DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1926, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

BOY’S OPINION OF FLOCK HOUSE.

AVELLINGTON, January 16,

“ As T am writing this letter, I am nicely settled down in my new home here, which is absolutely posh," wrote a Flock House boy to bis parents in England. “ AA'e arrived in Welling:on on Frdiay, and slept on the boat that night, and proceeded to Flock House on the following morning, lmt we enjoyed ourselves in Wellington on Friday night. After wo got settled with the Customs officer, wo were told that the New Zealand Government had invited us to the House of Parliament for a look around. Well, wo all went in ;.od s.it in the seats where the M.P.’s sit, and every M.P. made a speech to us ,in.l welcomed us to the new land. We went no into the gallery after 1 lie snu'iics and listened to the niammrs inning a debate, but the biggest surI'rise of [he lot came when we ivue taken to the dining-room and had a good feed."

“Well I hot you are all eager to know what Flock House is like,” wrote another boy, “and don’t run away with, the idea that I’m just saying it’s nice to stop you from worrying, because every thing T write in these letters is going to bo the honest truth. It is just fair to tell you the truth, so that’s a, promise. Flock House is surely one of the finest places in the world for any hov, rich or poor.’’

.Dozens of letters in similar strain were tabled yesterday at the annuar meeting of the New Zealand Sheepownors’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund. Many grateful letters have also been received by the trustees from parents ih England, and good reports generally have come in from farmers who have taken British lads who have graduated through Floc-k House.

A POLICEMAN’S WORD. AUCKLAND, January 15

“ It’s not a hit of good me putting up a defence, because you’ll take the policeman's word before mine.” John Jack Ellis. • a young man, made this statement in the Magistrate's Court this morning, when asked if he had any questions to put to a constable who had given evidence against him on a charge of using obscene language in a billiard saloon.

“ The sooner you got that notion out of your mind the better,” retorted Mr ■T. W. Poyiiton, S.M.. in stern tones, “ That’s not wlint you think, but what someone else has told you. It is a wrong idea altogether. If fifty policemen came in this Court and gave evidence your word would he as good as theirs. That notion makes you defiant and disrespectful of the law. Be he policeman, priest, parson or sailor, a man’s word is taken for what it is worth. You are liable for contempt of Court for that remark. AA’e could lock you up for a week.”

Ellis, who looked quite surprised, elected to give evidence and got into the box tp state that he “ let the word go in anger” during the course of a game in the billiard saloon. “He admits it. To his credit lie hasn’t told lies about it,” observed TTis AA'orsl.ip. .Senior Sergeant Edwards said that tile prosecution had been brought in the nature of a test ease in order to find whether or not a billiard saloon came within the definition of " a public place.” MOTOR TRAFFIC! I? EOF RATIONS. PALMERSTON N.. January 1 St. j A protest against ihe draft regilla- | lions prepared by the Government for I the eoiitnil of motor traffic was made j by a meeting of transport vehicle proI prieiors to-day following an address by j Afr U. L. Hammond, of the New ZeaI hmd Employers’ Federation. It was alleged that the incidence was unfair aud aimed at the destruction of private enterprise. NAPIER, January 13. A meeting representative of ’ all branches oi the motor industry, held to-day, protested strongly against the proposed regulations for control of omnibus traffic and decided to appoint delegates to the conference in AVellingtnn next month. One sneaker characterised the regulations as an embargo on progress in transport facilities. The Dominion depended largely oil better transport facilities for settlement, and development of the primary industries, and the regulations proposed would make continued improvement in this directiou impossible. POSTPONED. AA'ELLINGTON, January 13. Owing to the clash of the original

(lilt**, February ,‘i. with tlio AT 1111 icipnl Association Conference, the Ardor Composition Conference ha.s boon postponed to February f). AIR ZANE OBEY. WELLINGTON. January 18. 1 came to N'civ Zca la ncl because Irom what ! hoar it is the finest fishing '4ronml in the world,” declared Zone Grey, the American author, to an interviewer on his arrival to-day. He

leaves on Tuesday lor Auckland. He is keen to start fishing in the Bay of Islands with his own deep-sea tackle. •• The famous sea-fishing grounds in the States are played out,” said -Mr Grey, "and New Zealand has the greatest chance for sport, hut it is undeveloped.” He believes that he lias tackle which, will catch those big fish that have been hooked nit the coast, but got awav. Ihe swordlisli caught in New Zealand are classified as Striped -Marlin, but the Hue swordfish is Black .Marlin. One or two have been caught. Judging by photographs .Mr Grey has received, this fish, instead ot being 7AO pounds in weight, runs over 1001) pounds and is the finest eating of any fish in New Zealand.

*) oil could have heard my whoop ail over the ship at one o’clock yesterday ofi the East Coast,” declared Hr Grey, “when f saw the Black Marlin the true swordfish—fifteen miles off shore. -Mr Grey, while keen on sport, is also in the Dominion on litj#'ary pursuits. He hopes to catch sufficient New Zealand atmosphere and material to write a novel with a local setting and has contracted with I.askv s famous Players Syndicate to write a film story, which can he photographed in its natural setting.