DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH— PER PRESS ASSOCIATION

NEAY THEATRE. AUCKLAND, January 8. Auckland will soon have an elaborate new theatre which is to be erected on a prominent Queen Street site by the theatrical linn of J. (.'.Williamson, Ltd. Work on this new building will commence in July next. Some time ago Williamson’s acquired a site in Queen Street, opposite Smith and (.'a ug I ley’s. This property, which lias two frontages, .47 feet to Queen Street by a depth of 16.4 feet, and widening to a frontage of I 1 I feet to Lome Street, is ideal for ihe purpose. The theatre will he equipped with the most up-to-date appliances and accessories and will be luxuriously .furnished. Seating accommodation for about 160(1 persons will lie provided. Tbe whole of the stall seats will be on n level with Queen Street. There will be no gallery in the theatre. The building fronting Queen Street will comprise a liandcome structure of five storeys, with the main entrance to the theatre and shops on the gruond floor, and suites of offices above. Building operations will be commenced immediately upon tbe termination of tbe existing leases in July next, and will be completed with tin* utmost expedition. The new theatre will he open continuously, exhibiting high-class picture programmes, nceomapnied by the latest vaudeville acts drawn from the Williamson Australian circuit. The new theatre will bo larger than tbe present Ilis Majesty's, which will be retained for other attractions and for which tbe firm has a twenty-eight veers lease.

P. AND O. LINER. AVELI.INGTON. January 8. Of 14.111 tons gross legister and li’ yd to comfortably accommodate 1072 passengers and a. crow of 24ft, tbe P. and (). liner Bnrndine, a unit of tbe London and Sydney via Cape Town service, made her initial visit to New Zealand waters to-day. The vessel commenced her voyage from the English port on November .4 with 1072 passengers, 161 of whom were disembarked at Cape Town on November 26. A further sixty-live joined the vessel, which sailed two (lays later for Adelaide. Ninety-eight passengers left the Rnradino at Adelaide, 442 at .Melbourne and 104 al Sydney, twentyone making the trip to Wellington. Six days out from Adelaide a heavy sea was shipped, and, while it left the big steamer undamaged, it considerably alarmed the passengers. Departure was taken from Sydney mi Sunday morning last and the llaradine encountered fine weather until her arrival in the stream at. 11.2.4 a.m. today. Pratique was granted at 2.14 p.ni., and the vessel berthed at the King’s Wharf. The llaradine. whose length measurement is 420 loot, carries one ( lass only, and her main saloon eapacitv makes provision for the accommodal ion of ■lft2 passengers at one meal. Another saloon holds 240. The vossel will load a largo consignment of butter, mutton and wool in New Zealand. Her remaining ports of call are Lyttelton, Tokomaru Bay, and Napier. Captain ('. Dayas is in command.

AUSTRALIAN FMH'R. AUCKLAND. January 8. Tbe suggestion by Christchurch merchants that preparations are being made to import Hour from Australia on a large scale immediately the embargo expires at the end of February is not endorsed by Auckland merchants. This position was established as a result of enquiries made from merchants' and millers’ i oprescnlat i ves. (!no authority expressed the opinion that, the suggested import a l inns existed largely in the imagination of the farmers and lloiii'millers of Canterbury. Tim fai l that a ” Gazet (■• " notice authorising imoosilion ol a (lumping dtitv might bo imposed lelt- a gap ol 21 days between the expiration ol the embargo and tbe time at which ibe (lumping duty might be imposed bad evident!v aroused the fears ol southern farmers and millers, added Hie speaker. Apparently they were getting to work with the object 01. inducing the Government to take some action to counteract what, must appear to them, to lie a very .serious oversight. Me had made enquiry as to the position in Auckland. So far as he could ascertain, there had been no preparation made locally to import Hour from Australia.

An analysis of figures quoted from Christchurch, said the authority, did not afford much inducement to import. It was staleil that the price of Australian Hour lot* export was Iroin LU 1.- )S to til Us per ton. Taking the lower figure and adding LA for duty and 1-2 for freight and charges, the landed cost of the Hour in Auckland would he Cl 8 Us. The price of New Zealand Hour in Auckland to bakers was LIT os. less-2.V per cent. lie understood that it was intended to increase the price of New Zealand Hour when the embargo was removed. It seemed likely that fear of Australian competition would prevent any great increase being made until the dumping duty was imposed. NEW CHESS CHAMPION. NELSON. January S. Cecil .1. S. Purdy, who won the New Zealand championship chess tournament at Nelson this week, hails from Australia. Born at Port Said, Egypt, j , lie went a few years later with Ids parents to Sydney, New South Wales. He learnt chess from the hook about three years ago, and tound great interest in playing through some o! ...orphy’s games. It was then that he became acquainted with L. S. £ rakanthorp (father of Spencer Crakantl.orp) last war's champion and a strong player, and from him during five month's of week-end trips to Manly he had Ins real lessons in chess. He made rapid improvement, soon doing away with the handicap with which lie was at first glad to play, and after a study of Lasker's "Chess Strategy.” he became equal to his tutor. During the next rear he met A. E. N. Wallace the New South Wales champion, and since then his only practice has been about 50 games with him and a few with L S. Crakanthorp. Cecil Purdy plays for the Manly Chess Club in in-ter-club matches, but be does nut indulge in- club play for practice. In l!r>2 lie came sixth in the State championship. Dust Easter ho came fourth, drawing with Crakanthorp in their championship tram os. playing this year for the first time in inter-State matches, he won his games against Queensland and 'hniria. lie has had practically no chess since Easter, ns he was working lor i •• Leaving Certificate ’’ examination hoping to get an exhibition for the University. He cannot quite understand bis present good form under these circumstances. He hones to compete at the "Dunedin Exhibition tournament to be held at this season next year. STOLEN SAFE FOUND. WELLINGTON. January 8. The safe stolen from the Lower Hutt Railway Station was discovered in the c ; tv The back bad been chiselled out. anil mouev amounting to £4O had been removed, but the hooks were left.