DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 July 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

JOY-RIDERS SENT TO GAOL. I WELLINGTON, June 20. '

Alfred Smith, aged thirty, and James Peter Walker, aged twentynine, in the Police Court to-day were .sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for unlawfully using a motor-car, which they took from a street in the city. The ear was found at Upper Hutt in a damaged condition, the damage being estimated at jliov. ‘Tt appears to me,” said ChiefDctcctive Kemp, ‘‘that nothing but imprisonment will put down this class of offence.” af’l’E.vb corin'. WELLINGTON, June 29. The Appeal Court met to-day and fixed dales for a number of cases. It them adjourned to Wednesday. In the ease 'Wilkinson and Alexander v. Bessitt, the append was allowed. At the last session respondent was given leave to appeal to the Privy Council provided set urity was given for £59!) within a month, and that appellant within three months gave security for the amount of the judgment awarded against him.

SEA.MAN T.V.H ki:i>. WELLINGTON. June 29. The Canterbury Steamship Company's steamer Gale, which sailed at 1 p.ni. to-day for Wanganui, encountered heavy weather in the Strait. A very strong southerly was met with, and as the huge seas were increasing, the captain was forced to put hack, steering in by band-gear. In attempting to put the steering gear into hang-gear, a -earnaii. I). Murchison, was injured, fracturing a leg. Jle was conveyed to the hospital on the Gale’s return. Tt is hoped that the vessel will get away to-morrow. MOSS SEA WHALERS. DEN El) IN. June '.9. The Hoss Sea is regarded as the world's filial reserve for hig ghales. Preparations for another season’s rich haul of hlubher are now completed so far as the Norwegian whale chasers are concerned. These live small steamers have all heen overhauled and repaired at Port Chalmers, whence the last one left t n Saturday for the winter quarters at Stewart Island. There they will .await the arrival of the Kloreship from Europe ere they go whale hunting again next summer. Apparentlv there is a prospect- of two storeshins coining south this year, Io-

eanse one store ship last season was at times unable to dispose ol the carcases as quickly as the chasers brought them alongside. On one occasion, when the activities of the armed chasers were thus .suspended, whales wore

spouting within sight of the sloroship. Experienced Norwegian whalers reckon that another three years’ operations will effectually clean up the Doss Sea as a 1 rnfitable whaling ground.

Sll t'NTING DISKS. INQUIRY BEING HELD. ! WELLINGTON, June 29. i Members showed a lively interest in I recent shunting accidents on the railways, the Minister's attention being I called to the necessity of improvements in shunting conditions, while Sir John I'.like and Mr .Helium! advocated hold- ; ing a special investigation. The matter was again raised as one

of the subjects in the Imprest Supply Bill dehuto. and .Mr Coates made a statement that a departmental committee is already looking into shunting ecnuVl ions. -Shunting e<'ud.ition.s were dangerous all over the world, hut the point "as that New Zealand wished t i give sliuiiteis every pns.silih- attention and reusouahle conditions of work. A committee had been appointed of experts with long experience of railway work. They would inquire run hours of city, and new lay-outs ot yards. Ii was admitted ih.it many of the cards in New' Zealand were riot satislaei uy. New lay-outs would provide for holier e antrol of waggons and tlit* safest method of working, and an expert whh knew ledge i f railway systems in utk'T parts of the uorhl was advising regarding the most modern prints. The other questions for the <Ollllll it too- were length of shifts and method of promotion of foremen in charge of yards. Tin- Department this year was s; ending £10,020 in electric lighting of yards, stations and railway houses. To sav our yards were up to date would he wiring, added the Minister. Undoubtedly the lighting was not what, it ought to l.e. and they were rectifying it. They were quite alive to the position, and to say they were satisfied with it would he wrong, ft would take a hit ol money to mala- it hotter, but they hoped to make the host of what they had got. r lho committee was a departmental one. which did not include, as some mc-mhers had suggested, representatives of the Amalgamated Society ef Railway .Servants. He thought this society would he satisfied if there were prui-tical men upon it. Air Fraser declared thnl the inquiry would not give confidence t-i lin-n whose lives were at stake unless they bad a representative <>n the committee. He hoped the .Minister would

I'eplv. .Ah- O.’Jites: I cannot reply liv way <lf illtnrrogfll ion. U.S.A. FLEET VISIT. WELLINGTON, Juno JO. Tho ]irc-ss cable reporting that representations aro :i]>|>aron t.ly being made in Admiral Coontz by Air C. ALLuke at Honolulu regarding the subject of drinking niminu tho men of tlie Hoot wlkmi visiting Xow Zcalaml "a,s brought under the notice of a meeting of the Dominion Executive of the Xew Zealand Reform Association when it was decided to send the following cable to Admiral Coontz, sinned hy tho President, Arclideacon 11. AY. AYillinms:- “The Xew Zealand Licensing Reform Association desire to convey to the Admiral that tho fact that Air C. Al. Luke who is reported hy cable to have discussed with him tlie nuestion of drinking amons the men of the fleet, does not represent either the Government or the people of Xew Zealand, his only status on this i|uosfioii being as a member of the Committee of tho Prohibition Party, who. we regret, are using the welcome visit, of the Fleet for propaganda purposes in eonnection with the referendum vote's on Prohibition to be held this year.’’ (signed) If. AY. AYillinms, Archdeacon, President.”