DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1924, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TEF.ECKAriI—I-ItESS ASSN., COPY RKUIT,

WAR FUNDS. WELLINGTON. July 1.. At the annual meeting of the war funds council, the accounts showed the funds now total £117.31!). A linan.-ial statement was .submitted showing the patriotic funds held in the Dominion at latest advices to Ik* £252, -121 and British Bed Cross and order of St. John had investments and property of £IBB.958. It was explained tlie fund held by the Canteen Board now amounted to £1(15,55)1 and that it Was the policy of the Board to keep this fund intact, until it reached £200,039 when tin.* question of disposal would he considered. In the meantime assistance to soldiers j would he rendered !,v district patriotic societies.

SAWMILL BURNT. PALMERSTON N.. July 19. A disastrous lire resulting in heavy damage, occurred tit Toastonson Ltd. timber mill in the early hours of the morning. On arrival of the Brigade the flames had a good hold tied despit" strenuous cherts of the Brigade the main p' rtion of the premises were completely destroyed. Forty thousand feet ■•f joinery timber and much valuable machinery was destroyed. The origin is unknown. Four years ago the original factory on the site then owned h.v Sollit Bros. Ltd., was destroyed. The amount of damage by last night’s lire is not ascertainable. The ruins are still smouldering.

SUDDEN DEATH

SIR W. BUCHANAN

MASTKIITON. July 20. The death occurred suddenly on Saturday night, following a motor mishap. of Sir Waller Clark Buchanan. A1.1..C. Deceased was driving a ear from his home to tow n, during a heavy storm. Wlien turning a corner his hat

blew nlf. and in his endeavour to rescue it. the car swerved into a ditch. He left the car and went to all adjacent house to I'omniiluicato fur assistance, it in 1 then returned to the car. Apparently lie dropped dead, and was found a few minutes after by a friend who had come to his assistance. A doctor was summoned, hut lie could only confirm the death. Deceased was Hli years of age and leaves two nephews at Mastcrton and two nieces in II:;•.vera. PARLIAMENT'S TRIBUTE. WELLINGTON, July 2(1. When Parliament meets on Tuesday reference will he made to the death of

Sir Walter Buchanan, who died so sud dciilv at Afasterton on Sat unlay, wliei hurrying to attend a function in Jion our of the Hon. A. I). AlcEcod. tit newly appointed .Minister of l.iinds The House will then adjourn ns a marl of respect to his memory. If is tut likely that Afr Massey will he able ti attend the funeral, as it is fixed foi Tuesday morning. YOUNG GIBE’S DEATH. STRANGLED IN BED. CHRISTCHURCH, July 111. A pitiful story of a. girl’s unbalanced mind was told to-day at an inquest held on the hotly of Grace Eileen fieholelield. sixteen years, who had lived with her mother, Alt's Schiilliehi at Oxford Terrace. On February 29th., the girl was committed to the Sunnyside Mental Hospital. On April Kith, she was allowed to return to her home, said the mother, Airs Seliolelield. Her daughter was erratic yesterday. She screamed violently. si lid would not let anyone touch her. Dr Orchard had visited her once a week, hut lie did not think she was had ooimgh to he committed to the .Mental Hospital. She was very had hist evening. She became violent, hut she went into town, returning later in the evening, going into her bedroom. All's Seholcfiohl went into the room about ID p.m. She sat on the lied knitting for a while, and. noticing that the girl's head was not resting on the

pillow, she told her to move up. The girl, as was her habit, had her fare covered. “She did not answer, so ] lifted hack the clothes, and -he had a blue rag round her neck." said .Mi's Seholeliehl. “She did not. move or speak. I called out. hut she did not answer." It was then discovered she* was dead. Alls Seholeliehl said she had not noticed any .-uicidal tendencies about the girl. The inquest was adjourned.

NELSON KI.KCTI!KTTV. NELSON. July I!). A report frmn the City Council electrical engineer. Air C. A. Henderson, states: “Tile development lias been phenomenal, with the result that, instead of having to pay all the capital down, we own capital on the first year’s returns. We have, on '2.17 days’ working. the small loss of £.'i(ifi. and the ligu res show that during the months of May and June a profit is shown, and as if was not expected that a profit would be shown until the third year of operations, the fact that we have a net profit of ‘2l per cent, on .1 ii.ue working is a matter worthy of special note. The supply was turned on on October 27th. last.

DEAD ERCIT. AV KUJXGTON. July 10. The outcry against the high pi ice of fruit in the Dominion Mas general in the House yesterday afternoon, and particularly about the fruit from our Cook Island possessions. Air AVilford set the ball rolling. He said it was hard to understand Ihjw it was that while fruit was going to waste in the Islands, it was so dear in Nen Zealand. There Mas work for the Government to furnish people with an explanation of why the fruit from the Islands was so expensive when the public needed it so much. It was n necessary diet, and the poor could not buy it, but there did nni seem to : any effort on the part of the Government to hell) in cheapening it. AVe .should have a .statement of the cost of production. transport, auctioneer’s commission and retail | rice. This p.Groked an -'ill .round discussion but the Prime .Minister (in charge of the Cook group) did not touch this point mlien speaking toM'ards the end of the afternoon. THE MORATORICAI. WELLINGTON. July 21.

Replying to to Dairy Farmers’ Cnion deputation, the Prime .Minister referred to the moratorium, which. he said. Ma- a difficult question. 'I he moratorium had been brought into operation to safeguard the interests of those having mortgages, and he wanted to see il gi as soon as possible, because. the moratorium had a bad effect on the money market, discouraging loans on bread acre.-. .Much had been done by tbe Departmental officers to assist- in arrangements between mortgagors and mortgagees. Afr Aht-.cy thought the provision prop -rd in t’ e Mortgage Final Extension Pill lOidil fie bettered whereby the mortgagor Mould have the right to appeal to a Judge of the .’supreme Court in chamber? and if be could show that lie had a chance of carrying on il Mould he for the Judge to see that he gat that chance. The appeal need imt cost the man anything. The Premier also stated that he considered that no Agricultural Bank could do for the farmers what the State Adv"nees Department was doing. Tt was at the present lending about three million per annum and could keep that' going indefinitely, though lie was unable to.say whether he would be able to keep the interest rate down to 4} per cent.