DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1924, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELEOBAPH— PBESS ASSN., COPTEIQIIT. SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENT. WELLINGTON, Dee. IS. Although no official announcement has been made, it is understood on good authority that TL K. Ostler, of Auckland, has been oppointed to the Supreme Court Bench. •S.S. MAORI'S ROUGH TRIP. CHRISTCHURCH. Dee. 19. The ferry steamer, Maori, with 530 passengers encountered a rough trip ami arrived at Lyttelton an hour late. There "ero heavy seas in Cook Strait. POSTMASTER'S DEATH. I’AHfATUA. December 19. Mr J. J. Frame, Postmaster at Ekotahuna. died at tho I’aliiatua Hospital early this morning as the result of a motor car accident the previous day. GALES IN WELLINGTON.

SUPS ON RAILWAY. WELLINGTON, Dot-mbcr 19. The city and country districts were visited by a strong gale and a heavy rainfall last night. Slips are reported on the railway lines at several places, including one near Paekakariki. about 30 miles from Wellington. Tlie engine of a goods train was derailed by a slip and traffic temporarily disorganised. Passengers by the incoming trains are being transferred at tlie scene of the slip and they will reach Wellington before noon. The steamer Xgaio, hound for Nelson was unable to negotiate the. Heads and returned to the wharf. She will make another effort this evening.

The streo’ts of the city and suburbs are flooded. Tn places at Muritai and Ilona Bay the water hanked up and flowed through many houses. Several electric power poles were undermined and brought down. At Kurori two pine trees fell across the tramline, disorganising traffic. Trees also broke the electric light wires at the Mutt", where the river is in high Hood, some damage being done. PRISON CONTROLLER’S DEATH. PALMERSTON NOR I'll. Dec. 19. Mr Matthews, Controller-General of Prisons, who arrived last night from Wanganui on a visit of inspection of the local courthouse, was found dead in bed at his hotel this morning. He apparently passed away in his sleep. No inquest will he held. MORTGAGES EXTENSION ACT. DUNEDIN, December 18. The first application under the Mortgages Final Extension Act, 1920, for orders granting leave to the mortgagee to exercise powers of sale came before Mr Justice Sim this morning, he reserved his decision, stating that he did not think he had jurisdiction. -Mr Macalister. for the applicants, contended that the Act was haillv drawn the Legislature having obscured its intention. The construction of the Act at present declared a close season for mortgagors for nine months, lie hoped the Court would strive against an interpretation leading to such a result.

Jm.OOD DAMAGE. CARTERTON. December 19. Cloudbursts occurred in various parts of the district last night, preceded by the most violent thunderstorm experienced for years. At about 2.30 a.in. water from two northern creeks converged and ran through the town Hooding various dwellings and one or two shops. Farms in the low-lying districts of Dnletield, Belvedere and Mature wa were inundated and the road thereto was impassable. At Ko'urareu electric power house it caused the current to he cut <>H at 9 p.m. Later the weight of wafer behind the unfinished d.mi 'ullscd the whole to wash away and the power house was again badly Hooded. It is possible there will he no power for Hireo or four days. The railway line between Carterton and Woodside has three wash-outs and no trains will run to-day, but it is expected after five or six hours the timetable will he resumed. Road traffic is very considerably hampered and on Itimutaka Hill a great washout 100 feet wide near the motor bridge, caused traffic to he entirely silspendcd. The Ruaniahinga at Pnpamai overflowed and the country was badly flooded. Kisses of stock are reported. At Kahntara the water was jest- up to the river hanks and is breaking over. The settlers were all warned by telephone, and though a record Hood is expected it. is not anticipated that stock losses will occur, though damage to fences is bound to take place. The rain has ceased for the time being, hut tlie weather is still threatening. MASTERTON, December 19. During the past twenty-four hours, seven inches of rain fell in Mastcrtou and nearly nine inches in two Vlay.s. Considerable damage was done lo many houses by Hood water. Reports from outlying portions lof the district show the roads are blocked by slips. A considerable loss of' sheep is feared in the baek'blocks. The bursting of Lnnsdowne dam renders that suburb short of water. An epidemic of sickness is feared through the destruction of the. dam if a spell of hot weather conies. WAR MEMORIAL. DUNEDIN, December 19. The tender of TL S. Bingham, a local firm of £8420 sterling has been accepted for the erection of a. war memorial column in reinforced concrete faced with Italian Carrara marble.

A BICYCLE THIEF. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 10 Thomas Robert Clover, 18, p eadod guilty to theft of bicycles, lamps, pumps, carpenters' toils, antique tittings, valued at £i<)o 2s, at the Magistrate’s Court this morning. He was convicted and ordered to he detained at Borstal Institute for a period not exceeding 2 years. Clover a week ago was placed on probation for theft of a bicycle. The police stated he had a hut on Cashmere Hills where lie dismantled machines. RAILWAY COAL. DUNEDIN, Dec. 10. The Dunedin branch of the Locomotive Engineers' Firemen and C leaneis Association lias passed a resolution against the reiutrodiiction ot unsuitable New Zealand coal on the railways. The resolution contends that the use of lignite should lie eliminated, urging principally the risk to the tiaveiling public through the engineer’s attention possibly straying in the endeavour tu keep up steam with inferior coal. LARGE COY. 1 IQUIDATF3. DUNEDIN. Dec. 10. At a meeting of the shareholders in the New Zealand Hardware Coy., a resolution was confirmed to go into voluntary liquidation. This company, with branches at Invercargill and Tiiiiaru. is ono of the oldest hardware enterprises in the Dominion. A DAM BURSTS. MASTKRTON. Decemlier 10. Last night the T.aiisdowno Dam burst and the water flooded a number of bouses in the locality sweeping outhouses, etc., away and doing much damage. The marvel is that the houses were not washed away by the water. The rain lias now ceased but portions of the town are still under water, considerable damage being done by tlie Hood waters in a number of shops.