DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1926, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY TELEGBAPH —PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION.}

A CLOUD BURST. NELSON, Jan. 13

Water from a cloud hurst on Spooners Range yesterday afternoon overflowed tiie flumes and silted the entrance to the railway tunnel, blocking traffic. The debris are now cleared.

EMBARGO LIFTED. NEW ZEALAND APPLES. WELLINGTON, January 9. The embargo imposed by the Argen- , tine Government on apples from New Zealand and other countries, has been removed, Senor H. Redone, the Argentine Consul, was informed yesterday. It was because of fruit-fly that the embargo was imposed. Senor Bidone informed his Government that there was no fruit-fly in New Zealand apples, and two Argentine experts are being sent over to confirm his statement. They will arrive on February loth by the Tainui. fn the meantime the embargo, which took effect on January Ist. has been lifted. New Zealand exported about 30,000 cases of apples to the Argentine last year, and Senor Ridone expects that there will he a considerably greater export this year. The embargo was imposed because of the representations of the United States Department of Agriculture, which contended that the grapes which the Argentine exports to U.S.A. in large quantities would he infected by fruit-flv from imported apples. NELSON’S APPLES. NELSON, January 9.

The prospects arc that Nelson’s export of apples will this season establish a record. There are some excellent crops about. Most varieties are doing well, including Cox’s Orange, Jonathan. Delicious and Stunner. Dunns are the most disappointing mid growers are concerned at the comparative failure of this fine variety year after year. The Dunn is one of the most popular varieties for the English markets, and is largely grown in Nelson. Formerly it was a heavy producer. but. in recent years it seems to have developed “ shyness.” Research and experimental work might restore the,Dunn to its former productiveness, and it is to he Imped that this will he undertaken.

The crons arc gcncrallv reported as exceptionally “ clean,” that is free from tho black spot. Here and there the spot is slightly in evidence, hut taken all through the crops at present are practically free from this blemish. Orchards on day subsoil are coming through the long spell of dry weather very well. The trees are healthy looking and the fruit is developing satisfactorily. On orchards with gravelly subsoils the trees are more in need of a good soaking rain, hut on the whole 11 K' orrl'iirds are looking remnrkablv well and early rain should put the seal on a bumper cron. WHEN IS NIGHT? NOT TILL 9 I’.M. SAYS THE LAW. WELLINGTON. January 9. The exact hours which conic under the heading of “night” was a novel point raised in a case ill the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, before Mr W. G. Riddell. S.M., when Raymond Clerk and Richard Newman Smith were charged with being found in the (Rand Hotel at 7.10 p.m. on Friday with intent to commit a crime.

Chief-Detective Kemp stated that the charge would not hold, owing to the fact that " night ” in the Crimes Act is defined as the period between 9 p.m. and (i a.m. The charge therefore was dimissctl.

A further charge was brought against them for being idle and disorderly, in that they habitually consorted with reputed thieves. The chief detective staled thal it could he proted I hat one of (he men was a thief, .bill the police had not known the other sufficiently long in order to describe him as a reputed thick. The information was withdrawn.

The accused were also charged with being on the premises of the Grand Hotel after hours. Tlicv bad been seen on two floors of the hotel, and had boon questioned by the police separately . Each, gave a different excuse for bis being in the hotel. There was no doubt, added flic chief detective, that they wore there for the purpose of thieving. Each was fined 02 (the maximum penalty), in default seven days’ imprisonment. AfJENS' NATURALISEDWELIJXGTON. January 11. The .Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon R. F. Bollard) notifies that certificates of naturalisation have been granted in respect of the following aliens:—Anthony Bovin (Deep Creek), busbman. Italy: Conrad Walter Bergman (Lyttelton), labourer. Sweden; Frederick Francis Curow (Tuatapere), sawmiller, Switzerland ; Hans Christian Hansen (Wellington), timber worker. Denmark ; .Tost Lotbenbacb (Helena Bay), farmer. Switzerland ; Jens Larsen (Gisborne), waterside worker. Denmark; John Marusicli (Havelock), labourer, Dalmatia ; Walter Yitiske (Harikari). farmer, Poland; Robert Gilbert Bresnno (Auckland), painter and decorator. France; Frankenburg Antoine (Wellington), labourer, Austria ; Mary Grisbinski (Toko), widow, Germany; Gustave William. Micbler (Stewart Island), fisherman. Germany; Mads Peter Skousgaard (Douglas), farmer. Denmark.

SUPER AXX UATIOX BENEFITS. WELILXGTOX, January 11. Prior to his Engagement as general secretary of the A.S.R.S.. Mr M. ,1. Mack was in the service of the Railway Department and a contributor to the superannuation fund. An Order-in-Council published last week invests him as from December 1 last with the rights, privileges and liabilities to which a contributor is entitled, on the understanding that the A.S.R.S. pay forthwith' to the fund the sum of CBS 7 5s fid. and that Mr Mack’s regular contribution bo 5 per cent of the salary he receives from the society. The Order-in-Couneil may he revoked in the event of the members of the A.S.R.S. striking or should Mr Mack be guilty of misconduct, which, if he had been a member of the Department, would, ill the opinion of the Minister of Railways, have justified his dismissal from the service.