DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

L'bST TELEOUirH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] LIVE PIGEON CHAMPIONSHIP. MASTERTON, July 8. The Now Zealand live pigeon championship was won by E. Groome with R. A rust second. AN OPIUM FINE. AUCKLAND, .July 8. Chong Cliiitg, a Chinese quartermaster on the Dutch steamer Hermes, of Singapore, was to-day filled the minimum, fine of £25 for lieing in possession of opium. Mr Penn, ActingCollector of Customs, said the accused did not admit the ownership of opium in bis acclartion, but, when lie was searched, three one-ounce tins were found. Presumably he intended disposing of it.

The Magistrate .Mr Boynton, said lie did not want, accused in New Zealand. If lie imposed the maximum fine of £IOO, Hie accused would not lie able to pay it, and that would mean that they got an undesirable ini mi grant. Therefore, he imposed the minimum of .£25. The money was paid.

THE BIRTH RATE. AVELIJINGTOX. Julv 8

The total number of births registered for the urban areas during May amounted to 1089 as against 1079 in April, an increaso of 10. The deaths in May totalled 415, a decrease of six as compared with the previous month. Of the total deaths males contributed 245 and females 200. Fifty-seven ot the deaths were of children under five years of age, being 12.81 per cent of the whole number. Forty-five of these were under one year of age. MOTOR CYCLIST BADLY HURT. AVAXGANUI. July 8. A serious collision occurred this evening between a motor car driven bv R. V. Stent, and a motor cycle ridden by Tim O'Leary, both of Wanganui. O’Leary has his skull fractured, and lie is in a serious state at the hospital.

COLLISION AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN, Julv 8

As a result of a head-on. collision bel« ecu a t ramcar and a motor in Princess Street, last evening, the driver of the latter, John W. Sutherland, stock buyer, Palmerston South, was admitted to the bespit,,l with injuries to the head. HOY CYCLIST'S SERIOUS FALL. lIAWERA. July 8. James Carlis, aged l.’U years, son of Mrs AY. Curtis, of Aivatuna, was taken to the hospital in an tincoiiscinu: condition. Ho was found lving unconscious on a bridge across tbo Otakelio River. The accident is believed to have been due to his bicycle skidding and throwing the rider against the concrete railway bridge. Late this afternoon the hoy was still unconscious. He is suHoring from concussion. ARSON CHARGE AT NET.SON. NELSON. July 8. Roland Walter Neilson was committed for trial on a charge of arson in connection with a dwelling occupied bv him. His wife. Cecilia Clare Lillian Neilson. was also committed for trial on a charge of making a false declaration in connection with an insurance claim.

CHTt ISTCHURC 11 BURG LA RIES. CUR rSTCTIURUfT. July 9. During the last fortnight burglars have raided eight city shops and warehouses, {Mining entrance with a jemmy. Most of the loot consisted of tobneeo and cigarettes. Al- one place £SO cash was taken. BUS COLLIDES AVITiI TRAIN. SEVERAL CHILDREN INJURED. NAPIER, July 9. A twelve sen ter charabanc, bringing twenty children to school from River Bend Road, collided at Kskdnlc with a train on the Tarndale Road this morning, several children being injur- 1 ed, some seriously. Tbo ear was cut in two, the back overhanging portion being taken clear off the railway track in full view for hundreds of) yards. Apparently tho driver failed to notice the train until within a. few yards and too late to avoid a smash. There children are in the hospital as the result of a charabanc accident. Mavis Holder, aged 9, has a fractured l ight leg. abrasions and shock: Eric Holder, thirteen, a fractured left leg; Erie Hodgkinson, eleven, is badly cut about ‘jaw and mouth. All the other children escaped with shock. II is stated the driver did not see the train lill the children called out.

SUDDEN DEATH. OAMARU, Julv 3

A man named Walter Phillips, aged 39, died suddenly at Mocraki station this morning. He was cooking in a camp. An inquest is to be held.

AN INSANE ACT. GTSBOXXE, July 26

The man, Thompson, arrested yesterday for breaking windows, was committed to a mental hospital.

PULLER GORGE RAILWAY

DEPUTATION TO PREMIER

WELLINGTON. July 0

•\ bio deputation from lb l ’ M<' sl Coast Local Bodies and several South Island M.P.s’ waited on the Hon. .1. G. Coates, Premier and Mmister of Murks, to-dav L? ask that Bailor Gorge Radwav and the Glenhono-Murchison railway should he completed at an early date. , , i i Mr !!. Holland introduced the deputation and said it was supported bv the principal bodies in Nelson. Lostland, Marlborough and Canterbury. He presented a petition containing 20Ol> signatures asking that the Bullet Gorge line he completed. The line would pat its way from the start, owing to the resources oi the Gorge. Messrs Beathv. Menzios. Atmore. Hudson and Isitt also spoke. In replv Mr Coates said the m lot.nation supplied by the denut at, on would be considered m the working out of the construction programme tor t ie ensuing year, and the Public M <>rk* Statement would say what was going to Ik? done. AH there by-works had to he completed, but it was just a question of how soon this could be done.

WESTPORT-GPLYMOUTH ROAD

WELLINGTON, Jnly 51

The completion of the Vest Coast road between Westport and Greymouth was urged on the Minister of Public Works by a deputation from the Duller Progress League and V? estlaml public bodies. It was stated the work could be done in IS months for £20.000. The Hon. J. G. Coates (Premier) said £46,000 had been spent on t road already. Did they want all the other works stopped in the district and efforts concentrated on this road 7 .Mr Darkness said he thought the road should take precedence. Mr Coates: You tell the cookies that it was a question of time when the work could be done. The original cost was £46,000. hut the estimate was now £70.000. If they were to concentrate on the road other work.' would have to be cut out. The matter , would be cinsidered when the estimates were being formed. The work would be prosecuted as speedily ns possible when funds were available,