DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1924, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

DY TELEGRAPH—rRESS ACfIN , COPYRIGHT. A, .VXD P. SOCIETIES AX I) RAFFI.ES. AX INTERESTING CASE. WAXGAXUT, Dec. 8. An interesting ease is being heard at the Court to-dav, the defendants being tho Wanganui Agricultural A “Alt. in connection with tho recent Queen Carnival in which ralFes were conducted, the police buying tickets for a harmonium, a rug and a motor ear. 'flic defence claimed that Section >l3 of the Gaming Act gives Agricultural Assns. permission to dispose of exhibits by ralfle for the promotion of agriculture and this carnival was part of their organisation and under their control for the purpose of wiping out the debt of the new show grounds. It was claimed all the articles disposed of were exhibits in connection with the Queen stalls, and that these were judged and prizes awarded before any rallies or tickets were sold. A .MARLROROL'BH AGITATOR. BLENHEIM, December .3. Xo opportunity has been lost in season and out of season by .Mr W. ,T. Girling, .M.P., in pushing the claims of the South Island main truku railway. He stated in the course of an address at the opening of the l’icton Road Hall yesterday that he had recently had an interview with Sir Sam Fay and Sir Vincent Raven, the railway experts who are engaged in reporting on the Dominion’s railway system, and in a chat with them he had pointed out what he considered a failing in the present policy, the tael that the two islands were inclined to workone against the other in railway matters. Sir Sam Fay, in Toply, expressed the opinion that the remedy for

this was to link the railway services of the two islands into one system,extending from North Cape to the Bluff by means of a ferry steamer across CookStrait, on which the trains would he conveyed from, one island terminal to the other, thus saving handling charges and making the two systems interlocking and practically one. Sir Sam Fay believed that if this were done the old North v. South controversy would become a thing oi the past.

.Mr Girling added that he believed the Commissioners’ report would probably contain a recommendation to this effect. Tf that wore so of course it meant that the gap oil the main trunk line between YVharanui and Parnassus would have to he filled, and lie believed that when the whole matter was understood and studied every district in New Zealand would get behind the scheme. He knew that feeling in Tnvercargill and in Dunedin where the South Seas Exhibition Committee was working, favoured this policy, and he believed that the Canterbury Progress League, as a result of its recent investigation, would also get behind the' scheme. This was the wav in which Marlborough would get out of her present isolation and at the same time secure a better steamer service with Wellington. “ 1 have been told,” concluded Mr Girling, whimsically, “that we might get our railway in fifty years. Mel' in iiuv case I shall not stop agitatjog, and r hone to see the trains running before 1 am very much older."

HOY SCOUTS. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 3. Tlie Dominion Executive of the liny Scouts' Association met last night ; present—Brigadier-General A. \V. Andrew (chairman). Messrs \V. T. Cliarlewood. 11. S. J. Goodman, 11. Herbert Smith, G. W. Bishop, Rev \V. 11. Orbell and Colonel F. It. Ciosswcll. A letter was received from tlie Australian Scouts’ Association stating that the members of the Australian i contingent who relurned to Sydney from Loudon, via M'ellingtnii, were very pleased with the hospitality they

had received while in the Dominion. 1 Xotlication was received from the ISIII IT stating that at a meeting held on December 2, a troop had been formed ! with Mr E. A. XicTml as president ol the District Council. Mr Andrew Kinross had been appointed scoutmaster. The flunodin Exhibition rally was discussed, and it was decided to give I lie Dunedin Association as milch support as possible. The secretary reported that the arrangements for the Cillwcll camp for the training of scout mast rs, to lie held at Christchurch, were well in hand. The camp would start on December 23 and end on January -3. FASTER TRAINS ESSENTIA L. VIEWS OF MINISTER OF RAILWAYS. CHRISTCHURCH. Deo. S. "This is the. age of speed and if the railways are to get hack tlie passenger traffic that has 1 liven drifting away from them, faster trains are essential,” slated the lion. J. G. Coates. Minister of Railways, in an interview. The Minister intimated that 11 thorough overhaul of tho time-tahle was contemplated with a veiw to speeding up the services. lie also had other proposals, which he was not yet ready to make public, under consideration. He expressed the opinion that a great deal of traffic could lie brought hack to the railways if faster trains were

provided, and with that object in view he was looking into the question very closely. Until he received the report of the Railway Commission, however, he was not prepared to enter into details regarding the proposals he had in mind.

Regarding the Christchurch-Duneili.il service the Minister said he did not think it could ho speeded up very much hut nevertheless he was looking into the matter. ITo had not yet considered the question of running a “limited” express between Christchurch and Dunedin, similar to the one decided on hetween Wellington and Auckland. Tn reply to another question, Mr Coates stated that nothing was carried free on the railways under the present arrangements. There was no such thing as free carriage of lime or free carriage of school children. Since April 1, all services of this kind had been charged to the Government Departments concerned. lime being charged to the Department of Agriculture and o.hool children to the Education Department, and so on.

The present and future policy of the Railway Department, according to the Minister, is to run the railways as a business concern on business linos ami instead of waiting for goods and passengers to come along, to get out after them. He indicated that only the fringe had yet been touched as regards the new policy.

nATLWAY COMMTSSTON. VTSIT TO J.RVTX. LEVIN. December C. The British Railway Commissioners. Sir Sam Fay and Sir Vincent Raven, held a session in Levin to-day to hear evidence in favour of the railway link-

ing Levin, Foxton and Marten ns presented by the Railway League. The League submitted a statement claiming that the link would bring the Main Trunk traffic along a natural course, and would save sixteen miles and one hour in time on the Auckland and Taranaki routes, that it would reduce working expenses by £28,000 per annum, would cut out heavy grades and relieve congestion at

Palmerston North. It would divert much freight iio\v going by motor, to the railways and would, so far as this section of railway is concerned obviate tlie duplication Hint was fast becoming necessary to overcome congestion. pigmies prepared by tlie league showed a surplus of £50,009 per annum to tlie credit of the link after allowing -3 per cent on the cost of construction!

Mr It. \Y. Holmes, formerly Public Hngitieor-in-Cliief. made a statement estimating tile east of the link line at £130,000, and proposing the construction of a marshalling yard at Palmerston North at a cost of £IOO,OOO, thereby doing away with the need for a deviation there costing £70,000. After all the evidence had been heard tbo Commissioners left by ear to traverse the route of the proposed link. BLACKBALL ACCEPTS. •GKEYMOUTII. Her. 8. The Blackball miners have accepted the new agreement by a large majority. Paparou rejected iL by a small vote. Magistrates court. GREYMOUTH. Dec. S. For obstructing a footpath by allowing a iiedge to grow over it, 11. Emmerson for fined i3s and costs. For selling milk deficient in fat. .1. lloran was lined 20s and costs and J. Harwell 10s and costs. s Robert Howatsou and Norman Xeilsoii were charged with illegally placing rolling stock on the railway line. They pleaded guilty. Detective-Ser-geant Young said the men took a trolley at Aratika and rode to Moana on it. This tv sis ;i serious nuittor. sis si number of men had been killed through tills means on that section ol llu* line during the last six months. ‘Aon took a grave risk on yourselves,” said the Magistrate. “M'e thought it would bo ail rigliL as it was done 011 a Sunday,” was tlie oxlamition offered bv the accused. "This is looked 011 us a grave olfeiice b,v tin- Railway Department. and tlie maximum penalty is £.30.” said the Magistrate. "Xo doubt it was done at a thoughtless moment.. Imt I cannot look upon it lightly. You are each lined £.3 with costs.” For failing to use care with a miner’s safety lamp whilst it was under his charge, John Finely was lined -3s and cost's. DOWNPOUR IX WELLINGTON. STREETS IN CITY FLOODED. WELLINGTON, December 7. A portion of Hamilton Quay Ironi tlie Public Trust Office to the Government Itiiildings was Hooded to a depth of several inches as the outcome ol a torrential downpour ol rain which swept over the eitv at about 1(1 p.m. yesterday. Pedestrian traffic was disorganised for upwards of an hour and lor a considerable period shops lacing the Magistrate’s Court remained completely isolated with running waters washing up against the main entrances. Storm waters were quickly disposed of by drainage pipes in most- parts ol the city, but in the locality described these became blocked with silt washed down from side streams. With the rising of the water there sprang into existence miniature lakes which rapidly combined and developed into a huge stretch of water. Shoppers louiid themselves trapped on belli sides el tlie road and lli(‘ lloinl soon became so severe llial they were driven back into shop doors for shelter. A pedestrian misjudged a somewhat ambitious leap to safety, and was obliged to walk the remaining few yards in ankle deep water. Vehicular traflie was not serious |y affected. Motor-ears ploughed their way tTiroilgh to the accompaniment of much splashing and trams were able to proceed along at a fairly slow pine. The Hood was deepest in the vicinity of the Magistrate's Court and shopkeepers there were at one stage ill dangr ol In Hooded out. With the exception of a temporary swell in the street channels near the Rank of New Zealand at the 1 timer. Willis street was not affected, but slight Is inclined in the viciuitv of (lie Tea 11 Hall and

•Mercer Street. Ity midday the rain had subsided to a steady drizzle and Hood waters were drained oil' and pavements swept clear of sill which had deposited. The amount of rain which fell locally during the preceding twenty four hours was O.l'-'in and some idea of the magnitude of yesterday morning's downpour ran lie guaged from the record of the rainfall from !l a.ui. yesterday to fl a.in. Jo day. The lignre is officially given as I.Hlin. MAIN HIGHWAYS. MF.KTI.VG OF BOARD. WKL LING TON. December o. At a meeting of the .Main Highways liuard, a number rf applications for dcelaratinn of additional roads as main highways, as well as alteration of present highway routes, were received and considered, hut lhe.se were left over until the annual review which it is proposed t> make about April next, when the hoard’s i ommitir.enl.s and future programme will lie decided. Several counties throughout the Dominion having inquired as to the hoard's proposals for milepostin" of main highways, the hoard decided to have the distances from the four main centres measured oil', but before making a start the North and South Island Motor Unions, as well as the New Zealand Counties Association, will be given an opportunity of expressing their views upon the proposals for milepostin" as well as for the erection of direction signs. In connection with the purclui.se of suitable plant and machinery for modern main highway construction and

maintenance, it was decided to compile a list of plant and machinery already held by counties throughout the Dominion and forward to each local authority. By doing this, the hoard hopes for mi exchange of views between County Councils as to the suitability or otherwise of various types of plant already in the Dominion. In regard to the purchase of certain varieties of plant not at present known hy local authorities, the hoard agreed to supply all information available.

The hoard decided to issue pamphlets dealing with road construction and maintenance for the information of local authorities interested in the matter of main highways, and in the course of the next few weeks it proposes issuing a pamphlet on a road drag which is being used so extensively and successfully in other countries, especially the United States.

A number of proposals for construction anil maintenance work on highways throughout the Dominion, but principally in the North Island, were considered and approved. Most of the proposals involve work which will extend over three or four years.

Several members of the hoard will visit North Auckland. South Auckland. Taiiranga and the King Country dv triets during the next- fortnight, so as to obtain first-hand knowledge of conditions and requirements obtaining with regard to main highways in tlie.se districts.