DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1924, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

UY TEl.KClltAl’ll I'JtliSS ASSN., COPYKIGHT. SCI IDDI. TKAUII Elt’S l!()l)Y FOUND I’A 1.. M I'II’STON X., dune 27. The liotly of ;i man found in the Alaiiawatu River at l , 'oxtoii yesterday has lieen identified ;is that of Krnest Stuart Melteaii, aged HI, it school teacher who resided at Palmerston .North. The deceased was reported missing to the police < it April -7th Ite-t. Later it was reported that the hotly of a man had hoeu seen in the .Maiiawatu River near Palmerston Xorth. Inti despite ;i vigilant search, it wtis not recovered. The hotly wtts in an advanced state of decomposition, living identified hy the clothing. CYCLIST SUFKKRS (OMISSION. cnttisTCTirrcii. dune 27. I liroiigli the '.folks of Ids bicy.jlo breaking when he "as cycling near the Railway Station yesterday. :i man named Andrews foil to the ground and received slight concussion, lie i.- a latient at the hospital. RUDY FOUND. PAI.MKRSTOX .NORTH, done 20. Constables Owen ami Ryan recovered the holly of n man from an island in the .Maiiawatu River, a hunt- eight miles from the wharf, this afternoon. Identification i- not yet established. Apparently the body has been in the water for t"o or three weeks. JI'MPKD FRO-M 111. AXING HOUSE. WKI.I.tNGTON. .June 20. In a Willis Street (ire. Krnest Yen. aged Oil. jumped from a burning building and sustained a broken thigh. He was removed to the lie.-snital.

I'OOTR A I.I.FR'S INJURY. AUCKLAND. Juno 20. A voidict that deaib was due to haemorrhage of the brain v as relitined bv the Coroner. Mr M'Kean. S.M.. at the adjourned in(|Uest into the death of William Sei'rlf who collapsed while watching an Association football match at Victoria Park on Saturday. .Tames Rail, the referee, stated that lie had not particularly noticed Seat ft during the game, which was a particularly clean one. No complaints were made, and there were no stoppages on account of any mishap. The Coroner said that it was evident that deceased had received during the plav. a Mow which was responsible for the haemorrhage, although he might not have noticed it at! the. time. No signs of any external injury were revealed at the post-mortem examination.

BLOOD POISONING. AUCKLAND, June 2G

Arthur Smith died in the Auckland Hospital ns the result of an accident on June 14. He was moving timber on J. Gordon’s farm when ho sustained a gash from a rusty nail. He was admitted to the Auckland Hospital the following day suffering from ldood poisoning.

INTERESTING LAW POINT. TF. KUITT, June 2G,

A case of exceptional importance was heard here before Mr W. F. Platts S.M., yesterday, when the Wnitomo County Counci sued the State Advances Department for rates, ns first mortgagees on a section of land in the Knwhin survey district. The decision to he reached will affect county councils all over New Zealand, and it is quite possible that it may go to the Privy Council.

The counsel for plaintiff said the facts admitted were:—(l) Rating and valuation rolls in order, (2) demands duly forwarded to and received by. plaintiff (but not admitted demands completed with Rating Act), (3) intention to impose 10 per cent penalty advertised on the land 0.R.P., and that the -State Advances Department was first mortgagee.

Defendant had held that as the rent was not paid the occupier forfeited lease of the land, and therefore the department’s liability ended. The •Land Board said the lease was not forfeited and the Crown Lands official, in his evidence corroborated this. Additional facts for the defence were that the demands did not comply with the Rating Act, and the superintendent was not liable under section Go of the Act. Counsel for the defence said it seemed the forfeiture defence must fail in the face of the evidence of the Crown Lands officer. Counsel for plaintiff said the State Advances Department was the largest mortgagee in New Zealand; it paid .€3OOO in rates to the "Wnitomo county last year. As the point at issue has not previously been raised in the Dominion, at the suggestion of lii.s Worship tlio case Inis been removed to the Supremo Court.

REFORM CAUCUS. WELLINGTON, June 20

A caucus meeting of the Reform Party was held to-night, the meeting lasting some three hours. ■ "The Prime Minister afterwards staled that there was an unusually large attendance, and that all members of the party were either present or nci limited for.

A motion was passed expressing sympathy with Mr T. D. Burnett, Temtika, who has been suffering from severe illness, and recently underwent a severe operation. Hope was expressed for his speedy recovery, and that lie would he able to take his place in Parliament in the very near future.

The meeting also passed a resolution expressing regret that the state of health of the Hon D. H. Guthrie compelled him to relinquish the portfolios which lie had held with so much distinction and benefit to the country, expressing the hope that lie would ho restored to health, and that his usefulness to the Dominion was hy no means impaired. A motion of continued confidence in Mi- Massey, as leader of the party was passed, and all present pledged themselves individually and collectively to give rlicir leader all possible assistance during the session. Iho meeting also expressed pleasure at his appearmice of health, strength and ability to carry on the good work oil which he had been engaged for so many years past.

£1<)!):> 15 AID. AI'C’KI.ANI), Juno 20. K.mimil I'M win lindburue l.ultorill i tliirt v-livef appeared in the I’nlu o Court *rhiir«i-cl with Infill;ini' and filtering tl’.f counting house :ii Avnndalc 11 nil wav Station nml stealing £.")!> 12 s 1,1. tho property <>l' tin* New Zealand (tovcrimient Railways iin>l was remanded. .All' Al’Diver. wlio appeared for ucolist'd, asked for Ik*i 1. A\ hen n< - ciiKCil appeared last wool; l>ail "as ini'n sod. Cliii'l' Detective Cummings: 1 again oppose hail. sir. Explosives worn used. Mr .M'hiver: That. is only the suggestion of tin* poliee. J.utterill wants to pot hail to enahle him to malce some impiiries that will assist his ease. He ciinot very well pel. anyone else to do his business. The Chief Detective: We will give him every assistance, sir. Air I’oviilon. 5.. M.: Hail £H.fU • Air Al'l.iver: Well. I’m afraid that lie will have to sliiv in. A l'Tl’K. Wl'ild.l N'CTO.V. dune 20. An onthreak of lire occurred in an eight-roomed Imilding in l pner At ill is St., occupied by Wall Chong. a lauiidrvman. and F. 11. Young and Co. fruiterers, at odio this morning. The building was owned by the Arthur csate. and was insured lor CltllXt in the I’nited t)Hice. The contents of the laundry, which was badly damaged, were insured lor £l2o with the New Zealand Company, and the contents of fruiterers’ premises lor £.**!!!> in the same ollice.