DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1924, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION

BOYS ON WORLD TOUR. AUCKLAND, October 13,

Forty-nine Australian-born boys chosen from tho public schools of tho Eastern States of the Commqnwealth arrived at Auckland by the .Niagara in the course of :( world tour undertaken to expand their education. The cruise which started from -Sydney on February 16, was arranged by the New South Wales Division of the Young Australia League, whose object is expressed in tho phrase, “Education by travel.” The youths have been under the charge of Captain C. A. Brough, director of the New South' Males divison. of the League.

The party reached London on March HO. then began a hustling six weeks of travel and sight-seeing. The hoys wero present at the opening of the Empire Exhibition and were the guests of the Australian Government at the opening of the Australian Government Pavilion. Tn addition to visiting tho usual places of note in London, the young Australians attended the reception liv tho Prince of Wales at St. James's Palace, when the Prince interviewed each boy separately. They were also received liv the King and Queen at Buckingham palace, when their Majesties chatted freely with their guests for about half an hour. The party visited Paris, where Marshal Foeli and General Pan received them, and visited some of the notable battlfields. Afterwards an ex. tended tour of Britain was undertaken. Before going to Canada, where ninny centres were visited, the boys travelled -11,000 miles, visited 77 industrial centres, , r >2 abbeys, cathedrals and churches and travelled ill six steamers. With, the exception of Franco and Honolulu the ports visited have all been British. “In every way tho cruise has proved a marvellous success,” said Air Brough. “The hoys have come hack physically ami mentally far superior to what they were at the start. Roughly speaking the hoys range in ago from fourteen to eighteen years, and it is significant that on the average they have each gained about a stone in weight. The object of our league is to foster a true spirit of Imperialism, and “Australianism,’’ and certainly by the cruise tho boys have acquired a far more comprehensive realisation of tho doings of tho Empire as a whole. Tho financing was arranged by the New South Wales division of the. league, with no Government assistance.”

LORD JELL I COE AT OAMARU OAAIARU, October 14

The foundation stone of the War Memorial was laid this afternoon by Lord Jcllieoe in Hie presence of a large eoneonr.se ol people. 11 is Excellency bade farewell to tho people of Oamaru.

, BA HAVA Y COAIAILSSION. AY'ELLLNGTON, October Id. Sir Sam Fay and Sir Vincent Raven with a stall' of throe secretaries, leached Wellington to-day. and will commence investigation of New Zealand railway organisation and equipment on Tuesday morning.

The commission comprises experts who are more inclined to see things for themselves and form their own opinion, rather than take a large amount of evidence. They iollowed this plan in New .South Wales, where live monlln.: wi re spent traveiling over the whole system for personal investigation of every phase. It. is exepeted that the New Zealand inquiry will occupy about two months. The commissioners will have special carriages at their disposal in each island.

After a conference with the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Railways, tlio commission decided that it would hear evidence on railway matters in Auckland, ' Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin from representative organisations. They propose making ail early start on ail itinerary of the North Island, first proceeding to Taranaki.

ANOTHER JUDGE WANTED. CHRISTCHURCH, October 14. The announcement that no further appointment will bo made to fill tho position rendered vacant on the Supreme Court Bench by the death of •Sir J. Salmond, was the subject of it motion at a meeting of the Canterbury Law Society, held 1 to-day. The resolution passed protested against tho reduction of tho number of judges, stressing the necessity of the appointment of an additional judge for Canterbury. RACING ENQUIRY. WELLINGTON, October 14. It is announced that tho Cabinet lias decided to set lip a committee of members of Parliament, to inquire, during the recess, into the whole question of racing methods in the Dominion. The order of reference will he much wider than that of the Committee which is at present considering the Gaming Act Amendment Bill. Jl is expected that the names of the Alombcns of the Committee will be made known towards the end of the session. The Committee will sit in Wellington, but if will not commence its inquiries* until after tin* New 'Year. During the second reading discussion on the Gaining Amendment Rill, several members of tiie House made sweeping allegations in regard to the conduct of racing and racing methods generally, and tin opportunity will he now afforded for these charges to he substantiated before the Recess Committee.

The Committee will also deal with the question as to whether the bookmakers should, or should not, he licensed in the Dominion.