DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1926, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by telegraph—rEit press association.] COR NETT ST FARE-WELLED. WESTPORT. March 9. John Robertson, son of Mr and Mrs .1. M. Robertson, of Wo-lpmi. winner of Hie Youths’ B. Flat Cornet. Solo, and runner-up in the Senior Championship at the Dunedin Exhibition, was (ivieally entertained, and made the recipient of numerous presents iu the eve of Ids departure for Albany, West Australia, to join the Australian Silver Band. NEW ZEALAND SEAMEN. WELLINGTON. March 9. ft i.s understood that in the ballot taken l>v the Federated .Seamen s Union on the question of cancelling their registration under the Arbi fra. thin Act. cancellation has been carried by a. very large majority. Up to the present no notice has been lodged with the Labour Department of the Seamen’s administration of the Act. but in some quarters, if is Ixdiovcd that the seamen have delayed taking this step until they have, first of all. east their union’s vote in favour of Mr A. I. Hiram Hunter, for the position of Monteith. who is opposing the Worker's representative on the Arbitration Court. The ballot on the latter question closes at noon to-morrow.

WOOL MARKET. DUNEDIN, March 9. Tile third Dunedin wool sale opened to-night the continent buying strongly and Bradford encouragingly, but America was quiet. There was an exceptionally good sale and an advance on late rates, especially in crossbred and hoggets, showing up to 2d per lb rise. Prices were as follows:—Merinos 13d to 19;,'d hnlfbreds Kid to 21,jd; crossbreds ]2d to 16.p1, necks Rid to 16.p1. pieces lid to l-lUI. bellies 9d to 12d. There are 26.816 bales at this sale. Two catalogues were disposed of. BAKERS’ CONFERENCE. DUNEDIN. .March 9. The annual conference of the Master Bakers’ and Pastrycooks’ Association opened to-night, where there was a large attendance of delegates from all parts of the Dominion. The business was purely formal, being confined to speeches of welcome to the visitors. The conference then adjourned to - attend a reception bv the Exhibition directors. To-morrow morning a eommciiccmeut will be made on the business. The annual report and balance sheet will he discusicd. In the afternoon the visitors will he taken lor a harbour trip hv the Dunedin Association. The conference will sit all day on Thursday and on Friday will he the guests of Distributors Ltd., on a visit to Waipori.

KOXTOX TOWN HALL BURNT. EOXTOX, March 10. A disastrous lire occurred between ! and o’clock this morning, when the "own Half and its contents, including lie Public Library, together with the 'iirctnker’s cottage and contents at he rear were totally destroyed. The ire had a big hold when th»‘ alarm vas given, and on the arrival of the irigade the place was a seething mass if Humes. fanned by a westerly gale, t dwelling house and the Mana'.atu Intel in the track of the flames had a iarrow esc ape, the former being badly eorehed. The origin ol the tire is a nystery, as the hail has Iv.vn unoecii>ied sine.'.' Monday last. The hall v.as •(instructed of wood and iron, and vn.s erected about fifteen .veins ago. t was also used as a public library, ’he insurances arc £160(1 on the buildup and £7l on the library.

DARGAVILLE. LICENSING FLECTION. DARGAVILLE. March 10

There was a fair amount of interest alien in the Licensing Committee lection, which was the first held for ome time. \\ ith seven small retains o come the return of old committee is ssured. the only other candidate, Afr V. E. Barnard, who opposed the Hon f. Coates at the general election, icing well beaten.

AIOERAKI FIREMAN EXPELLED. WELLINGTON. March 10. The delay of the steamer Mocraki at Melbourne on February oth last had a sequel at a recent meeting ot the executive ot the Wellington Seamen s Union when one <>l the firemen who was alleged to have caused the Double was dealt with. He was expelled from the union, the reasons lor expulsion being the part lie played in that incident, his failure to attend a stopwork meeting, using offensive language to the secretary in the unions rooms | and threatening the union I reasnrer. The lireniaii’s expulsion lias been reported to all New Zealand branches and also to the Australian Union. Two other men, who, it is considered. had not taken a prominent part, in delaying the vessel at Melbourne, Mere each filled Cl, an order being made for the retention of their union hooks until the sum was paid. Concerning the case ol the steamer Opnwa, which was delayed at Wellington on January .'tilth another seaman appeared before the Executive and after his version had been heard a fine of Cl with the retention of his union hook until he settled was imposed.

STORY AHO FT MR COATES. WELLINGTON, March 10. The local Returned Soldiers’ Association gave a welcome to the nev Gomniandaiit, Major-General Young, at which reference was made to the Prime Minister’s interest in soldiers wlilie Hon Mr Coates was n Cabinet Minister. One speaker said Mr Coates was told that a digger who had died ',vnx to receive a pauper's funeral. “No digger.” replied Mr Coates, “will receive a pauper’s funeral while 1 have the money to pay for it.” and amid applause, the speaker added that the digger did not have a pauper’s funeral. AN AUCKLAND PROTEST. WELLINGTON. March 19. At a meeting of the Executive of the Auckland Centro of the A.A.A. a telegram from Wellington was read, stating that Rose would not compete at Auckland next Saturday. The Chairman said that the Wellington Centre had not shown good faith in despatching Rose south. It was decided to notify the Council of this centre's dissatisfaction with the arrangements made.

FIREMAN KILLED. GORE. March 10. A fireman named Wyndliam. on the Dunedin excursion train this morning got oil a tender preparing to till its water tank. As the train pulled into the Gore Station his head struck the overhead bridge and lie was knocked under the train. Two carriages passed over his body. He was terribly mangled. The deceased was a married man with one child. He was transferred to here from Timarn three weeks ago. 1 FATAL SEIZURE. CHRISTCHURCH, March 10. Believed to have been seized by a heart attack while engaged in burning corse vesorday morning. John Vine Cliatterton, aged seventy-nine and residing at Sandy Knoll’s Road. Templeton, was found dead near his home, his body having been badly burned by fire,