DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1924, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

nr TKLEGKAI'H —FIIESS ASSN., COPYKiaHT. A NOKTIIKHX RAXGITIRA. AUCKLAND, .Sept. ‘2l. Due of tlie old Maori tanpitiras of the north named Kcrepcti died oil Saturday. His ape must have been close on till' century, as be. foupht when a yoiinp man at the defence ol Huapekapeka Ha as far ba-k as danuary. ISdtj. A bip taupi wti.s held at Min, the old borne on the- banks of the Xpunpurtt river, iifter which the interment took place in the Kuropean eeineterv.

Kerepeti was credited with the km.w.'edpe of where some famous preenstone meres were hidden, but the secret died with him. Deceased bolotiped to the 1 Wairariki .sub-tribe of the Npiinpiiru. He was twice married and was the lather of nineteen children. His memory went hack to the old days of raids on llauraki and Waikato Hikes. Oil one occasion lie saw a larpe party retiiniinp from a raid in canoes, and his people l.einp In a minority ho hid in the hush until the raiders had pone away. Kerepeti was burn in the old pa at Xpuiipurti. the terrar es of which al e now covered with scrub. He was one of a small 1 arty that went from Xpu.npuru to lii 'p defend Rttapekapeka Ha from the J’akcha. They were led litre, tic It the hiish by a paid* from the lhiy of Islands. For obvious reasns they avoided reads or tracks and made their way thi'oiiph the Intsh as direct as

] essihle. The only fetal id' the party was a little wheat, as they were not idlr.wvd to shred. hirds on the frit). The liritish and friendly natives failed in the attack' on the pa. hut it was occupied quietly on Sunday while the Maori defenders had pone outside to hold a service in the church. Kerepeti was one of the lest links with the liphtinp in the early days of the north ol New Zealand.

NATIONAL HHOYIDKNT FUND. WKIjUNtiTOX. Sei teniher 21. The State .subsidy to the National Hrovident Fund amounts to L'.lfi.-M I, beiti" one fourth of the total eoutrihiitions paid into the fund durinp the year ended December .'list. 192.1. At the end of the year the contributors to tlie fund imml.ered 2.1.2.10. as compared with 22.1 IS at the <i!nsc of the previous ye;"'. At this date the fund amounted to L'PlilblHo. an increase of £170,501. A total of £IO.ISS was claimed in res] c T i f maternity allowances, and <f this amount £111,22S was for members of “approved" friendly .societies, and b’O'KIO for eonl l ibiitors to tlie fund. The amount paid out in allowances i ll retirement and ini .opacity and to widows and children, is nteadily iuereasin". and shows a total of t'llo9l Ids Cd. These payments represent a < otnparatively minor phase of the fund’s beiielieienee. its main eldipations heiti" the pensicus which, however, will not for some years yet bulk larpcly in the eiirreiit recounts.

CANADIAN TEACHERS. AIT KI.AND, September 21. Two Canailian teachers. Miss M. Hcith and Miss M. A. Tomkins, ol Edmonton. arrived at Auckland by the Mabcno from Sydney yesterday. They will take up pnHtiiins in New Zealand under the exebanpe system. M is- Tompkins w ill remain in Auckland. while Miss Keith will leave lor Christchurch to-da.v. Since lea\ iap Canada, the two ladies have visited niauv narts oi tlie world. They ill's! Weill lo Iniplnnd. I lienee to Smith Africa, where the,- tanpht in Xalal |or a year. Their trip to New Zealand was made via India. which they in.snl I mill II ..inhay to Calcutta, and then they visited Kanpeeii. Sinpap'oe and Ansiralia.

MIN’F FATALITY. 'YK'TRIMiT. Si ptemh-.-i M,,-..... Hat iv. an el.h l I;, mal .i, ,1 ma' was hill- -I en Hill mlI ' - Fai e I lipmad 10-dav where In- was employed lie was Un-eked down l.v a tub am t• .1 11 id dead. 111 was 7.1 years n| :i"e. tha: ki.kss car. WKLI.IN’tITOX. September 21. The City Coiineil tried out the ex perimetital trackless ear with "real .suce.-ss. The lost of the ear wa; Cp.,',l K) a"ilin.-t LMIHK) for ail ordinary eondiinatioii iat and the overheat equipment necessary was approximate Iv C7b!> a"a ills! L' 1.1,01 K) for a tlonbli t'rai'k.

Tllb CoVK-RNOIL \V I'jl.Ll NG’I’ON, Se, t. 2-0. The burly Settlers’ Association "tiro a farewell to the Gore! nor-GeCeral ami lady del lie- e. Mrs ( orufonl (91) ] reiiti’d a boiiqilet. and 'ilinmns I!asset, i.h airived in IJIO.1 J lO. rea;t cn addiess. A r eloeits for aLsrnie oil ae.iaint of

infirmity were made for several ineiiii' l-rs. ii.rlmlic" a eentenarian 10". residin" in N't's in. who had landed ill IS 12. Hl'o’es-or xpu'ssed a hope their Fm eTeiii ii * would make a note of the dale i.ii Se] tetnber, 1910. wl'i n the earlv ;;* 11'i s would <e!ebrate tliuir eentemuy. wool .SII KD Jjnt.NT. R LEX HE I AT. September 2.1. A lire at Mr O. L. Kater’s l'l'oiocrty “Rl.i'kri.-k”. in Wailmjoii Valley, destroyed I'.rael ieally a new woolslicd huildiu", wliiih lontained tlie usual plant and |arapbernalia of wool shed, but no ma biic'iy. A Dennis mot 'ri"ir. wliiih was a’so in the shed was de dri ved. Thu ear was insured for £;!">0. '| he shed w. s in-ured for CM!.9. Ruth insiir.n - i‘s were in the H.iver|.o I I. niib n and Glo! e Ofh e. 9 hey will not lover Mr Kilter’s lasses.

PDfs'ONDCS DOTTLES. AYKI.d.TNCTON. Sept. 2.1. Willi a view to having the Poisons Act amende.l to | rcveiit t mile--people and others from using aerated water hot ties and jars as : onlainers for prisoiiour liquids, a deputation from the Dominion CmToiintcl Waters Association wailed on the 'Minister of Health to-day. liistan.es were given where persons were fatally poisoned through Pottles lacing used as containers lor poison. Sir M. P.miar.' said that the suggestion. appeal.'.l to him. and he promised to give favourable e.itisidet at ion of the I-..inis raised. I.TRKI. ACTION. WI'jU.INOTON. S*>pt. *2.1. The ei'-e of Howard Klliott versus the ‘ New Zealand Worker” and John Clover. ] nl.lislu-r. a claim for £HO damages for alleged lihc-!. was mentioned at the Magistrate's Court to-day. On I.elialf of defendants, counsel said an application would he made to have the ease removed to the Supreme Court for hearing. As one nt the counsel for the defen e was in the hospital. tin trljurnmeut sine die was asked tor. Counsel for the plaintiff objected to a prolonged adjournment, and added that the application to remove the case would he opposed. Magistrate Riddell the case till October 10. NEW POWER DISTICT. OPOTIKT. September 01. The hydro-electric Committee have decided to take the necessary steps to form a power district, comprising Opo. tiki and Wha.kataiie, counties and the Opotiki Borough.