DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 December 1924, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

- [I)Y TELKCHAPII—miII I'ItKSS ASSOCIATION. I.VQFFST VKBDICT. XKW PLYMOUTH, Dee. iiO. At the inquest concerning the death of Michael McLean, aged 33, who fell downstairs at a Imaiding house on Dee. 20th., the Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to the deceased breaking his neck while under the inIhtencc of li(|ttor. SIX MONTHS’ HAOI.. XKW PLYMOUTH. Dee. .’lt). In the police court an elderly man named .James Miles was sentenced to six months’ hard In .hour for assaulting two little Maori girls at Waitara. BA XL IXT K BUST BAISKD. WELLINGTON. Dee. 30. Tiiformatioii was received in Wellington to-day to the effect that, as from Thursday next, the C’omoiiwoaltli Bank will raise its rate of interest on overdrafts h.v one half per cent, to seven per cent. It. is the intention of the Bank to continued to allow special concessions on accounts of charitable institutions, churches and other bodies not trailing for profit. Since the Ist. January last, the Australian rate has been six and a-lmlf per ion. as it is in Xew /calami. The Xew /calami minimum overdraft rate is til per cent. That is on the choicest of business. RAID BY I’OLrCK. DAXXKYJRTCK, Dec. 00. The customary severity of the local billiard room habitues was somewhat disturbed this afternoon when two separate parties of police paid uninvited calls to two roams, and arrested the proprietors, Harry Drinkwaler and John Francis Flynn, on charges of keeping common gaming houses. Accused appeared later in court, and were remanded till January Sth. Bail of C’JIIO each was forthcoming. GOVKMXOH WKI.COM KD.

AUCKLAND, Dee. 30. Tin 'ce thousand citizens welcomed the Governor-Genera! at the Town Hall when an address of welcome was presented h.v the Mayor amid enthusiasm. Replying. Sir Charles Fergusson said his experience had already convinced him there was no need for idleness or restraint, ’file welcome he had received everywhere had given him the greatest encouragement. He had decided the best way to prove worthy of this was to take an interest in the U'ings which interested Xew Zealanders. KILLED BY FALL. AUCKLAND. Dee. 30. John Ralph Xoblo. a. married man. living at Grey Lynn, slipped and fell on stones near a quarry at Ml. Albert where he had been working. Noble was alone when he fell, and succumbed to lii.s injuries. Ho was found later. Be had sustained a fractured pelvis and internal injuries. PR KM I LIUS MESSAGE. WKLLIXGTG.Y. Dee. 30. In a New I ear message, the Prime Minister xa\ ,; “The prospects for Unpeople as a whole were never bettor than to-day, not only on account of the priio.s. hut owing t> a splendid : season lor primary products and good crops, it having been a record year for exports. Snell progress denotes the industry of the pen; !e and i.!:e basis 1 of national prnsjiority. There are no indications of any serious collapse, and 1 the community benefits when the man oil the laud is prospering, 'flic Do- 1 minion has experienced periods of pros- ’ perit.v and slumps and profited by l hem. The time to prailne eronoin.i 1 is during the season of prosperity." lie looked hark with pleasure on the achievement of Parliament, and those i who had fallen h.v the wayside in - had times had not keen forgotten. Social and domestic legislation niiisl he continued oil humanitarian lines, hut.

we must ever remember the Empire, w’i; n<.ld in trust, in partnership with overseas kin. The Prime Minister extends a cordial welcome In Sir Charles I’Vrgiissoil. the new Governor-General. ’I hey were building up a great nation in the Pacific, and if the | resent generation continued on the same lines, they v.'ould huilil up a nation worldly of its environment and nl Ihe AngloSaxon stock from which it comes. 11l conclusion he asks all classes nl the people to pull together, avoiding petty bickerings and sectional differences. and being ai l uaied by the splendid spirit which enabled the Empire to tail' grave perils during the hi-t decade lie confidently predicted for the Dominion a new year richly endowed with brightness and prcs|H-rity. in which all .itizens would freely rhare.