DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 February 1924, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

"-S3S> 7 0Y TF.LEOIUPIT —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] .MATERNITY HOME ENQUIRY. AUCKLAND. Feb. 28. At the Maternity Home Enquiry Dr Makgill, cross-examined, said it was desirable to isolate.suspicions patients. All hospital charts' told only half the truth, where other clinical synipijbtnhad lo be considered. In hi.; opinion the high mortality rate at Kelvin for the period under review, was largely due to the prevalence of influenza. Dr Garrick Robertson gave evidence in the Case of Mrs Dacre, who died from a virulent type of septicaemia. He said medical opinion came to the | conclusou that it was a case oi prior infection and that some latent infection was stirred to violent uctimti v hen the patient got up. MAINTENANCE order case. DUNEDIN. February 27. VVhat is said to be the first case brought before the Court in Dunedin, in. any rate under the Maintenance (>i tiers Act. 1921 (facilities for enforcement) was hoard to-day by Mr Bartholomew , .3. At. The Act enables orders ni;,.'h.' in England to he enforced hero. In Hus particular case a young man was charged with disobedience of an order made in England in 11)21. for DCs a week in respect of Ins' wile. He ci.me to New Zealand alone and allowed payments to fall into arrears. The Wife look action, and the Magistrate tliimoining seteneed tile defendant to one month's imprisonment, the warrant i be suspended so long as lie fluid Cl !7s Od (7s (id towards the arrears) per week. i CHARGE AGAINST LAND AGENT. WELLINGTON. February 27. ! Recently adjudged a bankrupt, Frederick Joseph Fanning, a well-known land agent in Wellington, wu-. called before Mr I’a go, 5.. M.. at the Magisj rente's Court, on a charge of fraudiii hotly converting to his own use £IOO ti ust money, the properly of 'William ’Wl.elan.

According to ( liief-J .(elective Kemp, v ho conducted the ease for the prosecution, com jdailia nl. Whelan, had entered into an agreement, with Fanning's agent for purchase of the Waimnle Hotel at Manilla. A deposit- ut CIO' I had been paid, with the condit ion, however, that the money should lie returned if Whelan was unsuccessful in arranging lor linance or in obtaining his I license. Complainant failed to obtain the license, hut repealed applications to Fanning lor the return of the deposit did not have the desired effect. Civil proceedings were taken in die Cell! t at ll£iworn ami judgment had been obtained again-. Fanning for tin Ldl amount claimed with costs. No | money at all had been paid under tie judgment. j Auer the evidence had been beard aci used entered a pier, of not guilty and "lIS committed to the Suptemo Court I o’- • ri il. AMUSEMENT TAN CRITICISM. WELLINGTON, Feb. 27 The continuum-e- oi the amusement tax provoked ,-ome eiitiei-m and comment from speakers at the annual meeting of the Royal Wellington Choral Union. Mr 1!. Hall said he thought it uas an opportune time to again approach tiie Prime Minister with a view to having the tux abolished. Mr J. U. Burley said that the lax w:w a burden upon all bodies which were striving for the furtherance ol music. He said that the societies were not out to make profit, and that what little they actually made out of tec performances was expended upon the in use of music. “It is high time,” he said, “that the promise given to the various choral societies that the amusement tax should at leasi be reduced was given effect to. 1 hope the Minister has not lost sight of his promise.” The chairman (Mr C'. K. Webb) referred to Mr Massey's' “half pie” promise, and M'tid it would not be the fault of the committee if muisenl bodies in Wellington did not make joint representations lo hint af an early date. It gave the society no pleasure to pay COG in amusement taxes for a year and to got nothing in return from the Government. No one saw where the money went. That was the feeling of most people who paid amusement taxes, and especially of amateur societies. MOTOR CARS FOR CIO. WELLINGTON, Feh. 27 Bargain hunters with a well developed speculative spirit crowded at the harbour shed to-day when between eighty and ninety motor-ears salved fiom the Port Elliott were knocked down to the highest bidders. Many of the machines had been badly crushed, but optimistic people argued that although the bodywork was off colour the engines would lie good. The shed was packed, especially between I and 2 o’clock. Buyers and spectators alike were in happy mood and subjected the auctioneer to much good-humoured banter. The conditions of the sale were that the purchaser was to pay the duty on any machine which he decided to take, also storage charges which amounted to ',£4 oil each lot, and wharfage fees. The duty was assessed on the purchase price, 2 o per cent being added to foreign ears and 19 per cent to importations from Canada. A Rugby ear. for instance, which brought £7O. would cost, the pnrehasetabout £95 in all before he could collect it. The first lot put up for sale by the auctioneer was a Rugby ear, and the bidding opened in the vicinity of CIO. It rose gradually until s.oinebody offered £7O, which figure was accepted by the auctioneer. Two similar makes of car were also sold, but neither readied the £7O, mark. The auctioneer then proceeded to make a round of the shod, and in each case received salisfactorv offers.

GAS ENGINEERS’ INSTITUTE. ■WELLINGTON, Feb. 27. A meeting of engineers and managers of gas works in New Zealand, convened by Mr G. D. Stone, of Wanganui. was held for the purpose of forming a Gas Institute for New Zealand. There was a large attendance of representatives of municipal and company gas undertakings from all parts of the Dominion. Alt Association, to be called the Gas Institute of New Zealand, was formed and office-bearers were elected:— President, Mr James Lowe M.I.C'.E. (Auckland); vice-president, Mr G. D. Stone. M.I.C'.E. (Wanganui) ; secretary. 11. Rands, Af.A.. B.So. (Wellington): treasurer. Mr Al. J. Kennedy (Wellington); members of Committee. Messrs Atkinson (Auckland). Healey (Palmerston North), am] James Kennedy (Greymouth). *

Members met to consider the draft of the proposed regulations affecting the gas industry which the Board of Trade hare under onsideration. The Institute appointed a deputation to interview the Minister and the Board of Trade with the object of securing certain amendments in the proposed regulations. It* was decided to hold the next annual meeting in Auckland.