DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 January 1925, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELEGHAFH —PKK93 ASSN., COPYRIGHT. WOOL SALE. INVERCARGILL, Jan. iS. Idle first Invercargill wool .sale opened before a strong bench of buyers. The opening stages showed a dull mantel, with a considerable drop) on recent prices aL Dunedin. The market baked keenness, and many lots were passed in. The catalogue comprises ever eighteen thousand bales. RAILWAY OFFICERS. TO VISIT SOUTH AFRICA. WELLINGTON, January 27. One of the recommendatiins of the Railway Commission was that officers from the railway service should go abroad to obtain an insight into many phases of railway operation. On Friday Mr James Mason, a member of the Railway Board of .Management, and Mr I*. R. Angus, locomotive engineer, will leave by the Maheno for Sydney, en route for South Africa, to investigate railway matters there. They will he absent for several months, and on their return will present a report to the Minister. Air Mason will study matters of general administration while Mr Angus, who up till the present has been locomotive engineer at Groymouth', will look into technical questions. South Africa has been selected as it presents features analagous to those existing in the Dominion inasmuch as the South African system is State owned and has a 3ft Gin gunge.

Two other officers from the civil engineering and triflie brandies are to be sent abroad also, and Mr E. J. Guinness, controller of stores, is to study the working of railway stores in New South Wales. While Mr Mason is absent, Air A. W. Alrniat, district traffic manager, Auckland, will be acting member of the Railway Board. A BROKEN ARM. PRISONER AND POLICE. Cl lIMSTCII FIICI I. Jan. 28. “There is a suggestion that unneeessarv force was used in putting this man into the cell, and f want to make some inquiries.” said Air Sargent, at the Alagistrate's Court yesterday, when he appeared on hehall ol I humus ITeetoi Clements, who on Monday pleaded not guilty on charges of drunkenness and resisting the police. Clements was arrested on December 27th.. and since then ho has been in hospital with a broken arm. All- Sargenb asked for a remand for one week so that he. could consult Dr Crooke, who dressed the accused’s arm in the police cell. Senior-Sergeant Lcwin asked that Constable Hassell’s evidence‘should be beard, in order to save him anothei trip from Ashburton. Tlm Magistrate njjrecd to this course. The constable said that ou tlm evening of December 27th.. he was ou duly iiTtho watch-house, when a cab _ cout;lining Clements and Constable ''banley drove into the police yard. Clements was “mad drunk.” and I ought and kicked like a madman, “lie was the. dirtiest prisoner T ever handled.” said the witness. Coni inning, he said that it. took him and another constable to put Clements into the cell, no unnecessary force was used. M ben thev got him to the cell door he grabbed at. one of the bars, but tbo witness put a bold on him and he let go After lie was locked no he complained that his arm was broken. Dr Cooke was called in. and lie found that there was a simple frai l arc. To Mr Sargent: Six constables were standing, round, hut only two handled Clements. The accused was remanded to appear on Tuesday, bail being allowed.

WHAT IS A MOTOR LORRY? WANGANUI. January 27. What is a motor lorry? ihe question at first sight appears easv to answer, hut in Wangauiu local bodv circles it is a point on which there is some doubt. Section 19 of the Public Works Amendment Act legally defines a motor loci'c iis “ every motor vehicle used for hire or commercial purposes in the carriage ol' passengers and goods. Flic point in doubt whether a motor lorry earning passengers only, or a lorr.s used solely lor the carriage of goods, can he legally described as a motor lorry. El* FIT CONTROL BOARD. WELLINGTON, January 27. The poll for the election of two Nelson Marlborough district rep re sen Intires on the New Zealand fruit Control Board result Oil to-day as under:—Brash. T. C "0 Stephens. 11. E 9.1 Callaghan, Patrick '' Stewart, Joseph. 33 Messrs . Brasil and Stephens have been declared elected. Voters on the roll totalled 233, and ].|o .voting papers were returned. The number ol non-voters thus being ninety-three. Mr 11. G. Izard, Auckland-Taranakt district, and Mr A. -M. Robertson. Hawke’s Bay-Wellington area, were elected unopposed. Two Government representatives have yet to he appointed. POLYNESIAN SOCIETY. NEW PLYMOUTH. January 27. After twenty-five years’ continual activity in New Plymouth the Polynesian Society’s headquarters are to be transferred to Wellington, negotiations being formally approved at the annual meeting to-night. The membership now is 328, the largest in the society’s history. Air W. H. Skinner, New Plymouth, was elected president and Mr ALsSmith, Wellington, secretary.

A SAFETY' DEVICE. \yAXOAXUI. January 27. At a public demonstration held last evening of a warning device suitable for erection at railway crossings, invented by Mr A. Pearson, a. lesolu tion was passed urging the chairman of the Kail wav Hoard to investigate the suitability of the apparatus for railway purposes and to subject the invention to trials in the Wanganui section. pigeon-flying. DUNEDIN, January 27. The result, of the New Zealand Pigeon Flying Grand National is announced as follows E. Cuthbertson (Timaru), 1356yds per minute • _ * ,T. Gibson (Mnrlborogh), 1367yds ... - S Lvnn (Dunedin), 1309yds 3 A KETCH BURNED. TAUR'ANGA, Jan. 2,. The auxiliary ketch OTiio. belonging to Armstrong. Whitworth and Coj.. emploved towing barges’up the harbour with rail wav material, was burnt to the water’s edge in one of the harbour rivers last night. No particulars as to the cause are available. It is understood the men aboard got ashore sar.ly. --