DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1923, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY "111.1X.1t.1PH—I 1 Kit PRESS ASSOCIATION.] COAL CONFERENCE. WESTPORT. Dee. 111. A C oiiferetuv of the mine owners’ ’Jvpre:-eutiui ves and the t epreseiitu-liv.-s oi ti:e Miners’ Union-,, is being held in Westport. The Conference sat. until a late hum to-night, considering the matters in dispute. It resumes again in tin morning.SAWMILL TRAM LINKS. TAU.MAEANTE Dec. 18. The Tuumarantii ( ouniy Conueil. at its monthly meeting di- ti-sed a. Ivifer from the Dirctior of the Slate Tore-t Service <nm-eming the proposal bn- Slate Control ~f sawmill tramlines. The following resolution was carried: "To minimise the frnmma: waste consequent upon Lite monopoly of traiei, in iiu.v existing in various districts. Hiis cmiieil strongly support- the principle of State control of timber tramways so far as is necessary." A CLKEGA'.MAN’S DEATH. WELLINGTON. D, c. lb. Tim (lea: h l- recorded ~i' the Reverend John Reel Glnssou, I’ttstor of Terrace ( ongreg;: Ymial t iittrch for the past .'fit year.-, at the age of (id. ll,'-

not yc, given up his pastorate. lie took the service last Sunday evening, and I "fillin' ill later D ' night. Mfdtial aid was sumtuoued. hut the malady from which he sufiered lor some years (level,qcd rapidly. and death came this niorniug. AnarL trust: his pastorale, deceased’s last public appearance was at the Town Hall tlmtiks--11,. k .ii .Mis.-ioit. when I, delivered a striking addles-, remarking up, it let - i m pres-iou that the A! tssi on had hrottghl a i c.ih-at ion of the presence ol living Lead of i lie ( hoi.!, at the services, and he bad !.-! i a- lahad never done j-i'ct inu.-ly. lE.it li ere was mile one church, of w hi: h the varl >n- communions were a part. DKVONTORT LOAN'S. A I'CK !,A N! >. Dee. RN The ratepayers of Dev,moor! have sanctioned six loan- aggregating £SJ.50; as follows: Fleet rieity. JA 1.10:1: waterworks. £ 10,1; Sewerage. £tj.O'Jit: roads Css'i(); lire station Cx’.i.lMlll: desi met or £l-5.000. U'Ki.CO.ME RAIN !•'« :ii MAR LROROCGH. BI.ENHEIM. Dec. II). During Hie early hours , ! this iieening. steady rain set in. thus lirvakitig the drought which has lend the province in its grip 1,,r th" (nisi lew mouth-. Soaking the parched emm-try-sid',. this ruin will he an enormous lii'lieii! t O the w hole disi rid. t (lie farmer put it this morning as "tip best Via i gi IT which :\:.irlhoroiigh could oes-ibiv have fee -ived,’’ as it means li if'tally the salvation of many -mall lundhokh'i'-. wic -,' , wer,* ta a parlous condition. Ini auntialely the rain is too late to benefit the oat , i i i

crop,, many ol which Imv iireie'd prcntal urclv in lit,* (Ja/mg -no daring the last couple of months. lu,l"ed. in all parts of the district, many flops have already been leaped. The grow,.i ~f peas, liewee r. are rebbir.-.. Ha il hands ill glee. )•-ter,lay 11: ■■ c v.'-re faced with the gloontv |>rn-p, of being compelled to nfiiae.il in thetr > rops which ware v.:theri,n'- t :g!tt o'a. bat the rain v. id set I'am, r.p again, and i f lucre is a rc:i-'omib!o in ri !;>•,• 1 II in a vc'k or iuo. all will l.e well. RKS A !.!.!•:!) AFTER TEN VEXES. TIM XRF. Dcrember 10. It i- reported by the matia.ger-of the M t f ( O t hat a perl ion of a hit - man foot was found three-quarters of :, mi!,, below tbe lb,elm i,t ter Ice fall, at ,Mt Cook. Thex" remains recall a tragedy of tea yea:- ago, when Mr King ol the Alpine ( luh and hi- engaged guides Thompson and Rishmoml. I; .( ilmir live-, earlv in .101 I. in an avalanche at an altitude of s(llil) feet. It i- estimated the! the remains have m.e-e,I nm; it |,.,||- f.-. i a day. ~r apjaox,muit,dy three miles in t, u SIR AV. BUCHANAN HONOURED. XVKLLTNGTON. Dec. ZO. ,\t a -moke convert in honour ol Sir XV. Buchanan, given hy the Agricultural A-so.aation in recognition of his .sett ice- to ilia', holy, an illuminated eddies- signed hv some hundreds of

members wa.« presented. Hum Andcr.'cn who was mining tln.-e pusenl, men! b lied that ii was no.iilv hi) yeais since their guest arrived in Now Zealand. lie leniiudeil hi- heari . that Air Rc.idisn had appointed Si.' \Y. Liu haiian, ( hail man of the Rank ing CommiUc, when the Bank of Nou Zealaml re.-|iiire:l :i"M;iiin: and the reason he in d chosen a political opponent "as because he respected bis integ: ity and hon-'sty. Sir \Y. Buchanan, in reply, cnntr.isied the c< mlitimi of the country "hen lie first came, anil now. Then, there V a- only one road, and two bridges hetiuen Wellingti.u and Mastcrlon. He pleaded lor more education for 1 1) ■ people on the land and remarked tine Vittoria College was not doing anything in U -• way of ,-cientilie farmingSir W. Kurban.in was also presented v :rl l an illuminated album ot W aim - rap. i views. WELCOME RAIN. AUCKLAND. December 20There has been -toady rainfall since vr-.'teiilry afteiiicon in both town and country. "Inch lias completely broken up the diought., a timely relief from a threatening situation, can-. 'I by the prolonged drv spell.

HOTEL BURNT. DAKGAYiI.iI.E. Dec. 2ib i .•ingilcrnri.i I L-t.*!. a twenty-throe .coined "linden building, v.a- totally de-Lrovcd bv lire at d.2n this morning, 'ii'.. building was fai Ily old. and stood oil c: min mding hcigltt. A heavy ga.le "a.- blowing and no water was avnilaole. so it was impossible l" save the Polo! . Tim iicen-ee. I! E. .1. Rea. ami family, abo a number oi boarders It id u foil umit- esca.pe. Insurances on the building " liicli was owned by L. N. Nathan of Auckland ale unobtainable, pp.j, csUimUot bis /o-ss on stock and furi i-.ipv at over £1.00" above insurance.

\VELI.IN(.TON HARBOUR BOARD. WELLINGTON. Dec. 20. 11. E. Xirholls, Secretary of the Wellington Harbour Board since 191*8. is retiring alter liitv years service in various e.-ipacities m the clerical stall v, bit'll is associated with the management of the Wellington wharves. Ihe new secretary will be Mr A. G. Barnett „ho has been treasurer and AssistantSecretary since 1911. H- J. Bigg' tills tlm position wealed by Mr Barnett. WELLINGTON. Dec. 29. The Harbour Board dismissing plans to add a storey to the existing shed, v,herein a restaurant for v atersiders is housed, for the purpose of extending restaurant tuccommodavion. csttmated the cost at,seven thousand, fue Board will ajiprc.ach the .Ship.ping ( ‘iys for a subsidy towards the wo; a. Ibe Hoard also proposes to ask Government to empower it to double Hie j u'sent provison for pensions lor widows and children under the Board’s superannuation fund, with power to paxout of its own fund, the cost of the increase, if the actuarial report shows the superannuation fund is unable to bear the additional burden. Ihe inI crease would cost the Board about j £334 sterling per annum, according to [ the Chairman. Mr Mitchell,