BOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1924, Page 4

BOMINION ITEMS.

[by lilt. EG KAMI --fmt'spf ASSOCIATION*.}

STRAWBERRY SEA^X. ALT iv LAND. J • The strawberry sea-on i.- < t-tied. , spell of hot weathc-r during < ■ tiv-- n three weeks prior to Christmas having terminated the yield. Good in-.-r age prices have prevailed through:,til te season. Had there been a plentiful crop, prices would no doubt have ruled on a much lower level. The amount of fruit reaching tlie market has been less than in previous seasons. On account of the holidays, only a few crates have recently been brought to market, and as high as 3a chip was secured, a very notable price. A FI UK. JIXVERCARGIT/L. Jan 2. A serious fire occurred in the ‘‘Southland Xews" office ut 0.30 tliis morning, resulting in tlie total destruction of live linotype machines, and three others being badly damaged. Owing to the fireproof construction of the building, the Homes were confined to the linotype room, the roof of which was destroyed.

Tin' (Inmage, v.liieh is npiuoxmi.'U ly £BOOO. is covered by insiirnneo in t!i.. South r.niisii OKiee. It vriil b-‘ sovern! weeks before (lie nnultu'iory enn be replaced. There was no puhiication to-day. but arrangement:; have been made for n continuous issue troni j to-morrow. Sri-fltri! DKI'OSITS. .UVKI.AN!), dan. |

Major A. 0. Kent-Johnstone. of London, who arrived at Auckland h.v the Ruahiue la-t mouth, left for AHiite Island to-night. A company was recently formed in England to re-open

and work the sulphur deposits at the J island, and will depend on the report j which Major Kent-Johnstone ' will j make as to whether tlie venture villi he proceeded with.

A SKIMOI'S CHARGE. AT'CKLAX f). Dee. 31. The liinger-prints of a man arresled at Atu-kland for drunkenness Lidweek are said to lie ideime.il "bb those of a man of flic same name oho broke hail and nb-ronded in Wellington in T.ll i when awaiting trial at the Supreme Court on a charge ol manslaughter. Patrick Kelly, aged 37. pleaded guilty at the Police Court on a charge of drunkenness, and was lined 12. in default' three days, lie wa- further charged thal being a person admitted io bail to answer a. charge of manslaughter at the Supreme Court. V-.V!-lington. In connect nut with the alleged manslaughter, he said Kelly had been employed by a man named Knvanngh, at Kaivarra. He had, the prosecution would allege, diitcn •' dray along a road at night withoni lights, and a motor-cyclist had pitched into the vehicle in the darkness. Miinjuries proved fatal. Alter evidence had been heard in the Police Court, the driver of the dray was eomnntled to tlie Supremo Court ior trial, and was allowed hail. For the past nine years Hie police had seen nothing of Idni. and it was due entirely to the iingor-priut system that this man had now been traced. All- .1. \Y. Poynton. S.M.: \ very foolish man to go and get drunk! A reused was remanded to appear at | Wellington.

( iIIXA.MA.V IUVI JIVKi >. it \VA X I AN i I .!;11111;i i v ! I Tli' 1 |r» * 111 isrs ol Oonii I .tv. Iniitvici'. ] .\<• Parade, v. it*> • >ur>ilnrionsly en- n tcK'il and L'7 ii, minify, ami a 'luantny J iij ciVniett,'> -Inli'ii, Time UH'ii wem I, [ ariv.-t.'d in-iiiidit. AN A-•"•At!.'id i i U't'ivl.ANl). ,lan. A ]I.

I i,,,:!u, .Mr ( F! -so, m ire'. ■•!' | iho F'pr,i IJ i m , v. ;i > tin’ i '•! a | hinrt i|;i>!:'idly a»aulr. !iy u limit ; m i received sown l injuries t" hi- 'mm.!. Mr Edgares, „ h,, had earlier in : in- »• vfiiiny; returned from attending a l lira trifiil picnic ilnv.ii 11 1 • liar ho is’, decided in '.'ii ti>r a sin, n wall; IkTi r. ret i rlii”'. Ii wills ju-st aliiiiil .1 i=‘* In !v will'll hr Mils going In 11i-s !i"l | i ■ H Princess *treel. Ho had just Imu- il I lie h' : 1 ai Kmih | iliii-i’ :; *i * 1 "ail op p< sit,. tli.> A iicl;l:i in! Mario.' ( >l>'s offices wlien lie suddenly r-'e v. ! a. severe lilov." iiu ill” I a 'in l Mil r i;i :> 11 I him col n] »lm i*i r. Ml- Kilcar,,. s ,o:i ir j envied, hut ill I d see liohndy, nor i'"uld lie hear anyone ahnui. and th ' 1 ML'.-, wrapt ill quietude. Bleeding Fee 1/. Mi Kdniifi's made his way home, lull all aurinpts ti; get a ilurtnr <m ihe telephone I’uilod, and he eventually had In go to the police station. Here •!.’• services of T)r Tewsley were ser-urod, ami it was tumid necessary to put lour stitches in a had cut on the tempi". The millive for the ns'euli is a mystery, as no attenijit v.as made to roh Mr Edgares. His assailant simply slni' k the l.'low and lied

riIAXCKS IX SAAIOA. A rt'K LA X D. Jan. Ail important address was delivi red hy .Major-General Richards mi at, :l liii'Kfiv attended mooting held nt Apia mi Xmas Kve on lii- rot urn to Samoa from Auckland. •'Since I‘d-0." lie .-aid, ? "the Government lias, in tin' interest• - of Samoa, spared no expense in cndeii- ' vniiriiip to cultivate and improve limit ’ plantation-, so that they could sub-e-----(ilicnllv he made available iur lease < ‘ ■ sale to private planters, and the Government has now decided that the time has arrived to pive an opportunity tor all the . .-tales to he made available 'or lease to private enterprise. Tenders will he accepted for (a) all plantation?, or (h) separate plantations, or (e) appro' pates of several plantations. Jit the public interests the New Zealand Government has for several years carried on various trading concerns in Apia, viz. a huiehery. dairy, ice norlcs, humdry. restlionse, etc. Authority lias

been given for those activities to ho j terminated, should i deem it advisable to do so. They will, however, be iirsi made availalbo for lease. Although the taxpayers of Samoa do not hear the whole cost of the administration, and could not carry on the present netivi ties without the assistance of New Zealand. it is thought that the cost of administration is too high in proportion to the total trade of the country. AA itli a view to effecting a reduction in the administration expenditure, the Govern, nieut has approved of the proposals for j a gradual reduction of the tariff, and j also a new scale of pay. which, ttnfor- j tunately for those concerned means a reduction in the total emolument-.. Tit-: Government wishes to ensure that the salaries are commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the respective appointments which it is considered the new scale provides for all. The overseas officials who do not preier to serve under the new conditions, will have their passages paid hack to New Zealand, if they so desire. Several thousand pounds will he saved by these reductions."

After dealing with the question of Chinese labour, General Richardson concluded:—"The release of the Crow"

estates to private enterprise'is also a very important change, and should result in an increased production. The Government of New Zealand has done, and wTll continue to do, its utmost lo promote the welfare of Samoa. W ith this assurance it remains for eacit individual to support the Government in its efforts, and for all sections of the community to remain united, as at. present. If we all pull together av'l