DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TEI.EORAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] SCHOOL BOOKS. WELLINGTON, November 20. An Order-in-Council lias been issued which aims at reducing the cost of school books to parents of children in primary schools. It directs that from January 1 the following shall lie the only class books that teachers in public schools shall be authorised to require their pupils to purchase for school use :

Reading—School Journal (free), Supplementary Renders (free), Live Readers (Whitconibe and Tombs) for preparatory classes only. New Beacon Readers book I to IV (Ginn and Co), for preparatory classes only. English grammar and composition— Lessons in English History, Story of the British Nation. Geography—Pacific geographies. Ariill 111 otic—Progressive nrtihmetics. Writing—Progressive copy books. Atlas—Any inexpensive atlas. A BUILDING TRANSACTION. AUCKLAND. November 2(5. " We are getting behind the scenes in the housing question,” remarked Mr F. K. Hunt. S.Ai., at the Magistrate’s Court to-day. “ Here is a house that cost CfiOO to build and the purchaser is charged Cl lot) for it before it is out of the agent’s bands.” These fact came out in a dispute between the builder and the owner of a bouse. The section, it was stated, cost £159. THE RIPPLE CASE. WELLINGTON. Nov. 27. tßelore Justice Alpers and a jury of twelve in the Supreme Court, there was hoard the concluding proceedings of the case in which, Aland Ellen Nicholson, the widow ol the Chief Officer of the Ripple, claimed £I3OO damages from Richardson and Co. The jury found for the defendant company. At the conclusion of 11 is Honour's summing up. Hie jury retired, returning forty-five minutes later with a verdict for the defendant company. A rider was added to the effect, that, in the opinion of the jury, all coastal ships at sea should communicate with the Meteorological Office. In the Rinple inquiry, the recommendation of the jury as to meteorological reports will lip forwarded to the Minister by Mr Justice Alpers. NEW ZEALAND TARIFF CHANGE. AUCKLAND. Nov. 27. Referring to the new preferential farin', the Prime Minister. Mr Coates, said, before leaving for Wellington tonight : "Briefly, the intention of the Government in raising the preferential rales from 23 to 30 per rent i- m encourage the imporialiou of British ma 1111 Diet lire-'. We want to make sure that Britain gers the benefit of the preferential tariff, and that the goods which share in the concessions are largely British-made of British materials. The ratio of British materials and workmanship qualifying goods for preferential treatment has been 23 per cent. Admittedly, that was too low. and if was proposed to require a 73 per cent ratio. It was held, however, that so high a ratio would penalise more than it would help British trade, so we arrived at the mean of 30 per cent, and I am sure everyone will agree with me in hoping the new regulation will have the desired ('fleet. Me do not want goods, the greater part of whose value lias been added in foreign cmmtrios <-oinin*r into Now Zcnlntni under preferential duties designed to assisi British trade.

LICENSING REFORM. WELLINGTON. Nov. 27. Regarding a communication forwarded to the Prime Minister liv Mr R. A. Armstrong, on behalf of the N.Z. Licensing Reform Association, on the question ol licensing legislation. Mr Contes has replied (hat lie lias taken careful note ol the represent at ions on l fie subject. The Association may rest assured that no undue delay will take place in giving consideration to the question of licensing reform'. MAORI WOMAN'S DEATH. GISBORNE. November 27. Ai ibe inquest held at lekaraka concerning the death of a Maori woman, named lfaeatn Annnea. aged In years, evidence was given that deceased was a member of a shearing gang, and was taken ill about n fortnight ago. She saw Doctor Kahleulmerg. who advised her to go to the hospital. She refused and returned to the gang on Saturday last. On Tuesday she was with the gang, lull next day was taken ill, and she died on the way to Gisborne. Dr Gunn said death was due to heart failure, due to inflammation ol the lungs. If deceased had acted on Dr Kahlenborg’s advice, and bad gone to the hospital, she would have had a chance of recovery. A verdict was returned according to medical evidence. anaesthetic tragedy. DUNEDIN, November 27. All inquest on the body ol a boy was .held at the hospital regarding bis death under anaesthetic. The evidence showed the hoy was given breakfast. and as usual, a period of seven hours was allowed to elapse before the operation, but when the operation was about completed, the boy was asphyxiated by food from the stomach. His condition was said to be abnormal, as four to live hours is the usual time allowed to clear the stomach of food taken. The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. Ho said all precautions had been taken. MOTORISTS PENALISED. CHRISTCHURCH, November 27.

A large number of bye-law breakers were before the Magistrate’s Court today, and the lines for some of the offences were heavier than usual. One taxi driver was lined C2O for dangerous driving, and two other men were each fined CIO. The licenses of three defendants were endorsed. SLY GROG SELLING. WiKIJJXGTOX. Nov. 28. John Williamson and hix wife. Proprietors of a tea-room at Trentham were charged with sly grog selling. The woman was convicted and ordered to pay costs and the man was fined £.70. SHARE MILKERS. HAW ERA. Nov. 27 . An important decision affecting sbareiniliters was delivered by Magistrate Barton. Portion of the plaintiff’s claim in a civil action included a sum for a Ixinus. which item was not allowed by the Magistrate. In nearly every ease, the sharemilker makes bis eontrait lx*fore the farming year commences. Therefore, in practically every ease, the contract, not being completed within twelve months of the time it was made. comes within statutory* grounds, and is not enforceable, unless the contract is in writing. This is the effect of the Magistrate’s decision. V NEW ZEALAND LADA' AVIATOR. ■* CHRISTCHURCH. Nov. 27. This afternoon Mrs Gladys Sanford, of Auckland, reported to the Wigram I Aerodrome, and to-morrow she is to enter upon a course of instruction with the idea of obtaining a pilot’s ticket. It will be the first issued to a lady in New Zealand. AUCKLAND SENSATION. AUCKLAND, Nov. 27.

A sequel to two recent sensational happenings was provided to-day by the arrest of a man. aged 24. at a house in Parnell. He will appear in the Police Court to-morrow on charges concerning the removal and sale of furniture from the home of H. P. Kissling in St. Stephen’s Avenue, on September 28. and of burglary and causing a fire at the residence of Airs J. C. smith, Burwood Crescent. Remuera, on Monday,

“ C’APPY RICKS.” THURSDAY NEXT. Direct from J. C. Williamson’s Ltd. Aletropolitan Theatres, in conjunction with Philip Lytton, Ltd., will be presented at the Princess Theatre next Thursday night, the dramatisation of Peter B. Kylie’s famous book “ Cappy Ricks,” whicli lias just concluded record seasons in Afelbourne and Sydney. The play is described as a rollicking comedy-drama, which has a strong love theme running through it. “Cappy Ricks” is an entirely unconventional but highly effective little man. His peculiar methods of getting things done should raise many a hearty laugh. The quality of the acting is said to fie highlv commendable, each artist being typical of the character as drawn by the author. AVard Lyons, in particular, plays the principal part, as though be were taken from the front page of this famous novel. The play lias three acts, all the scenes being laid in and around San Francisco. 'Pile cast includes " Cappy Ricks ” (AVard Lyons), Matt Peasley. captain of the Retriever (Herbert Stallard), John Skinner, manager of the Blue Star S.H. Co. (Walter Dyer), Cappy’s sister (Loris Bingham), Cecil Pericles Bernhard (Donald Nicol), Cappy’s secretary (Alary Macrae), bis lawyer (Cecil B. Stott), bis chauffeur (Fred SmithtonV Dick Casey and Captain Peterson of the San Francisco waterfront (Bertram Lewis and William Emmett). The season is limited to one night and the box plan will lie open at Aliss AfoTntosli’s. fn Auckland and Wellington reeontlv the company received enthusiastic receptions, the critics in those cities described the comedy as even more convincing than Peter B. Kyne’s famous hook. " Cappy Ricks” will be staged in all its metropolitan entirety of production, and exactly the same company will appear here as played in all the leading theatres of the Dominion.