DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1924, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

lIY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. ISLAND FR FIT. WELLINGTON. Aug. 5. The shipment of Rarotonga oranges liv the Tahiti is turning out in had condition. The Union Company states that the bananas and tomatoes carried no defects. The trouble was confined to oranges loaded at Rarotonga, where the mail steamer stayed thirty hours and took all ottering. The weather va s perfect while loading and on the trip to Wellington, which occupied under five days, compared with the Ngakuta’s nine days. The high percentage of wastage of fruit is attributed not to the steamer, bat to the condition of the fruit. The Company agreed to give the new service a. trial becatt-e of the manifest advantage to the Dominion of the distribution ol fruit from a central position instead of landing every cargo at the extreme end of the country. AUCKLAND TRAGEDY. KEOGH CHARGED. AUCKLAND. Aug. (I. Harry Jo-cpli Peters Keog appeared at the Police Court to-day charged with the murder of Ids child by cutting its throat with a table knife. Rather frail and emaciated-looking, Keogh presented a dishevelled appearance. While the charge was read, the prisoner fidgeted with his hat, and he trembled.

Counsel for accused asked that Keogh Let examined by mental experts, with the least possible delay. The Chief Detective said that this bad already been done.

Mr Poyuton, S.M., remanded the accused to August 15. He said that counsel could have Keogh examined by his own medical man. BOY ISARRAOKEK DROPS DEAD. WELLINGTON, Aug. G. After a keenly fought, game. Wellington College heal St. Patrick's College by 2D points to it. Tries for (Tie winners were scored by Hunan (2 s . Windsor, Donald and Grenlell. M. F. Greig scored for St. Patricks, while Evatt kicked two penalty goals. During the game one ol the Wellington College hoys on the hank, K. 11. Clark, dropped dead Irom heart failure. NUKSKR YM EN"S I’R< >TKST. WELLINGTON. Aug. G. A vigorous protest against the serious roliqx'tition by the nurseries of the State Forest Service with private nurserymen in tjie supply ol hedge shelter forest trees. was made to Members of Parliament by a deputation from the New Zealand NurseryHH*ll ' s A >s< L 10l l . The principal grievance id the private nurserymen was that the State by entering into competition, was depriving them of a livelihood. It was pointed out that the Association did not object to fair competil ion. but the Forestry Department was adopting unfair tactics in order to gain business. Mr Savage. M l’., pointed out that there should be room for both private and State enterprise. Private enterprise had made the Department’s activities necessary, and it would he impossible to expect the State to cease operations, lie advised the deputation to present a petition to Parliament when the whole case could he lully gone into and reported to the House. This course was agreed to. [

S.S. RIPPLE IN TROUBLE. ■WELLINGTON. August T Ejirly this morning word reached the city that the Richardson Coy's steamer Rinplo was disabled off Cape Pa Riser. The vessel left _ Wellington vesterdav a-ltvriioon for Napier and Gisborne. A howling south-westerly *1,1,. raged all night and high seas are running. The Ripple is stated to be drifting ofT land and is in no immediate danger. It is believed annthei vessel is standing by. Ml NEWS OF S.S. KIPPIJ''..._ WELLINGTON. August 7. There is no word regarding the s.s. Ripple .is the telephone wires with Cape I’a Riser are down. A wireless was sent to the Maiaroa. coming troiu Lyttelton, to divert from iiei course ami look for the disabled vessel. The ..lararoa has now been recalled to kind her passengers and a tug will he sent as soon as the weather moderotes a little. All ships in the neighbourhood have been instructed, to keep ~ look-oiil. The Mamma is expected at four o'clock. KINDKK AKTK.NS. WELLINGTON. Aug. G. That the t lovernmeut should increase the capitation allow alo e from £3 2- Gd to £1 Ills, in order to provide enhanced financial facilities lor carrying on the work, was the rei|Uest made ta the Minister of Education this morning by a deputation from the Wellington Kindergarten \ssoejal inti. The Minister -aid that lie quite agreed as to the advalitaoes of the wink the Association was doing, and he Imped the time would eiiine when the Stale would take charge of a child Irom 3 years til age upwards, lie proposed, in the next fortnight. 0> bring the Associations request liefiire Cabinet, and back it up. -,ut he could not liromise the Association would go. all it asked. However. |,e «:•- hopeful it would Ii • possible lo give the Association sunn* assistance.

EOFNI) DEAD. AFCKI.VND. Aug. 1. William Wright, a resident of I'npatoetoe. was found dead :u bis borne this morning with a wound in 1 broat. He was a. married man with a family and bad been a member ol the Town Hoard siiicq 1’.'22. STRIKE ENDS. TIMARF. Aug. 7. The strikers at- Temuka insulator works resumed this morning. MAORI'S ROI'GII TRIP. CIIIMSTCIIFRCII. Aug. 7. Alter an exceptionally rough pa---age the Maori reached Lyttelton at lI.HO. The southerly gale was so strong that she had to travel at ball speed part ol the way. MYSTF.RIOCS DISAPPEARANCE. DFNEDIN. Aug. 7. On Saturday a bag containing CSOO in cash and cheques, representing the morning's takings, was deposited by the D.I.C. with the National Rank and the bag was locked in the strong room, but on Monday morning it was found to have disappeared. No force was used and the premises were not tampered with in any way. ENGINEERING DISI’FTE. WELLINGTON. August <>. Awards affecting the separate branches of the engineering industry throughout- the Dominion, and relating to cover 5000 employees, came up for review by the Arbitration Court to-day. Application was made by the Don Masters for Dominliion awards for four branches of the industry, engineering, moulding, metal workers, ami assistants. Mr Bishop, .secretary of the Employers’ Federation, said that the employers, in asking for a Dominion award, were moved by a desire to secure absolute uniformity throughout New Zealand. They were convinced that no sound argument or valid reason could he advanced in support of the continuation ot local awards. Throughout the whole of the British Empire, the engineering trades had been suffering from acute depression. , and io many respects they were worse off ill New Zealand than they were in

England and Australia. The boms under the present award were 44 per week. The employers claimed 47 and the union asked for 40. The employers thought- that 47 hours per week was necessary, as their competitors worked •IS and produced cheai>or. The difference of three hours per week was a substantial factor in overhead cost. Mr- Bishop dealt in detail with questions of wages, overtime, piece-work, etc. A discussion followed regarding apprentices, atul it was tontatii ol> agreed to defer the question for a inonth. In the meantime, local committees are to prepare recommendations for a Dominion conference on the subject to bo held in Wellington.