DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1924, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

DT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. MOTOR LICENSES. THE ANNEAL EKES. WELLINGTON, Aug. 28. Ihe .Motor \ chicles Bill, which at tue present time is being discussed by most local bodies throughout the Dominion, sets out the annual license lees to be collected from motorists. W ith the exception of motor drivers’ licenses, tees payable under the proposed Bill will he paid into the .Main Highways Revenue Fund, and tinamount so collected is to he utilised towards paying the hoard’s one-third share ol the maintenance on highways. Local authorities have to provide the remaining two-thirds towards the cost ol maintenance of roads which have lie-.-n declared main highways, anil the whole cost of maintenance of till other roads. I lie ever-increasing heavy traffic throws heavy charges on the local authorities in maintaining tln-ir roads, and the amounts required in this direction will lie met, if the proposals of the .Main Highways Board are given dlcct to. The proposals provide lor annual charges to l.e imposed on the owners ol heavy and commercial vehicles and the whole of the amounts collected will he retained by local authorities. The rates of lit discs lor heavy motor traifie, proposed by the Main Highways Board are:—

Up to one ton 7 One to two tons 17 Two to three tons 21 Three to lour tons 3 a Four to five toils 5-7 Kivo to six tons 7.3 MOTOR CENSUS. AUCKLAND. Aug. 28. Interesting data indicating the distribution ol motor vehicles in the Auckland provincial district is revealed by a recent census. It is estimated tlml there are between 1.3.H1M and .39.1)23 private cars in the Dominion, of which nearly !•>.- (!3;1 are In Auckland I’rnvincc. There arc 39 registering authorities in this area, and the laigi-sl registration returns are:— Auckland City ... 8,012 Oislinruc Borough . . 1.9.30 I lamil' on B'rough 1.21-3 Mamikon County * . 891 Tom a uga ('ouiily .311 The rogistralions under all other authorities arc under .300. CAS \X|> ELECTRICITY. DUNEDIN, August 28. At the meeting of the City Council. ( r |'egg referred to a matter that li.-i l l liecn brought up in the House recently in regard to new Power Boards which were being estalili.slicil in the North l-slaml. It. was stateil that muiiici) aliiie.s owning gas plants wenobject, ing tin electric lower coming into t licit- districts, imagining that the cinistimjition of gas would .sillier. So far as Dunedin was concerned, he could -ay that instead of gas eoiisnmptinn de: ceasing it had increased. Cr Scott sail I there was mi coiiiietition lictween the gas d'-partinon: : electric department, and gas consumption had never shown a decrease. CYCLIST’S DEATH. WELLINGTON. August 29. Henry Ceraitl. who .sustained a fractured s!.ii|] and shoulder through being struck by a motor car on the llutt road, tlied at the hospital to-night. Frederick Morris reported to the police the day alter the accident, that while driving to I’etoue, lias car had struck a eyili-i, hut he thought that it was only a glancing blow, and that mi harm had been done. IMPORTANT DECISION. WANCAXUf. August 29. | A decision of importance to loci 1 bodies was given by Mr Barton. S.M.. at the Assessment Court to-day m upholding objections to certain city valuations. The valuations in quest ion lmd been assessed by the Cit\ Valuer on the basis of the Government valuation of the general proper ties. r l lie Magistrate invited tin- City Valuer, who conductor! hi- case in person, to give him at least his statement on oath, that lie valued the pn .pe: t ies in question, and was ef opinion that the Government value was a fair <u:e. The Valuer preferred not to do so, lint to rely, instead on his interpretation of the law. justified by t lie published report of Tkiigont’s (Nelson) ease. Mr Burton disagreed with the finding in tliai ca.se. and field t lint llte law required ihe City Valuer to make, aeeerding to the best ol his skill ami judgment, a valuation el the fee simple of all properties in his district for the purpose of cheeking his annual values, and fixing liix minimum rateable values, rm other words, every property must lie valued independent of the Cnveriimcut valent ion. SAW.MII.LEB.x;’ CtIXFKBKNCK. VYELI.INCTt IN. Aug. 29

Tile annual eonloreinv ol Ihe Xew Xealaml Sawmillei's Federal ieii ( (included al Wellington to-day. It was c nsid'-icd that if the receinmeiidat ions of titc recent Ruildiug l\\ I.aw Ccmier(.je .■ were adopted hv t la* local bodie*. ihe cost ol building would .he reduced A motion for a vigorous allureslalion u.oliev wa - carried iiiiaiiiiiuni-dv, an I il was de- id'll to retain membership with Ihe Forestry league in order to have an influence in the League's policy. I, was recommended that members give preference to liritUh goods. it ihev are equal to ntl'er products and eon he secured at c (impel itive prices. aiiritratiox :oniT. WAXCAXFI. August. 29 Al a silling of the Arhii rat ion ( utirt held to-day several applications for exemption from the engineering award, were heard, judgment being reserved. A lii-iii of coin raenirs was charged with failing to allow travelling time to men employed in suburban "(irk. and also with failing to pay four and twopence per hour, and to provide *uila!i|,. lodgings, .il (Igiaeiil was rcservo<l. I'IN'F.l) FOR RI'.NSIONS I'RAI I>AI CKI.AXI). August 29. F.lizaheth and Albert- llalvorstou were charged with having attempted to obtain a pension certificate by means of a, wilful and false statement. The police stated that Albert Hal-ve,-st on obtained £lOl allowances on account- of a statement that his earnings had (eased, wlu'ieiis he had earned £125 during tile last twelve months. Roth had signed ( rrt ilicates stating that their earnings were nil. Counsel for the accused said tb~ both were desperately poor. '1 he husband'* age was 07 years, and the wife’s years. The husband only did occasional jobs on the wharf, and the offences were committed entirely in ignorance of the law. The Magistrate. Mr Roynton. said it was a scandalous thing, and was doliho ately swindling the rotate. Each would lie lined £2O. They could apply f„ the Minister for a reduction.