained ot feeling ill. He asked permission to lie down in one of the rooms used as a bedroom by one of the stewarns. Instead of going the proper way round deceased (limbed ifirough a window and stepped on to the roof of an out-bmld-j,m. Bv some means be fell through a small skylight to the concrete floor below. :t distance of about seven feet. He was pick'd up nr.conscious and Dr Graham.’. Robertson was called in. An examination failed to reveal ant serious injury, and Noekels was latei able to walk home. He was Intel taken seriously ill and died. - Tt believed Hun deceased came from tho Mnnnwatu district. He sotted in the Great War, and ever .since had been subject to attacks ot giddi„U. during which' he always sought to lie down. Death was certified a. from natural causes. . . A widow and two young children are left to mourn thoir loss.