DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

' BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHURCH CALLS. WELLINGTON, Dec. 1. Tho Rev. Robertson On - , pastor of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church for many years, has received a call to Westminster Cliurcb, Vancouver. lonight a special meeting of St: Andrew’s ■ongregntion was held to consider and discuss the position. Mr Orr’s work >ll behalf of the church was eulogised by many speakers. It was stated that die church had made great progress under bis pastorate. Mr Oit was riven a. free hand in the matter. He lecided to accept the call. It is uncertain when Mr Orr will leave New Zealand, but he expressed a desire to leave tho Dominion not later than February 18, 1920. The Rev. W. .'Miiter was appointed interim Moderator. DUNEDIN. Dec. 1. At the Dunedin Presbytery this morning the clerk (the l’ey. •). Kilpatrick) read a communication Imm the Christchurch Presbytery in which a call was extended to the Rev. John Miller, of St. Clair. Alter discussion the clerk moved that the cal! he placed in Mr Miller's hands. The mill ion was seconded by Ike Re'. A. \| Einli'iyson and carried. Mi Miller having intimated his ac,,.prance of the call, the clerk moved ;| m i. Mr MiMer await his instructions I rum tlm Christchurch Presbytery, and that the Rev. 11. 11. Barton he appointed interim Moderator.

IRRIGATION CHARGES. DUNEDIN. Dec. 1

To-day's mccling of the provincial branch of the New Zcalan'.l farmers Union considered the question of irrigation in Central (Hugo. A report prepared for consideration oi the meeting stressed an anomaly in toe present method of charging water rates. The Hat rate was taken exception to as great variation of soils prevailed over tint district, and some required a greater amount of water tnan others to bring crops to maturity, the netessitv of a soil survey was emphasised in order to arrive at an equitable system of charging settlers lor water consumed. The position was revealed as the tcsuit ol investigations and showed that certain groups of. settlers were leeching water in ample quantities at reasonable rates and others were not able to get enough and were paying high Resolutions were carried as lollow:- • That a comprehensive survey of the varying types of soil ill irrigable areas in Now Zoalnmi shouKi bo mntle bv the Department of Agriculture in order to asssess an equitable water rate lor individual holders.” •‘That before any further scheme tor the development or irrigable areas is considered a thorough investigation he made in order to ascertain whether the iamb in question are capable ol showing an adequate return on the capital cost of the screnic.” LOAN POLL CARRIED. DUNEDIN. Dec. 1. A pall of ratepayers wns. taken today on the question of raising a loan 0f'.£150.003 for the purpose of enlargi„.r ami extending the municipal gasworks. The polling, was small. the proposal was carried b\ G2i to o>. .

• PEEPING TOM” SENT TO GAOL. DUNEDIN. Dec. I. In the Police Court. Edward Robertson. described as a ‘‘Peeping Tom." was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. The police stated that accused was seen looking through windows at night. About thirty similar cases had .'till to he investigated. WFU INETON WAR MEMORIAE. WELLINGTON, Dec. 1. A meeting of the Citizens’ War Memorial Committee to-night: decided to ~.,11 throughout the Dominion and Australia for competitions For a design. Though there is an agitation lor a carillon the committee has i.ecidcd to ifiiTV out the original idea to erect a symbolical memorial mil side the larlianientary grounds. ! VQUEST ON JOCKEY. AUCKLAND. Decendier 2. \I i; ; Inquest on the jockey. Samuel Wa!!.'. aged 25. who died alter Hie | a, Eller-lie mi Nnveiithcr Til). Jehu l.amw issa. trainer and otMier of Rafferty sai<l lie saw the accident at I |;e SCI Olid fence where his horse was interfered with, lie humped the fence lint the jockey came off. Walls told witness in the casualty that Hypothesis ran the fence down and Rafferty had to make a very clever jump to clear the fence, and Walls lost his balance.

Asked liy conn sol if Kllcrslie course lVa; , a dangerous uno mi nerount nl 11 1 e totiim germ, wii:u<-'s replied "'los. :-Vv('in 1 horses Intel died id’ letimii* billowing on wounds. ~I r Dickson, represent ing tin- deceased's mother in answer to tin* Coroner said derea.~ed had a wuuml. a cut over the left eye. The Coroner: Should il not have heen sewn up in the oa-uiulty roomt .Mr Dickson: It .should have heen properlv >yringed on account ol the dan."r of tetanus. I)r Lusk . stated deceased, when admitted to tile hospital at 8.3(1 p.m. on November 1 :ilh was suffering from tetanus. The cause of death was primary, a scalp wound, and secondary, tetanus and heart failure. The Coroner found in accordance with tins evidence, adding the words “ following on injuries received on Xoveinher 7th." A liiG FI UK DAIULVI! VI LLE, December 2. A destructive fire broke out last night in North Auckland Karniors’ CoOp. garage, one of (lie largest buildings in the to.wn. The brigade were on the spot in three minutes, hut owing to the inflammable nature of the stock the place was soon a raging furnace. The theatre next door, the largest wooden building in Dargarville. was saved with minor damage, although a corridor at the side containing the whole of the seats of the theatre which had heen stood there after a recent dance were practically burnt out. The building destroyed contained a very valuable plant and about eighteen motor cars, mostly privately owned, besides motor cycles. Only six out of 18 cars were saved. The firm were unfortunate enough to lose two ears and a motor truck just landed. A large stock of motor accessories were also destroyed. Insurances so far as is known are £3,still in New Zealand insurance Company. Some private ears destroyed carried a small insurance. The theatre was insured for €2,000 in the same company and €0:18 in the Alliance. The less is many thousands ever the insurances.

TBOLBLE AT OCEAN ISLAND A I’CKLAND. Dee. 2.

Tn reference to a statement that the Veronica, was to proceed instantly to Ocean Island, where some trouble had occurred. Mr Ellis, the representative of the British Phosphate Coy., sniii lie had received no details. He did not think the trouble very serious, or thought that, if It. were of any consequence. it had been promptly suppressed. Beading between the lines of the cable, lie was of the opinion that there must, have been a clash between the Chinese and the Kanakas on the island. The island, he says, is efficiently policed, as it- is the administrative (planers for the Gilbert ami Ellis groups, and is provided with a strong force of armed constabulary. PIONEER NEK'S DEATH. AUCKLAND. Dec. 2. The death occurred to-day in .St. Mary’s Convent. Ponsonby, of a pioneer Sister of Mercy in the person of Sister Alary Augustine, at the age of SI years. She arrived in New Zealand from Dublin in the year 1874. She bad already given proof of her brilliant mental gifts and high academic attain- .

meats at South Abbey,, in Dalke.v, and at Sion Hill in Dublin.'as well as at various schools on the Continent. She was at once given a post in the State teaching service. It was in 187(3 that she entered St, Alary’s Convent, where her life as a Sister of Mercy, and her devoted service made her known to a wide circle of friends, and to the pupils passing through the school m the past fifty years.

GIRL IMMIGRANTS. PALMERSTON NORTH, Dec. 2. Controllers of the Flock House scheme designed to train the sons ol deceased British seamen in farm w°. rli have decided to extend the activities to training girls, preferably tho sisters of hovs already in the Dominion, and for tins purpose have acquired the property ol Mr Walter Strang, nt Palmerston North, a house of ‘2O rooms, which stands amid 30 acres of well-sheltered land, ideal for training in farming, poultry, and hoc keeping and domestic arts. About, twenty girls aged from 10 to 18, will be accommodated at one time. The Y.W.C.A. has readily responded to an appeal for assistance, and agreements have been come to whereby the Association will take over control. The trustees of the Fund are standing at its hack in an advisory and financial capacity.

MOTORIST FTNED £l2. WAIIiOA, Dec. 2. \( the Magistrate's Court this alter,,r),,ii. A. C. Bonnet, company manager, of Napier, was lined a total of £l2 10,. fur driving to the danger of the public on a bend in the Wairoa-Napier road, and refusing lo give liis mime : ,,;d address to a constable in plain clothes.

INVERCARGILL SUPREME COURT INVERCARGILL, Dee. 2. At the Supreme Court, Albert Edward C'owlett found guilty of coimnittiiur an unnatural offence on a bo' of 13 years, and was remanded for sentence. Albert Cyril Crofts and Sydney Frank T.omer, on a charge of breaking and entering and theft, were each found guilty and remanded for sentence. Crofts, on charges of theft of bicycles, was found not guilty. POLICEMAN MOTORIST GAOLEDINVERCARGILL, Dec. 2. Sentcncino- Allred Henry Dusting, a policeman. Found guilty of negligently driving a motor, and causing bodily jnjurv to Elizabeth All Kinn, Justice Sim said: “If the prisoner bad admitted guilt, and taken slops to compensate the girl. I might have granted probation, but be steadily denied his up to the last, mul told lies to lus superior officer. In addition, it is apparent that lie must, have been tampering with the evidence of certain witnesses. Being a police constable, he should have set a better example. There was too much reckless driving. Accused was sentenced to six months’ hard labour.

SERIOUS FRAUD CHARGES. WELLINGTON, Dec. 2

The case is being heard at the Alagisirate’s Court to-day._ in which William Smith, labourer, is charged with obtaining Irom the Savings Bank £350 by means of valueless cheques, drawn () „ |ho Rank of New Zealand. Tnvercaruj||. Sidney Erne Baume, law clerk is charged with receiving £350 from Smith, knowing if to have been stolen. Both are jointly . barged with obtaining from the Savings Banks sums totalling £IOOO.