DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1924, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

iiY TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT.

A BOY STABBED. DESPERADO, AGED ELEVEN. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. G. A father unusual juvenile case eamo helore -Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., at the .Magistrate’s Court on Saturday when a hoy eleven years of age was charged with having assaulted another boy by stabbing him in the hack with a pocket knite. After ascertaining the facts of the case the Magistrate said he would adjourn the matter for a week. In the meantime the accused was to receive a sound thrashing.

The accused was a small hoy for his age. The hoy he assaulted was about the same size. The knife, a fearsome looking object, was produced in court. The Magistrate: How did the boy come to have a knife like this?

The hoy’s mother: Ho toolc it out of his father's drawer. 1 did not know lie had it, It was stated that the two boys went to different schools and passed each other on the way. The hoy’s mother said that the boy went to the pictures once a week, often by himself.

Tlie .Magistrate said that apparently tin? boy had been seeing tilings at the pictures that he should not see. Tins only wont to show that some pictures had a pernicious influence on hoys. Accused was of a bullying nature and this, combined with what he had seen at the pictures, had no doubt realised in the episode for which he was before the Court. The hoy was an only child and probably lie had been over-indulg-ed. It certainly seemed that he had 'been over-indulged in the matter ot pictures. The Magistrate said lie would adjourn the matter for a week. 'ln the meantime the hoy was to receive a sound thrashing.

RAILWAY WAGES. A SHILLING EXTRA. WELLINGTON, October -1. Tho engine drivers and iiremeii ol the New Zealand railways have been informed that the .Urneminent lias agreed to an increase in their wages oi Is per day. T'liis will reinstate the .locomotive section of the service in tho position reached prior to tne redaction tinder the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act. The locomotive employees were reduced by Is per day when tile other sections bail a Is Sd deduction, the difference of eight pence in the ease of engine drivers anil Jiremcu being made up hv the men working an extra tea minutes daily, on account of dirty coal.

It. is expected that when the Railways Amendment Bill passes, the increase will ls_“ authorised under its terms by Ordor-in-Couiu il without tho necessity of having the matter reviewed by Parliament.

R.EMUKRA TRAGEDY. AUCKLAND, October G. A shocking domestic tragedy occurred ill Mann.wa Road, off Victoria Avenue, Kemuera, last evening, resulting in the death of .Mrs James .Simpkins, aged 2(1, anil her husband, aged .73. a hush contractor, formerly of Thames, being taken to the liospnal. The parties had .been Jiving with their re-poctivc families. ami it is stated that the wife met the husband by appointment ut the street corner to discuss her intention to separate, as she was unhappy. A feu minutes Intel a scicam was heard, and the woman was found dead with a terrible razor cut in the throat, and the man lying beside her. unconscious from a similar wound. A razor was lying near his outstretched hand. Deceased leaves two hoys aged two ami four years rcspci t n ci,». Sim! him; , opc'alcd on loi! hi.. h. .HU i*!ec a i ioti... THE WIRELESS POSITION. WELLINGTON. October 0. The Government, is considering the ■| 4 .siLion of the monopoly created by the action of the Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Ltd., in closing the broadcasting stations of the Dominion owing to the alleged infringement by them of the company's patents.

Station IVA. ownod by tin* Auckl:i ml Kadio Service -btd. is tlie only Xew Zealand station now on the air. The reason, it is understood, is that this company, recognising some time ago that the Amalgamated Wireless Company controlled' pa tout'd on the transmitting cirenit, applied for the Xew Zealand rights, and, having seenred them, is now the only station allowed to opontte. Shonld the Amalgamated Wireless Company prove its claim on the transmitting < irenit, the Auckland Kadio Service l.td., will la l the sole Xew Zealand broadcasting company, and in addition will he in a position to demand a proportion of the license fees paid to the (lovernment by the listeners The reason of this is that clause G ol the amendment to the Post and Telegraph Act just passed through the Mouse states that:—“The portion ol dealers’ fees and li.ense tees for wireless installations may In' paid to persons or companies who agree to undertake a broadcasting service. l«’or this purpose the Postma.ster-fleneral is authorised to enter into an agreement

with any persim or company for a period not exceeding Jive. years, subject to periodical renewal lor a similai term; it- being a eondilion that rccipienl ol fees undertakes during the curleney of the agreement to maintain a broadcasting serviee to tin' satisfaction of the Minister.”

As the Auckland Kudin Serviee has the right to use the A nudes mated Wireless Company’s circuit, the Government, in the event of the latter company, suTtstantinting its claims to the patent, could make an agreement with no other company than the Auckland ltadio Service. The only alternative would he for the broadcast stations already established to enter into an agreement with tile Amalgamated Wireless Ltd., and pay a royalty for the use of tlie patent. CHINESE SAVINGS STOLEN. AUCK LAX L), October d. A chest- containing clothing and £BS in money was stolen a fortnight ago from the Chinese* quartermaster in the Admiralty oil-tanker Nucula, which is berthed at the sheerlegs wharf, Devon]>ort. The box, partly empty, was found floating next day near TI.M.S. Philomel which is moored close to the Nucula. In the box when it was recovered was £-10, which was overlooked by the thieves. The sum of £OO in sovereigns was concealed in an electric torch, and £TO was placed in a pair of socks. The remaining £-18 has not lteon recovered, and the identity of the thief is unknown. This is the. second ease of robbery which has occurred in the Nucula. In June last a’ box of clothes and £5 73 in money was stolen from one of the Chinese engineers on hoard. On that occasion the empty box was found afterwards on the beacli at Stanley Bay. Every endeavour to find the thief was unsuccessful, and the money was never recovered.

The Nucula lias been loaned to the New Zealand Government as a fuel ship for H.M.S. Dunedin. The vessel carries a Chinese crew and white officers. The crew understand very little English, which makes investigation work by the detectives very difficult. It is understood that the two men from whom the money was stolen wero acting as hankers lor the other members of the crew. The engineer was banker lor the stokehold staff, and the quartermaster for the deck hands.