DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

(by TELEGRAPH rEIt PRESS association.]

HOSPITAL LEVIES. AUCKLAND, February S.

Representations regarding hospital levies made to the Prime Minister by a deputation from Auckland Suburban Local Bodies’ Association, are the subject of a reply which Air Coates has forwarded to Mr J. S. Dickson, ALP., who introduced the deputation to tho Prime Minister.

The reply states the Premier conferred with tho Minister of Health on the requests that some limit he placed on the power of Hospital Boards to rate and that the hoards should collect their own rates. He concluded that it would he extremely difficult to curtail the ordinary maintenance requirements of the Hospital Boards. However, the maintenance requirements arose from capital expenditure and the Health Department was using every endeavor to keep the capital expenditure within

hounds. Mr Coates continues: “It is considered. generally speaking, that New Zealand is now sufficiently served with hospitals and that a halt should ho called in connection with capital expenditure. This should eventually have its efFect on the rates. As to placing an actual limit upon hospital rates it is difficult to arrive at what such a limit should he. having in view the varying needs of the different hoards. The fixing of a limit in proportion to other rates would also he inapplicable. In making representations of this nature it i.s always helpful if some concrete proposal is placed before the Government which it can consider. As to

hospital hoards collecting their own rates, f am not yet convinced that there i.s anything to recommend such a departure from the present practice.” GLOAMING AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN, Eeh. C. Air Greenwood is in confer a high favour upon the Jockey Club and Llie Otago racing public by sending the great champion Gloaming to l>o paraded at the Dunedin Cup Mooting. He will lie brought out after tho Publicans’ Handicap. BLACK AY ATE ll 11KT U R NS. RERFTOX, Fob. 0. January returns for Blackwater Alines Ltd.:—Crushed “LSI tons for IjSAozs. of gold, valued at £llß2. Working expenses £3 IGA, profit £Bl7. Furnace yield IGozs. valued at £238; running expenses £G7. Development expenditure. .£‘lßo, capital expenditure £305. Profit over all, £3lO. Tho mine was engaged in shaft repairs till January 11th. lienee tho small tonnage crushed. ALEXANDER RIVER. DIVIDEND DECLARED. R KEETON. Fell. 0. Alexander River Battery returned 2lßoz. odwi. of melted gold from 92 toils of stone, the result of fifteen das’ work.

A dividend of 2f)s per share has been declared. AN OCEAN RACK. AUCKLAND, Fob. G. An ocean race of 7.101) miles between the cargo steamer Trevarrack and the steamer Tredinnoek, both of the Main line, I rum .Newporj New s ended in tho arrival last night of the former. The Tredinnoek i.s expected to arrive at midnight on Monday. CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALES. THIRD oe series. CHRISTCHURCH. Fob. 8. The following are tho offerings to bo submitted at the Christchurch wool sales on Thursday evening: Bales p.vne, Gould Quinness Lid -1000 X.Z. Farmers’ Co-op. Assn. Ltd. 1929 Dalgetv and Coy.. Ltd 1251 H. Matson and Co 1130

Xntionnl ATortgiigo and Agency Co., Ltd 1898 X.Z. Loan «fe Mercnntilo Agency Co.. Ltd ’ ..' 789 20,000 waxgaxut meat aa’Orks. PURCHASER LOCALITY AVAXGANUT. Fab. 0. Ali- A. G. Bigncll. chairman of the Harbour Board, last evening made an announcement regarding 'the AA Tanganni ATent Freezing Company works. Afr Bigncll stated that he and Air Hope Gibbous had arranged to pnreha.se the works with the idea that they should he taken over by the Harbour Board for the purpose of carry-

ing on cold-storage. The Abattoirs would lie leased to the County Council. The New Zealand Refrigerating Com-

pany would take out the manure plant and such other machinery as it required. It was proposed to electrify the plant. The works could he held until such tiny? as the hoard was prepared to acquire them and they would be handed over without any profit to Air. Elope Gibbons or himself. It is understood that the two AA’anganui residents gave a guarantee that the Harbour Board would take over the plant should, the company sell its interests to the Xew Zealand Refrigerating Company. That, owing to that arrangement the latter company was induced to buy. At present Messrs Bigncll and Gibbons are nominally the owners, but 'when the formalities have been completed the Harbour Board will be asked to approve the purchase, and to take the necessary steps to procure a loan. VTSCOUXT ALLEXBA". CHRISTCHURCH, February 8. Lord Allenby. after a civic reception

was entertained at luncheon by the Xew Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade. Colonel Findlay presented Lord Allenby with a carved box of totara wood amt a Afaori mere : and Lady Allenby with a greenstone paper knife, on behalf of the ex-mounted men. Lord Allenby visited St Andrews, and Christ’s Colleges. the Rannersdale Home and the R.S.A, before leaving for AYellington. SHFEPSKTX PRICES DROP. AVELLIXGTOX. February S. Cables from London, received yesterday, advised a fall in the price of sheepskins to a serious extent. The drop has been one of fully ten per cent.

THE FREXCH SLOOP. AVELLIXGTOX. February S. The French sloop Cnssiope arrived to-day. The vessel fired a salute which was replied to by the forts. The captain paid official calls and, with his officers, is being entertained at luncheon by the Government.

THEFT CHARGE. AUCKLAND, February 8. On January 11th last, the premises of Hugh Wright Ltd, in Queen St., were burglariously entered, when a considerable quantify of men’s wearing apparel was stolen, the shop being left in a state of chaos. This morning a young man, Cecil Francis John Hunt, appeared at the Auckland Police Court, on a charge of breaking and entering the - premises, and, on the application of the Senior Sergeant, lie was remanded to appear in a week’s time. Prior to his appearing at the Auckland Police Court, accused was brought before the Otahuiiu Court on a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond in that he was found on the enclosed premises of King’s College without a lawful excuse. Ho pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. All the property alleged to have been stolen from Hugh Wright’s has been recovered from a rubbish dump at Otnhuhu by Sergeant Parsons and Constable Pollock of that suburb. After making certain inquiries the Sergeant and the constable had reason to believe that Hunt was somewhere in the vicinity of King’s College. Going there yesterday they found accused hiding in n largo cupboard in an unoccupied room.

YOUNG MARRIED MAN IN trouble. AUCKLAND, February 8. An echo of the O’Shaugnessey trial was heard in the Supreme Court this morning before Afr Justice Stringer when Richard Pearson Hammond was charged with unlawfully carnally knowing a girl under the age of IG; and. Inrther. with unlawfully using an instrument with intent to procure a miscarriage. AH Moody appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty on the first charge, and guilty to tho second count. Afr Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, said ho would accept the plea. Accused was the man referred to by the girl of Ifi, who was one of the witnesses in the trial of Mrs O’Shnughncssy. Mr Moody stated that accused was 21 years of age, and unfortunately got info bad company with the girl in question. with tho result that he was in’ Court to-day. He was a married man with two children, tho youngest being two and a-half years of age. His Honour: You sav lie is 21 years of age, and married with two children? Mr Moody: Yes. sir. He was married when he was very young. His Honour remarked on the fact that accused was married, and committed the offences mentioned. Afr Afoody said that his wife had been away for some time, and he had got into the company of the girl. His wife was prepared to forgive him and lake him hack. The case was different in that accused had made a full confession to the police and had been in custody since liis arrest. His Honour stated that the ease was not one that called for probation, but lie would have a report from the probation officer. He would remand accused for sentence until Wednesday.