DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BV TEI/EGHiPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

.MOTOR CYCLIST’S CRASH. WAIROA, Dec. 19. This afternoon n motor cyclist, John Donneliy, crashed into ti motor car near the Town Bridge. He- received a broken nose and head injuries. He was taken to the hospital. A TECHNICAL FLAW. . THAMES, Dec. 19. A unique position was disclosed when the Bank of New Zealand presented debentures for payment to the Borough Treasurer on a loan issued twenty years ago. The latter noticed that the debentures’ signatures were lithographed, and not written, as required by the Act. He therefore, refused payment, referring the matter to ihe Public Trustee, who had the money in sinking funds ready to pay over. The Trustee never heard of a similar position, and he referred to same to Wellington lor advice. The Act provides that coupons may bear lithographed signatures. Ibis is not extended to debentures, but the officials evidently assumed that it did. The Council asked the Attorney-Gen-eral for tut opinion.

THEFT OF A BREW. ASHBURTON. Dec. IS. A theft not without its humorous asneet occurred here last night. With, a view to festivities during the holidays two local residents. whose places of residence arc quite n quarter >f a mile apart, have been busily oceti!>ied for some time iu tnanultu ( tiring some eighteen gallons of ale, of which they have been very proud; so proud, in fact, that* they gave a certain amount of publicity to its excellence. The. ale was kept at the residence of one of the “co-operative workers,” while tin 1 bottles were kept, at the house of the other partner in readiness for the ceremony of bottling on Sunda v.

On rising this morning the resident in charge of the bottles discovered lliat bis wash-house bad been broken into and a number of the bottles taken or broken. He was not greatly perturbed by this, secure in the knowledge that (fie brew was stored elsewhere. He informed his partner of the burglary and he also enjoyed the joke. The worst part has> yet to lie loltl, however, as oil going home the ‘‘storeman of the beer” found to his dismay that a burglary bad also taken place at bis residence. The barrel containing the beer was still there, but its contents had been extracted. The thieves must- have worked secure in the knowledge that they would not he disturbed, as it would take considerable time to shift 18 gallons of ale. A BIG DEAL. WELLINGTON. Dee. 18. The*, shareholders of the Wellington Meat Export Company, ut an extraordinary meeting resolved to accept the offer of Thomas Borthwick and Sons. Christchurch, to purchase the business ns n jjtoino; eoneorn. It is understood tlistt the price £200,000. NAPIER 11A R RDF R SCHEME. NAI’IF.R. December 31. Messrs Cullen and Kealc. two Australian engineers who recommended the Napier Harbour Hoard in 1913, to proceed with the construction of the inner harbour, were asked to repoi t again, following on a report by Mr Ihirkott. chief Government engineer, who bad recommended the completion of the break water. Messrs Cullen and Keale now rooon'.mond a breakwnlei harbour which they state is mine economical than nn inner harbour and more easily entered in heavy weather. The Australian engineers in ihe report. now to hand state that they recommended an inner harbour previously because they had been misinformed as to ihe nature of the ocean bottom at the breakwater. They are now convinced that there will be no difficulty in the completion of that harbour. They practically endorse Mr Furkett’s system while combating his argument.

Messrs Cullen and Keole give the cost (if the breakwater to accommodate four liners at £137.130. The Harbour Board dismissed trie report at a committee meeting to-day. The eost "t tlm annual maintenance is CIO,OOO in favour of a breakwater. ImiTISFI SIC AM EX' IN' CAOk. WlCl.ld Xt’iTOX. Dee. 21. There is a movement on font in Auckland for the release of a number of l lie British seamen who, on aecouiil of the lute strike, are slill in gaol, before their sentences expire, if there is -a steamer 1 available for them to ho sent to Kngland as distressed Briisli seamen. The following telegram on llie subject has been muil to Mr M. .1. Savage, M.R.. for Auckland West, by the Minister of Justice. Sir James Barr: ‘‘Referring to the interview which you and other members of Parliament had wit", me at Auckland recently, when it was urged that the seamen ■from overseas ships now in gaol at Auckland should be released and repatriated, as I indicated at the time, the matter is one ot Covernment policy, and I have now bad an opportunity nl discussing ii with the Government. I find, in the first place, that arrangements had already been made for siiHhicnl ae< ommodai ion lo enable between 90 and ICO men to lie repatriated by the -.s. lonic. 1 1 was found that, only some 2,9 men were olforing, though obviously tlm greater number are at,' liberty in Auckland. The balance of the spare was. therefore. reserved for men who might be available in Wellington, but. so lar. inquiries have failed to discover any such men, and as the vessel is departing immediately, there is no time, to bring from Auckland the men who are now in gaol. I think it, inadvisable, and opposed to the men’s interests, more particularly as many ol them are probably without means, that they should be released before arrangements can be made for their repatriation to Great Britain. Tho Marine Department is endeavouring l he make the requisite arrangements for further repatriation, and. assuming this to ho possible, T am prepared to authorise the release ol the men in numbers suitable to the accommodation available, on a definite understanding. of course, that the men undertake to fulfil the arrangements made in their behalf."