DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

(BY TELEGRAPH —PER TRESS ASSOCIATION.]

QUIXXAT SALMON. A 42} POUNDER. TTAIARU, .March 17. What is believed to he the biggest quinnal salmon ever taken in New Zealand waters was caught in the Rangitiitu river to-day by Air J. K. Pigott. The fish, which took over an hour to land, weighed 421 pounds. ALLEGED THEFT. TLMARU, Alareh 17. A young man was brought before the Court to-day charged with the theft of a registered letter containing £B, the property of the Postmaster General. The police said that other charges were pending and accused was remanded for a week, bail of £l2O being allowed. ELECTORAL LA AY. LESSON OF THE PETITIONS.

WELLINGTON. Alareh 17. Replying to a question, the Prime .Minister (The Rt. Hon. .). G. Coates) informed a “Post” reporter to-day that the possibility of certain amendments being made to the Electoral Law .was at | present receiving consideration. Under the law, as it stands at present, there are no facilities for taking the votes of people who are in hospital, or who are bedridden at the time of an election. The position is that a person may ho registered as an elector, and he in every way qualified to vote, hut. unless he is able to go to a polling booth, no vote can be taken or recorded. The elector, through no fault of his own, is thus disfranchised. YLmous suggestions for overcoming this difficulty have been made in tike past, including proposals that, electoral officers should be permitted to enter hospitals to afford patients an opportunity of easting their votes. An objection has been made by the medical practitioners to the idea, of taking votes in a hospital, on the ground that such, a practice might in certain eases he inimical to the health of the patients. Tho position is being investigated Iby tho Government with the view of seeing whether some means of taking the votes of sick people cannot lio found. Air Coates stated to-day that the possibility of a postal ballot being p'.o. videil in such circumstances was being looked into.

It is understood, also, that as the result of the two recent election petitions, it may he found necessary to make certain alterations to the electoral legislation, inclining. amongst other thugs, the inclusion of some provision regarding the assessment ol costs iu tho proceedings before an Election Court.

Some members of the Legislature hold the view that it. is not strictly fair that an unsuccessful ]>arty should he mulcted in heavy costs by an election court, especially whore be lias not initiated the proceedings. COMPETITION' FOR ISLAND FRUITS. AUCKLAND, March 17. Importers of Island fruit interviewed the manager of the Union Steamship Company and urged a monthly service between Auckland and the Islands, with a modern boat properly equipped for tlhe fruit trade, which would be run by those directly interested in .the Cook Islands-Auckland trade. Tho proposal will bo placed before the Company’s head office and a reply will lie sent within a week. It was stated that there would he five shipments to Wellington from the Cook Islands before the first to Auckland in May. X.Z. WAGE CLAIM. WELLINGTON, March 17. Reserved judgment by Justice MacGregor to-day allowed the appeal of the Hohnwood Shipping Coy., Wanganui, from a decision by a Magistrate awarding Hen Searby, seamen, £7 11s lid, allegedly underpaid him by the company. The facts were that in June, 1925, Searby was an ordinary seamen on the ship Holm-wood. He was promoted to able seamen in July, and acted a s such until discharged in August. He was paid £6 monthly at first and £lO for the later period. He claimed for tho difference in rates under tho seamen’s and firemen’s award, which gives £9 8s 4cl for ordinary, and £l4 6s Sd for able seamen. His Honour held that tho award did not include seamen employed on sailing vessels propelled by internal combustion engines. The facts clearly showed that the wages paid were those regularly paid to ordinary and able seamen on vessels of tho Holmwood class trading to and from New Zealand ports. GISBORNE WANTS WOOL SALES GISBORNE, -March 17. Tn connection with the exclusion of Gishorne from the roster of wool sales for tho 1926-27 seasen, Air Sherratt (President of the Sheepowners’ Federal ion) said it was likely a combined meeting of the Sheepowners’ Federation and Farmers’ Union would be called at the earliest date to consider the development, and to decide what action should be taken to receive fair treatment for the wool growers of this district, ft is considered probable a deputation will he sent to AYellington to 'bring the position of the district before the authorities. Tt is stated every possible effort will be made to ensure sales being hold in Gisborne in accordance with the arrangements made with the wool brokers.