DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 September 1925, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

Luv TSLEOUiPH —riiU PRESS association.]

SI! UXTIXfI ENQUIRY

PALMERSTON NOR 111. Sept. ,‘(

The Railway Board inquiry has resumed hearing evidence as to the conditions of the local shunting \-ard. L. A. Yoltz, traffic inspector, Wellington, said that until the death of G'aniiichnei he received no comp,hunts as to local conditions. The present lrouble lie deemed to he organised agitation. For instance he had inquired into the conditions of the porters at Olaki whicli he found were satisfactory, the men there stating that the movement had been taken up on their holm If by the A.K.R.K. of Palmerston North against the wishes of the men at Otaki. Until recent shunting fatalities at Palmerston North wore deemed due, not to the conditions, hut In the lack of thought on the part of deceased. C ross-examined by Air Alack, witness admitted the yard here could lie made safer with improved appointments, more roads and better drainage and other improvements, hut he considered the lighting very Good. Ilc admitted that it was not now his opinion that tin's was an urbanised agitation.

ALLEGRI) BTCAAIV. WKSTPORT Kept. 2

At tin' Westport Magistrate's Court yesterday, tiefore Mr 11. P. La wry. S.M.. .John Uennet was charged that r.t; July 17th. being a person then married. lie did g<> through the form of mairingo with another party. Detective-Sergeant Young kuto evidence that lie interviewed accused on duly 17th. in regard to the charge, lie look down a statement- which acrnsed read over and signed as being coi rod. Tn that statement lie admitted lie was married on January 20th. 1911. at the Congregational Church. Waterloo, Sydney, under the name of John Dennett Reynolds, that being the name he was then known by. 11< was married to Klsie Myrtle 'Cybermail. Witness showed him a copy of the marriage certificate as issued by the Itegistrar-Ceneral of New South Wales. lie stated that this was the copy of particulars relating to his if. marriage. Tt "as n marriage certificate. Witness then interviewed him on August 2-1 th. 1020. ulien he made a further statement in wliieli lie said that he was informed in .March or April. 1918. that hi- first wife was then alive. William Benjamin Pickering, Motliodist minister at Westport, produced a copy of ihi' certificate of marriage lid ween accused and a second party. Detective-Sergeant Young in asking tor nominal hail, said accused had given him every assistance, lie was a hard-working man. doing everything to support his wife and three eliihl-

Accilsed pleaded guilty a.nd was commit led for sentence to the Supreme Court sitting at Westport on September 10th. Bail of <’so in his own security ua> allowed.

A NOTED IitVfANIST. AUCKI AND. Sept 2.

One of New Zealand's most distinguished botanists. Dr Donald Petrie, died yesterday, aged 78 years. Perhaps his greatest service to botanical science was the very extensive herbarium lie ha.l aili;i"iil in lii> long .wars •'? mill , iing. flyer (Hill spoil lie'll' are included ill the eolleciion. "hieli becomes the property of the nation, haling: been presented to the Dominion Museum in Wellington. Dr Petrie was horn in Morayshire, in 1810. fie was educated at the Aberdeen Grammar School and University. graduating from the lalfer. Master of Arts, and De'dor of 'Philosophy. before he reached Ids twontylir.sf year. Shortly (.hereafter he sailed for Victoria, and was a teacher at the Scotch College. Afelhourne. for six years. In 1871 l)r d’otrie accepted ilir position of inspector of schools, under the Provincial Government. of Otago, a post, lie held for twenty years

when ho came in Auckland as chief inspoolor. lie re I i rod mi sitporanmia(ion in 101(1. Knop after landing; in Xi'v /('aland, i 1 r Petrie oomnioneed research into native plants and grassi - and ii was not Inner, before lie be-r-inie an authority mi tin- subject. His rtirl; was recognised in England hy la- oleeHmi. in IRSO. as a Fellow of tin- Tannean Society of London. IT<* vi as also awarded the Hector Modal Oy (lie N'ew Zealand Tnstitiite for his n■-enroll work. Hr Petrie look a keen interest in the transactions of the N’ew Zealand Institute, and lie is the author of numerous papers read before that hodv. He served for a few years on its Hoard of flovornors. and was president: in 191 ft. TTe was aho n niemh. r of the council and president of the Otago Institute and Auckland Museon and Institute. woor. PACKS. Aft KI.AND. Sept. 2. I lie actuation which emanates Imin liiaullord, for all-wool packs as containcr- for wool sent to world mar|,e i-. ill place o 1 Ihe llllc vo iol I-a lethat have been ill common use for so many year-, is responsible lor a trial ! :l .juc made of the new packs in New Zealand this season. All-wool hales would Is- made to contain about 3>-ui. ~f 1. Hills conforming to the <onveet ioiial pack, and would re.pure tin alteration in presses. Ihe new puck would cost about 18s (id. an increase

~t over lot) per cent., hut it was not i )lt ; uded to impose this increase on growcis. It was pmjo-,ed to insert conditions of sale hy auction Hepayment of a half-penny per Hi. extra 1,0 wool in the all-wool pack, as against a into puck. This would cover erowers against loss in changing from Pite packs to wool packs. Tmpiiries from Auckland brokers elicited the information that it was pr, posed to make a trial this season of all-wool packs. A very limited number of new hales would I*' available. |„,t -.rowers of the higher grades of

wool had indicated that they note prepared to give the now packs a trial. Application has keen made by the Auckland Woolbrokers' Association for a number of all-wool packs, and the trial should demonstrate the prartienbilitv of the innovation. There -til: are matters of finance to he decided in connection with the new order of things, but it is generally accepted that what is iust now loom,n, en the horizon of the wool imhotrv will be an accepted fact in tbit car future.

f is stated that in the manufacture of the new pack’s the strong, coarse wool that is nrodu ed in the North Island will he required. In the circumstances. there is likely to he a demand for coarse cross-bred wool that should assure for it a stable position ir> the market for hales alone. This

phase of the matter has apparently no - yet been analysed, and the result of the trials will be awaited with interest.

DAMAGES AWARDED. NAPIER, Sept, 2

A case in which. Marion Elizalreth llaswcli claimed £2250 from Norman and Joint M’Donald in respect of the death of her husband in an accident during the building of the AVaipukurau theatre, was concluded in tin* Supreme Court to-day. The jury found that the accident, was caused by the negligence of defendants and failure to observe the requirements of the Scaffolding Act. and awarded piaintiiT £12.10. oxclitr ive of £7oo already paid to the Public Trustee. The damages were divided in The proportion of £420 for the widow and £B2O for the children.

PUBLIC TRUST REPORT. WELLINGTON. Sept. 3. The Public Trustee, in his annual report, states: The Office has had considerable sums available for investment during tlyear under review and there has been a steady demand for advances by way <.i loans both from private mortgagors and local authorities throughout New Zealand. During portions of the year ill* demand was so heavy that it- became necessary to entertain applications subject to the condition that the loans when .granted, could lie settler only as funds became available. Everything was done, to meet the

requirements ol borrowers ns iar as possible, and there have been very few eases in which any delay has occurred in effecting settlement as soon as tho deeds are ready.

The collection of interest on the 01tiec investments has been very successful during the year in fact, although the total value of the investments was more by £2.210.905 than it was of, the eomonooment of the year, the amount of interest outstanding on :s|st. March. 1925, was less than it has been since July 1921. To a large extent this improvement is no doubt acco'iinlahle to the excellent prices realised for the last season’s dipThe investments made during the year totalled £3.180.533. YOU.NO MAN AIISSfNG. OA AIARU. Kept. 3. A young man. named Albert Andrew Senile, a, elerk in the employ of a lora! shipping linn left home on a bicycle mi .Monday and has not since been heard of. As he was armed with a Winchester riile. anxiety is felt for hi - safety.

“ALL VERY SUDDEN.” AUCKLAND. Kept. 3. The sequel to a marriage that took plnev only live months ago was provided in the Supremo Court to-day, when an order for the restitution of conjugal lights was sought by Stanley -lames Clegg, against Dorothy Annie Veda Clegg. Petitioner stated that, after three months of married life, his wife left him. and returned to her parents, lie had offered her a home, hut she would not relurn. Mr Justice Alpers: “All very sudden ’ Married last. April, and parted in June. The lau being as it is. I suppose | must grant an order. - ' An order was made for the respondent to return to lew husband within 21 days. ( Marcus ok rook-stealing. CIMMSTCITURCIT. Kept, 3. Ai i In l Magistrate's Court. Manuel Vehni. aged 23. pleaded guilty to four charges of having stolen 18 hooks, valued at £8 ID. the property of Tsitl’s Ltd.. Simpson and Williams, and WhiP'oiiibe and Tombs Ltd. Detee- | iv, Term. Connolly said accused had been stealing hooks from several shops ami selling them to others. In 1921 lie had been placed on probation for live 'ear- at Auckland. “II appears tf, he a ease of systematic shop-lift-ing” sail! the Magistrate, who remanded accused tn appear for ,sentence on Thursday next,