DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1925, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[I)Y TELKbHArH—PEH TItESS ASSOCIATION

NAUTICAL INQUIRY. STEAMER. PAKEHA. . INVERCARGILL, January 12. A Magesterial inquiry into the alleged touching of the Pakeha when entering Bluff Harbour on June 3 opened before Air W. G. Riddel, S.AI., and Captains Barron and Rollons. Pilot Schofield stated that he brought the steamer into the harbour at low. water. After passing No. 1 beacon the captain said: “Site’s touching, pilot.” A minute later he said: “There you are,” and witness heard a noise like a door being banged. Witness said: “Impossible. She’s in the channel and on the line of the leads.” But a minute or two later he stopped the engines and worked quietly to the wharf. He was confident at the time the ship had not touched the bottom because ho had been over the same ground often with vessels drawing more water. The morning was fine, with no sea. Cross-examined, he said that during the sweeping of the channel he found a small rock in 25 feet of water where the chart showed 28 feet. On two occasions he found two little groups of rocks with less water than was charted in the vicinity of the place he was touching. In his opinion in the Pakeha was too severe to he accounted for hy striking a floating object.

FROST IN THE TAIERT. DUNEDIN, January 12. The price of the new season’s wheat has ceased to interest the bulk of the Taieri farmers. It has just been ascertained that their early-sown crops are ruined. About a week before Christmas a frost was experienced on tho Plain. It now transpires that the frost caught the wheat when in its milky stage, and where yields of a round forty bushels to the acre seemed assured, they will now be absolutely nil. The loss to growers will be heavy, for there is a large area under wheat Lil the Taieri this season, considerably larger than last year. Tho Taieri is the main source of supply for tho Dunedin flour mills. Whether the relatively small area of late sown wheat on the Taieri has escaped, has not yet been ascertained. There are hopes that not having reached the milky stage, it may have escaped. Word lias just been received from the Gore district that since the Holidays a “white ” frost was experienced there, which has done great damage to tho crested dogstail crop, and probably to all seeds in a more or less milky condition. A FIRE. AUCKLAND, January 21. A house at Remnera;, owned and occupied by 11. C. Chinelien, was completely destroyed by fire last night. The inmates lost everything. Mi- (. hinehen and his family were

reaily packed up prior in their departure for London. Air Cliinehen having received an appointment there. About six o’clock in the morning, Air Chinchon was awakened hy a dog barking, find found the washhouse blazing. The inmates of the residence liad bare Is lime to escape, one of them having his hair singed. The house was insured Inr Cl lad ami the contents for 1; Kin, The insurance will not nemly cover the loss. The cause of the lire is a mystery.

COAITNG ELECTION. LABOUR'S INTENTION. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 13. The Labour Party is determined to secure a majority of scats in the next Parliament, :if at all possible,” declared Air H. T. Armstrong, ALP., for Christchurch East. “The present intention of the Party.” said Air Armstrong, “ivas to contest about seventy of the eighty seats, and between now and the opening of the session. Labour members of Parliament were going to conduct the most intensive campaign in the history of the Party. The four Christchurch members had agreed to unilcrtnke organisation work in different parts of the Dominion, and be was expecting to receive bis instructions from bead quarters within a. few days. Air Armstrong, made it clear that the Lalinur Parly' bad no intention of entering into an alliance, or agreement, with any other party. Labour intended to conduct its. own fight, and to aim nt an independent majority in the House.”