DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[Bl' TJ3LEOKAPI1 —PUlt PKEB3 ASHOOUTIO.N'.]

HEAVY TI?ATTIC BY-LAW. AUCKLAND, Juno 30. .Mr Justice Reetl dismissed nn appeal he the Auckland .Motor Traffic; A-ssoei-iition against the City Council’s heavy traffic, fees— namely. £l2 for an unladen weight not exceeding 30cwt, to £75 for an unladen weight exceeding four tons, on traffic to Heleusc illc in the north to Mercer in the south, holding that, it eould not he said to Ik>

unreasonable. Air Justice Reed said there was no statutory restriction upon the amount of heavy traffic license tecs that muiii,ijial i|nrporat,ions may demand. It was a question of reasonableness. r i la amount must not lie greater than -at-ficii-nt to produce revenue enough to relieve tie ratepayers of the burden cast upon them by the increased cost cl heavy traffic and keeping the roads in n siate of efficiency, which, in addition maintenance, included improvement to the structure of the mad -i.liicituit to hear sueh traffic, lie was satisfied that the council exercised bon-■■-I judgment, and tin.l. on the "holt* ir, had not he* it proved that the total taxation required or the incidence of taxation by which that amount was to ho eolleeted eould he said lo he excessive. The motion to quash the bylaw was dismissed, with costs.

WEATHER PROSPECTS. AVER hi NOTON. June 39

.Mr |). Dates, the Government meteorologist, says that the present severe weather is in keeping with some ef the long distance forecasts that have been made on the other side of the world. They predict that this winter as well as next summer, are likely to ho cold and unseasonable, owing to the low solar radiation which lias been recorded for some time. The storm in the north has intensified, hut shows signs of moving to the southeast . Twenty inches <u snow are reported from Mount Cook Hermitage. The rainfall in Wellington this month was 8.13 inches, which is nearly double the average. REMAN'D OK THE A.S.RE. MT.LLINGTOX. June 30. Mr Mack, general secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, stated in reply to a question that his organisation would not lie satisfied with an ordinary departmental investigation into shunting accidents. It should not consist wholly of experts who are shunters only by observation, It should be open to the Press so that the public may realise the difficulties, responsibilities, and risks run by shunters. The society should have an f.pi’nvtunity of appointing a representative of the men themselves. AD Alack added that on June 19 his soviet v wrote to the .Minister ol Railways asking that an independent tribunal he set up to go into the question of the cause rif shunting accidents: that the order of reference should he sufficiently wide to embrace all aspects of shunting work, and tlial the 1 rihunal should sit in tie- main centres to obtain evidence from men actually engaged in shunting work,

SCITJ-Y OK LAWYERS. A [TKLAXR. June 39

“flow many lawyers can New Zealand absorb. J “ asked Mr I‘■ I ail. a member of the University Commission when evidence was being beard. Professor T. A. Hunter said there were 210 law students at. Victoria Col-l.-go, and Professor It. Al. Algie said there were 180 at Aucic.nnd. Toe Hon. George Row Ids said the students had no choice in Auckland. They either had to take law or education or go to Hur.edin. which they could not afford. Most el the -.lndents go’ to die Par.

I'roiessnr Hunter said that a grout many of the 219 .students at VictoriaCollege wouhl never get through, the cr.siinltv list was high.

DA At AGES AWARDED. AY ELLINGTON, June 31). A quarrel between Harry Eagles and Jim Gurry. a well-known amateur laser, as to who would make toast and tea at an hotel resulted in the tormer securing £1 damages and costs. NEW THEATRE. AUCKLAND, June 30. The work of completing the Colosseum ’I lieotre in Queen Street is to Input in hand immediately, and it is anticipated that this building will he opened as the most lavish picture theatre in the Dominion belorc the end of the present year. ’lliis lots been made possible by the completion of negotiations which have been in train for some time, and as a result of which a new company will lake over the partially completed building on a long lease and spend a large slim of money in finishing it in the most modern style. Representatives of the new (oinpaiiy. which includes M. Henry Hayward. Sir Heanjumin Fuller and .Messrs John Fuller, E. J. Righton, and Phil Hayward, representing the Hayward and Fuller theatres. met renresentaiires of Colosseum Limited yesterday and completed negotiations for the lease and agreement lo finish the building. The work of erecting tlu- Colosseum was commenced about three years ago. and operations were continued until the shell of the building was in position. Although something like Clgil.OOf) has been expended on the structure, il lias remained in its present unfinished state for many months.

Discussing the venture, a representative of Hayward and Fuller theatres said they were convinced that they had the shell of a magnificent building, and their idea now was to spend a lot of money to complete the theatre in the most fin i-h style. It would certainly lie the largest picture theatre in the Dominion, with a seating capacity of over 2000, and would embody all the most modern features. They estimated that when the building was ready for occupation the total cost wouhl amount to between Cl-10,000 and LT.70,000.