DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

DWELLING DESTROYED. AUCKLAND, June 17

A fire at Point Chevalier completely destroyed a ten-roomed house owned and occupied by AY. Camp. The occupants had an hasty exit, with a few personal effects. The insurances are £7OO on the house anil Clso on the contents.

ENGINE DRIVERS’ WAGES. WELLINGTON, June 15

The increase in wages to enginedrivers. firemen and cleaners publi-h----ed in t!ii‘ “Gazette” are retrospective, to April Ist, 1924. From well-informed circles yesterday a “Times” representative gathered that an engine-driver quite recently took over £9 in overtime for a fortnight in addition to wages. The informant saw the wages ducket, and expressed the opinion that the iact an engine-driver worked such long hours constituted a real source of danger on the railways, as a man could not keep mentally and physically lit when working such king hours,

AMALGAMATION Or CLUBS

GISBORNE. J nee 17. At the annual meeting of the Poverty Bay Turf (Tub. the Chairman Mr ,J. AY. Nolan, staled in his address that the Dates Committee of the Racing Conference desired the amalgamation of the (Tub with ihe Gisborne Racing (Tub. After ilLeus-mii. a motion was passed that the lurl (lull do not consider the time opportune lor amalgamation. SCHOOL CHILDREN’S INSURANCE. WELLINGTON, June 17. Arising out of a letter from flic Government Accident Insurance Office, intimating that it could not admit a claim in a case which was due to a pun* accident, the Education Hoard today discussed the whole question of the insurance ol seh’ ol children against accident. It was decided to approach the Education Department with a view t > securing a grant to provide for the cost of first aid at accidents MR ATM ORE AT NELSON. NELSON, June 17. Mr 11. Almore. M.P., addressed a crowded leveling at the Theatre Royal last evening. He deali at length with the political situation, strongly urging the formation of a National Party. “It was not a question of Reform going to Liberal, or Liberal coining to Reform.” he said. The best, men of both parties should get together in fight socialism and promote national interests.

On All Atmore’s motion, il was resolved. with one dissentient, "That ill the opinion of this meeting of Nelson Citizens, it is imperative in the best, interests of the Dominion that a National Party and Government he Infilled.” Air Atnmre was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.

RAILWAY CLERK’S TMEETS. WANGANUI. June 17

At the Magistrate’s (mnl at Wnvcrlcy to-day. Hyacinth Wisnisky, pleaded guilty to failing to account to the Railway Department for the sum of £55. Accused, v. Im I a.’ been employed at Waverley station for the past four venrs, had been in the habit of making out freight accounts and adding additional iiem*- to them. T hose items wore not recorded on the duplicates ol these accounts, nor in any of the Departmental bonks. When the accounts were paid hv clients, accused pocketed the extra monev.

N.Z. ayheat shortage. AYEI.LTNGTON. .lime 17. Hon. Mr Nosworthv. Alinister o! Agrienlt ure slated tlnil he had “eted in aceordasa-e wildi his promise to I lie wheat growers to uith-hold the. importation (if wheat until alter the end of June. In April last the millers had undertaken. stated the Alinister. to purchase tin* whole <d ill-■ available wheat in the Dominion, of good milling quality heiore tho cud ol June, and the reports from his Depart inoiil dealing with wheat showed that- the millers had carried out this undertaking. Tf any good milling wheat still remains in the ianners’ hands after this month, the millers are still willing to 7mreha.se it- at arranged prices. They had recently urged upon him, the necessity ol siipo!.‘liientjug tlie* iocal supplies by imporlat ions I’rom abroad. The .Minister added that close investigation into the position showed that it was essential tor some supplies of overseas wheat to he purchased and shipped in July, and as the necessary finance had been forthcoming from the millers to pa\ for several cargoes, deliveries would be effected during the next mouth to certain main port- in both the North and South Islands. Asked as lo the eil’ect up ”> Hie existing prices of Hour, bran and pollard. the Alinister replied 1 hat these would not lie increased, nor would the bread prices alter, following on the arrangement entered into between the wheal growers, millers and the Government at. the Conference held in April last.

OCTOPUS IN BATHS. AY ELLINGTON. June 18. A monster octopus measuring 17 to 18 feet from tentacle tip to tentacle tip. was caught in To An. public baths. AA'ellington yesterday. A man was on the point of (living into the water when he noticed something squirming •dome the hot tom of the baths. He 'managed to retain his footing on the .living platform and cii realising what ihe cent lire was. lie went tor the rniotaker and between them they dragged the brute out with a fid teen lm>t *°l’U mnl boat book. No one who saw U con'd recall having seen such it large octopus before. K the brute did not net through the iron grids ton "huh the mesh is not more that two inches and bars no wider), it must have climbed over the wall of the baths.

HON. GUTHRIE IX HOSPITAL. WELLINGTON, dune 18. Hon. D. H. Guthrie "ho has been indisposed for several days entered a private hospital yesterday. Ho will not he present at the opening of Parliament. hut is expected to take his place in the House at an early date. FIJI TYPHOID OUTBREAK. AUCKLAND, dime 18. Doctor G. Frindley who returned from Suva this morning with four, nursing sisters states the typhoad epidemic was traced to a blocked watei main which carried the typhoid germs into the domain and contaminated the town supply. About throe hundred people, including 120 Europeans, caught the fever. The deal as of white people | numbered seven, including one or tuo New Zealanders. .Suva is now quite safe for tbe tourist. When Dr. Findley left there, there were no new cases, except one or two Indians who were catching the e.o. from relatives. CYCLIST KILLED. HASTINGS, June 18. Eugene Breen. 37, married with four children, was riding a bicycle last uieht. He swerved into a side street, and a motor cyclist collided precipitating him to the ground and fracturing h Ts skull. He died this morning.