DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 April 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELEOBAPH—PRESS ABSN-, COPYBIOHI.

DOAIINIOXAS SURPLUS. AVELLIXGTOX, April 29. Sir Francis Beil announced to-day that the surplus for the financial year ended 31st. March is £1,235,000. The advance statement of revenue and expenditure of ordinary accounts in the Consolidated Fund showed: Revenue £28,030,000; expenditure, £27,395,000; surplus, £1,235,000.

A SENTENCE REDUCED. WELLINGTON, April 28,

■The Court of Appeal heard an appeal in the ease Rex versus .Hayden. Prisoner, who was unrepresented by counsel, was found guilty of criminal assault oil a boy and indecent assault on a man and was sentenced by Air Justice Al'Gregor to ten years on the first charge" and five years on the second, the terms to bo cumulative. As the assault was on a grown man and Hayden was under the influence of liquor at the time, the Court held that this sentence should he reduced to one year, to he served concurrently with the ten-year period. MOTOR ’BUSES. WELLINGTON, April 28. Motor ’bus Competition against trams lias not developed in AVellington, bid the corporation intends entering the field itself in anticipation of such a. contingency. The tramways manager and the chief traffic, inspector, after investigating Auckland conditions, made a recommendation, which has lieeu adopted, for the purchase of one complete American 'bus, with a live-passenger chassis ol the same design, and a three-passenger chassis from an English maker. the latter being a short wheel base, suitable for traffic on the hills. Explaining their preferences lor American machines, the council’s officers remark: “We regret- that it- is ncessnry to pass over the machines ol British manufacture, but. unfortunately British makers have not lowered their chassis nor departed to any extent worth mentioning from the standard truck design. There is every indication that the corporation in the immediate future will lie lace to lave

with severe competition from privately owned machines. It may lie taken for granted that competitors will not use British machines, and it is ol the utmost importance that the council should be in a position t.» deal with private competition at the very commencement of the struggle. This can only be done by purchasing machines which will attract and retain the traffic. It has been the aim of the Department in the past, to purchase as far as possible British-made plant, hut, in view of the fact that the financial position of the tramway undertaking may be jeopardised it unsuitable motor vehicles are purchased, we strongly urge that effect ho given to our recommendation.” AIR JUSTICE A LEERS. AUCKABNI), April 28. Tu the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Alpers was welcomed by a large gathering of the Auckland Law Society on his first visit to this cii\ in a judicial capacity. The vice-president of the society. Air Johnson, olferod the society s congratulations and expressed a very warm and genuine welcome. Air Alpers said that though he could not hope to rise to Hie heiglils attained by some of the great men who had preceded him on the Bench, he hoped lie could strive to emulate them in some of their nttrihuT’.s and aremu plishmeuls. •AVOWED’S SCUM LING TITLE. 151. EX 111'ifAlj. April 23 J. T. Hannan left to-day for Danne-vii-ke. eii mute to 1 Bouillon, where ho will go into training lor his match with Major Good-sell for the. world’s sculling championship. He anticipates that the match will take plate about the end of June.