DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1923, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] MOTION TO DETAIN VESSEL. DEN ED IX, Oct. 2(1. 'Hie Arbitration Court to-day heard a motion by Mr O’Shea for Mr O'Regan (Wellington) for detention of the steamer Treearrel .now lying at the Rattray street wharf, in consequence of an accident to Thomas Oiliurd on hoard the vessel at Lyttelton on October 10th., alien he received a broken jaw and other injuries. Mr Ramsay, for the master of the vessel, opposed the motion on the gtounds that no prima facie case of negligence could be made out on the part of the ship), There was no doubt that the man was injured by a sling falling on him, hut there was no proof that Iho winch was out of gear owing t o the chit eh being out of order. Alter a deal of discussion, the president said that tiie fast way out of the difficulty would be for the Court and the local inspector of machinery to visit the vessel and inspect the winch before giving a deeisou. After inspection counsel were informed that a motion of dction would nol be given.

AN I .WEST IT CUE. WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. The Governor-General lick! an investiture at Government House at 3.30 Uiis evening, at which his Excellency presented to the Honourable Sir Frederick Recalls Chapman his letters patent of knighthood ; to Mr E. V. . Flanagan. Valuer-General, his badge as officer of the Order of the British Empire; to Lieutenant G. H. Cl i I ton. New /calami Stall Corps, the Military Cross: and to Major ('. E. Clittnn, I’orangahau. Hawke's Bay, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces officers’ decoration. His Excellency subsequently entertained relatives and friends oi the reeepients at a small reception. FORESTRY. A I'CKLAND. Oct. 2(5. "in forestry achievements New /.c.iland. with India, was aide to make the best showing at llie British Imperial Forestry Conference, held at Ottawa," said Captain Al'lntosli Ellis, who returned by tlie Niagara from Canada tr-day. The cotii'i ront-e should prove of great value in consolidating and broadening the policy throughout the Empire. Canada's timber resources are bring consumed at an enormous rate hy forest liras and the activities ot pulp and paper companies. On the Pacific Coast of the Cnitcd States the life of private forests, it was estimated, would not extend above til teen to twentv years. fhe lesson lor New Zealand was the need for consolidating and broadening her forest conservation pulicy.

DAVIS CUR PLAYERS. At’CKi.AMi. Oct. The prospects of Australia recovering the Davis Cup in the near Intnro were discussed hy Mr .1. 0. Anderson, captain of the Australian team on the arrival of the Niagara to-day. He expressed the opinion that Tildcti was nut only the bes’t player in the world to-day but; the host player the game had ever produced. Ihe loss ot his linger was not inconveniencing him. On the (itlicr hand, it seemed to have made him concentrate on his game, with the result that he made fewer mistakes than ever. Mr Anderson could not see that the Americans had' manv young players of promise to take the place of the present champions if Richards and Sandy \\ eeuer he excepted, hut it did not seem to him that the former would climb much higher. ‘•r think that in 15121 or 15)28, if we can send our strongest team away. c| ere is a great possihihtv ol recovering the clip." continued the speaker. ‘Wo need, however, to develop another singles player to I ala nee the team in j ln- event of Raters m not, coming hack to cliumpionsliip lurm. Mo have also something to learn about hack lulled play. Race is al-<> a 'Red point, as tennis to-day is taster than ever, Aoart from Mis- Wills, he thought tlie hist of Australian ladies would hold their own with the Amen-

inns. The- Australians plnye-d on t lie Aueklaml Club 1 emits this aftcrilt'oii under wretched weather toiiditons. No "isplny of real form was possible owing to the rain and slippery (art. 1 Bartleet fAm-klaml) heat Mclimes. 3-8. 8-1. 8-8. Schlesinger beat Robson (Auckland), 8-2, 8-1. Aiielersoii heat Hawkes 8-3, 8-1. A nde-rsou and Hawke- h-ttl Sehh-Mti-ger and Mi-lnnes 8-3. 8-1. A CORRECTION. \\-\* ,V<>N. (le i. 27. A message from Auckland published ibis week stated that tlie local Synod carri- el four revolutions on tin- lb e asing question. A later message stated ‘.bat one was carried and throe 10-t. i hi' latter wax obviously meant as a correction. but ax doubts lui<l lie-i n e-auseel as to wliie-H is right, it. may he state-el the hitler is the correct version. ARMISTICE DAY. LONDON AR RANG EM ENTS. WELLINGTON. Oct. 28 His Excellency the Governor-General lias received the following cablegram from the Secretary of State for the ('oloiiies : lli.s Majesty lots approved the following amendment oi the arrangomoms fur tl.e observance ol Armistice Day:

(I) Tiif public service to be held m the Cenotaph :it li ii.in. will lie attended by 11.1v.11. tic Prince of Wales. The service will include two minutes’ silence, the singing of hymns, and the placing nf a wreath by his J{oyal I'lighncss at the loot of the Cenotaph. (-) The service in Westminster Abbey is to be held at 10. Id a.in., as previously arranged. HOSPITA bis’ KIXAXCE. rxiirsix kss i .ike mktttoos. WELLINGTON, Oct. 2(1. For some time past there has been in certain quarters, alarm at the extravagance and the unbusinesslike methods of some of the .New Zealand Hospital Boards. The circular memorandum from Or Valintine, the Direc-tur-General of Health, has made it-

appearance not a moment too soon. Too often membership of a Hospital Board is sought largely as a steppingstone to politics and, under such circumstances, ;i member is inclined to err on the generous side ami please the people, both in regard to the provisions made in the public interest, and in the writing off of money ib to tile Board. In a great mitny eases the debts written olf are incurred by people who can well afford to pay tTioin, but no great effort is made h» the Boards to collect the amounts due. They have really to be paid by the ratepayers, many of whom have to pay their own doctors' and chemists' bills as well.

At a meeting of the Wellington Hospital Board, several members expressed themselves somewhat emphatically on the question. They wanted to know if some better method of collection could not be devised, as the monthly writing off was a farce that should not bo tolerated. “If a business firm conducted its business in such a way,” declared Mr W. Cole, “it j would very soon be included in the list of bankrupts.” He understood that f the total amount of debts written off was over £-10.000. Mi A. J. McCurdy said that calculations made by him went to show that the Board was “going to the bad” at the rate of £3OOO a month. ’ riTCAIBX ISLANDERS. AUCKLAND, Oct. 20 The passengers by the Remuera, which arrived at Auckland to-dav, had

more than the customary passing glimpse of Pitcairn Island and its lonely inhabitants, for the ship not only carried two of the islanders back from London, but also remained off the island for about seven hours, during the greater part of which time some thirty children from shore entertained the ship. It was on the licnmora's last trip Horne that the two Pitcairn Islanders made the big adventure of their lives by leaving their lonely homo and setting out to see tin. world, or. at least, the “hub of the uEirld," London. They were Shelly Warren and Elliott Christian, v-ho are well known to those who have been at Pitcairn a few times. When they got to London they had indeed the time of their lives. The “Daily Mail'’ adopted them, and they were taken everywhere. One day they spoilt in the Zoo, another day at the Tower and St. Paul’s, and so on. They were even taken lip ill an aeroplane. Well-known chocolate, manufacturers had them to their model villages ain 1 loaded them with sweets. Entertainment was provided for them throughout their stay, and they were indeed sorry to sav good-bye to their kind friends in London when tlie ship at last sailed. However, they came away with huge packets of ail sorts of useful articles, and had the satisfaction of knowing that there were tin eagle-eyed Customs officials waiting for them at Pitcairn. When the Rennicra reached Pitcairn about daybreak, there was great excitement among the islanders, who quickly came out in their boats laden with prime, fresh fruit ami the usual assortment of curios; hui, in addition, the children were there, and they scrambled up on deck, much to the ile-light of the passengers. Then the youngsters gave a concert, and for throe or four hours off and on they sang most delightful melodies, sacred and secular. Everybody on hoard was charmed with the entertainment, and ii was quite touching when the time, came lor these men and children to leavo the vessel. When they were hack in their sturdy little boats they sang, “Cod he With You Till we Meet Again,” and the little scene proved ver y all'eciin.g as I lie big ship drew away.