DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ABBN., COPYRIGHT. RAII.WAY ENQUIRY. WELLINGTON, July J. In consequence of the agitation regarding accidents to shunters, a. Board of Enquiry is being appointed under the Railways Act. The order of reference covers ten points, including the question of whether the layout of the ' various station yards is safe; the length of the shifts; tiie general supervision. and lighting and drainage. BANKRUPT CRICKET COACH. WEDLIXGTON, July 1. Allegations that extravagant living bad Ih'CH responsible lor bis bankruptcy were made at the (Magistrate's Court to-day, when Frederick Theodore lladcoek. cricket coach, was charged that, having been adjudged a bankrupt lie did try unjustifiable extravagance of living bring about his bankruptcy. and that- he contracted a debt of £3l IDs fid with J. T. Lewis, without, reasonable expectation of being able to pay it. as well as his other debts.

Badeock, said the Crown Prosecutor, arrived in New Zealand under engagement to the Wellington Cricket Association at a salary of £5 per week. Shortly after arrival, lie began to run up large accounts and in two and nlialf months bis liabilities were L'bJfi I.'s 3d. He bad brought about Ids bankruptcy by extravagant living. The Official Assignee produced a statement of defendant's aflairs. which showed liabilities £IOB with asset. 4 , nil. WELLINGTON. July 1. Captain Badeock. who was charged with a broach of Hie Bankruptcy Act, hv iinilist iliable extravagance in bringing about bankruptcy, was commuted for trial, being being fixed at £3OO. For the defence. Mr C. G. "Wilson. (Chairman of the Wellington ( ricket Association) said lliat although Badcock w.iiS oiit£nc;o<l ut per Jinninn. it was only a guaranteed minimum. He bad opportunities of increasing his salarv considerably. I lie infantile paralysis must iiecessarilv have interfered considerably with Ids earnings. Outside the amount guaranteed, lie bad also published a valuable book ol advice an cricket, which should firing in additional revenue.

WELLINGTON WEATHER. WASHINGTON. July 1. June in Wellington was much more of a winter month than il lias beers on the average for many years past. The rainfall including last night’s was 8.33 in. or 73 per cent, above Hie average, and the wind was higher than the average. CAR SMASH AT WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, July I.

A taxi driver. George Ryan, crashed into a stationary tram fiy f hornilon stieds at miil-iiight. The tram was uv a standstill. Conductor Green war, (banging the pole when lb - motor-ear. travelling. il is alleged, at twenty miles ait hour oil the tramlines, canto up without warning and struck tlm I ram. Green was knocked over, but managed to roll over in the mud before Hie tram could mine over film. The motormao. Peacock, was passing through the tram, and was nearly thrown out by the shock of the impact, but recovered am! went out to. tlte motor-ear. lie found Ryan lying unconscious on the Iroiit seat. Ibe wind shield was smashed, and the steering wheel iiroKen. the latter jamming the driver against the Luck ol the seal. Ryan was sent to the hospital ill a serious condition. The accident is inexplicable at firesent, hut it is surmised llmi the tram was 111 darkness lor a moment, and Ryan, having his own lights led. diil not notice it in the roadway. MOTOR 'BUSES FOR DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN. July L The Tramways Commit tee ‘J the City Council lias made a ("com ndatit ni to the meeting ol till' council that authority be granted to purchase an additional 13 neitor buses, each having a sealing capacity ol 3! '.passengers. The committee are of the opinion that it is desirable that these additional vehicles .should he obtained more particularly with the object ol assisting to cope with the abnormal traffic d"malids that will he in evidence during the Exhibition period. As provision for the expenditure lias not been mad.' during the current financial veai, the matter has been relerrcd to the Finance Committee tor report oil the financial aspect in terms of the standing orders.

ELECTROCUTED AT FRONT GATE

LIVE Will E ON FOOTBATH

CHRISTCHURCH. July 2

.1 allies Ward. married. with six children, aged 36, and a resident of llawford Street, Opawa. was electrocuted as he stepped out ot his I font gate this morning. During the night a lulling tree knocked down a live wire and this was lying on the lootpat h. TWO FATALITIES. TIMAIU’. July I. Maurice O'Donoghue, aged 48 years. married mail with two children, employed in a local garage, dropped dead this afternoon. Ernest Verrall. of Christchnr h. aged ID years, who was visiting friends at Kakahu, left home yesterday to shoot rabbits, and was later found dead in a middoek with a gun-shot wound.

HERD TESTING. HA AVER A. July 1

The National Dairy Assoiiation today fixed Wellington for the next conference. The session was mainly devoted to addresses on matters of interest to the industry. Group herd testing was bmgtldy disi*ussi‘(l.

M,- Grounds. Chairman of the Dairy Control Board, stressed the importance of herd testing, which the Board wished to encourage. The Dominion should not neglect an.' °l' poriunity of strengthening its position against opposition. Testing oil'ered splendid advantages in this direction. Lie considered the Government should associate itself with the ' movement, hut the producers should proceed with a scheme, irrespective of support, which would he for the good of the whole community.

Mr li. At. Somerville (T e T\ui:' considered group testing would solve the problem of raising the butter fat standard. The need was urgent for increasing the average to compare more favourably with Denmark s 2 fSlhs. The group system furnished the best means. He estimated the ~t )s t at five shillings per cow. He suggested the Government should grant a subsidy of one shilling f>er cow. Ihe speaker said the Governments of other dairying countries paid similar sn sidies. Mr C. -AL Hume. No 22 Coop Herd Testing Association, said the tuo greatest difficulties were getting rid of cull cows and scrub bulls. He believed that with universal tests, the calf marking average would he brought to 25(11 hs within ten years. This would mean an extra income for the Dominion of six millions annually. Mr Sinclair (Opotiki) considered n State subsidy of one shilling too modest. and suggested two shillings. Other speakers advocated the scheme,

The conference passed a resolution recognising the urgent need of improving the country’s dairy herds to a higher butter fat standard, and urged the dairy farmers to adopt herdtesting under proper methods of organisation ; also requesting the State to assist by granting » subsidy.

\GLD MAORI’S DEATH. WAIROA, July 2.

Aii Tiged Maori. Iluka Aranui. was missed from Mohaka. Ra last Saturday. and to-day his naked body was found in the. scrub, twelve miles away, on I’utcrc E.oad.

FLOOD SITUATION EASIER. NAPIER, Julv 2

The return of fine weather has ended I lie anxiety regarding the floods. The rivers are abnormally high, but good mouths are permitting their maximum discharge, this saving the town and district. FLOODS IN' CANTERBURY. CHRISTCHURCH. July 3. Bealev reports that Waimakariri is rising rapidly. Eyre river is also rising. Farmers have been warned to remove stock from "the low-lying lands. The main road at Little River is under two feet of water.