DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

(JIY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION

DUNEDIN EXHIBITION BAND. DUNEDIN, March 2d. The matter of providing music for the Exhibition is one that has caused much discussion, and the expression ol many and varied opinions. An official statement alien t this matter is now presented. Mr Charles P. Hainswerth, General Manager of the Exhibition, announces that the Band of the bill'd Argylc and Sutherland Highlanders has been definitely booked for the whole term of the forthcoming Exhibition. He said the Band possessed a great reputation for musical and general ability. It would comprise some 4a players, including a full military band, with, in addition, pipers and dancers, so that ii would not be wanting in point of ability. It was under the conductorship of Mr E. J. Picketts, a well known composer of band music. One of bis compositions was the well known “Colonel Bogey .March.” MAN DROWNED. ROTORUA, March 23. A telephone message I rum I aupo states that a young mail. William Otto, employed at I lie Geyser Valley Hotel, Wairaki, while bathing yesterday with companions in the Waikato river, was caught in a swift current and swept away, His companions were powerless to assist. Ihe body has not been iecovcred. It is understood that relatives ol Otto reside at Newton. A police party is searching the river below the rapids.

1 A dairy laboratory. WELLINGTON, March 23. The Hon. W. Norwortbv, Minister ol Agriculture, states the Government has decided to establish a dairy laboratory, also a, miniature cheese and butter factory to run in connection therewith. The .site will be the veterinary label.itc.ry at the farm at Wallacevillc. The Minister says Unit there is a. need for facilities for investigating various troubles arising in the manufacture and handling of cheese and their subsidiary products su< !) as ensen. These troubles were increased by the spread ol home -■'.partilion, and reports from Loudon on the condition of butter and < hee-v on arrival on the market have shown that there has been some deterioration m quality. To counter this scientific investigations and research work aie necessary.

DUNEDIN PUBUC’S CREDULITY DUNEDIN, March 23.

Putting forward as the foundation of business, a confident prediction ol big profits a Dunedin man, it is alleged has secured and lost for the lenders sums totalling over .£20.000. One mail is said to have lost LIIKIO. It is stated that the scheme has boon in one rat ion for a long time, and that sonic women, with small capital, arc aiming the losers, who number 10

or 50 persons. The modus onerandi is staled to he as under. Mr "X” was a trusted , business man with a large circle ol acquaintances. These he approached separately and swore them to secrecy, obtaining from them sums to help finance a profitable deal. Returning a week or two later, he handed over a handsome profit, retaining the pnnciI ,v»l for another venture, and also borrowing more for a larger venture Amiin a handsome profit was disbursed r pi’ the lender, the principal being retained. and so op ad infinitum the lenders became diary. Mr “X” is said to have broken ! down completely in health, and it is | further said that the lenders have no , recourse a l law. ’ THE DRUIDS’ ORDER. grand lodge conference. TK KUITT. March 23. , The conference of the Grand Lodge North Island, of the United Ancient j Order of Druids opened here this afternoon. Grand resident Brother E. Tudehope (Napier) 1 resided. The on- | mtal report stated the membership of ’ the order was 1-1,387, a "substantial advance upon the previous report, two years ago. The stock and fund a 1 fund showed an increase of £21.33“; and the special insurance fund an inI crease of £10.112. The mail) features of the balance sheet, over assets, ctn- ’ body investments. Properties and mortgages totalled £3-10,5/1, including £201.817 to the credit of the sick and funeral fund, and £n0.207 to the credit of the special insurance. The expenditure ot the sick ami funeral fund was £2119, and of the special in- ’ ‘ (suranee benefit £2.775. The Grand Lodge supervisory of juvenile- lodges reported that the movement was making excellent progress. It was an inI novation which time alone could prove but the experience gained since the opening of the first juvenile lodges in 1022, proved, beyond doubt, that the movement had justified its existence. There are 108 lodges, having 551 fm- ! uncial members. I Officers so far elected are as follows: Grand President, Urn. L. Price | (Petone). Grand Vice-President, Bro. T. H. Wilson (Auckland); Grand Trea- | f,utier. Bro. J. l.aiightvm (Wielliug--1 ton). ! A DROWNING TRAGEDY. I TK AWAMUTU. March 23. j A drowning fatality occurred at To T\uva. eight miles south of Te Avainutu. It appears that a numlier of bathers yesterday afternoon assembled at a favoured bathing place on the I Waipa River. After most of the ' party had tetiirned homewards, two young ladies, named Misses Neal, were having a final swim, when one got into difficulties, due to a stiff current. ; The other sister rushed to the rescue, I and got her safely to the far hank. i Looking around, Miss Neal could see nothing of her mother, who had been sitting on the bank. The mother’s hat was floating in the stream. Tt is assumed that she plunged into the water when her elder daughter was in difficulties, and was drowned. Dragging operations have been fruitless.

AT GISBORNE. GISBORNE, March 23

At a meeting of the Local( Disputes’ Committee on the Karori coal dispute, in which the men demanded an extra 2d per hour, it was decided to refer the trouble to the National Disputes’ Committee at Wellington.

OTA GO ANX IVE RS AR Y. DUNEDIN, March 23. The seventy-sixth anniversary of the province of Otago was celebrated today in beautiful weather. The celebrations took the lorn) ol a reunion of early settlers in the Early Settlors Hall in the afternoon at which appropriate addresses were delivered and in the evening a big social function was held. The day was observed as a general holiday and the resorts were extensively patronised. CYCLISTS’ FATAL COLLISION. CHRISTCHURCH March 23.

A collision between two cyclists oc-c-ured on Yadhurst Road, as a result of which John Reginald Sutcliffe, a school hov, aged 15, who lived with his parents in Yaldhurst Road, died at the Hospital. The cyclists were trying to avoid two dogs when they collided.