DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY TELEGK.YTn —I‘ER TRESS ASSOCIATION'.]

ANOTHER VERSION

THE AV AIM AN A TROUBLE,

AUCKLAND, March 31

Quite a different story i.s told by a male passenger who was on the AVaimana. He declares that for the money the facilities and general conditions of the ship were exceptionally good. The hunks were one foot clear on tlio top right through the vessel, while all outside cabins had port-holes. There were ventilators through the deck in various places and wind sails were put down, one forward and one aft. As for the food, the passenger said, it was good and wholesome; not rich, but that was not expected. Continuing, the passenger said : “’As for tbe allegations about the filth. 1 put the cause down to the main section of the class of people travelling on the ship. There were a number of women who remained in their cabins tbe whole time except when forced to get out for inspection. How could tlio stewards keep things clean and in order under the circumstances?” ROBBERY CHARGES. AUCKLAND, March 30. Some fominnlion was caused at Xorthcote following an alleged assault and robbery at a private residence in Princes Street, It is slated that two men who had got into conversation with him claimed war service nequainanceshiji. and accompanied the resident to lii.s home. A few minutes after reaching the house oik‘ of lhe visitors, without any provcatioii, it is alleged, struck the host with his list, causing injury to his right eye, and facial abrasions. Both men arc then refjorted to have taken flight. A silver English lever watch and a large double gold albert chain, a family heirloom valued at over C 25. were missing from a sideboard in the room. The owner gave chase, and a man was captured by two residents, and .subsequently banded over to a constable. The mail, it is stated, caught a ferry boat to .Auckland, where he jumped from tlie steamer as one end touched the Ix'rth. and quickly escaped alo ig the jetty, through the gate before the officials there realised lhe meaning of the command from the vessel's deck “stop him." The assaulted man was attended lnDr Pudding, hut the injuries, though painful, were not of a serious character The mail who was capture 1 iml handed over lo Constable Fbivell -ns Henry Newman, aged 27. who apposed before Air U. T\. Hunt, S.AL. at the Police Court this moaning charged with assaulting Joseph Clarkson. Newman, who was described on (he charge sheet as an Australian, was remanded until April Oth. A BIG BLAZE. CHRISTCHURCH. .March til. A fire broke out at 10.21* to-night at the workshop ot the Dominion. Homebuilders' Peterborough Street. The building was destroyed, and some machinery was also destroyed, while joinery work in process ot constiiict ion was lost. Two motor lorrie- and a ford cm were removed to safety. The tire made a big blaze, and if attracted tunny .sightseers. Two file eii‘ f iill's tumod out, mid oxtiiigmslieu tho outbreak alter an hour's work. f( is estimated that the damage to nuicbinerv in the Dominion Homebuilders’'lire totals £3(11 f*. The insurances arc not available.

claim FOR MAINTF.NAXC-E. CHRISTCHURCH. March .'ll • \n upplienlinn for t lie issue of a nuiiute.uu.ee order a K aitist Ellen C’atheriue Rainbow, aged . 1 years, in inspect of tier lu.shai.il, William Hainljiov. aged 81. e.in.e before the Magis(rate's Court to-ilay. 'l'lie defeiiila.it denied that she was worth £2-1 CO. ami she said that she h.il lake., rooms, and had ollered lie. husband :« home. The latter, who was 1 ivino with Ids grand-daughter, refused e, live with his wife. 1„ vei>lv to Mr I’. -Ton 's. MaintenOlUeer. the defendant said Hint. Cm- would not nay niainteiian; e. She v.ould fro io rrison rather than pay. The ease was adjourned for a week allow Mr -loners to apply for a el.areiii{4 order.

SKA MEN GAOLED. CHRISTCHURCH. March :n. Tweny-seven members of the crew of the steamer Cross Mill, which ior.ently eomploted the discharge of her cargo or phosphates from Ocean Island at Lyttelton, but which hus»hoen hold up since Monday evening, owing to the crew refusing to sail, unless paid the Mew Zealand rates of pay. appeared at the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court lie four' Mr Widdowson S.M-. on a charge of having on March 29th. combined with other members of the crow io impede the progress of the vessel. Tlie ease against the seaman Welch was taken first, after which the remainder of the men altered their pleas to “guilty.” After hearing the evidence, in which allegations were made by the crew of short rations, the Magistrate Maithat the evidence was quite, clear that the men had combined to impede the progress of the vessel. He would have to sentence them each to four weeks imprisonment with hard labour. Ilou-*-.ver. if £icv changed their minds at any time, and decided to take the te—sel to sen. they would he liberated, the same as had been done in previous eases. TTo strosed the fact that the action of the men was a serious one, and was of a nature calculated to paralyse the whole of the shipping industry.

Mr Batchelor stated that he had boon instructed to toll the Court that the men would not take the vessel to sea unless they were given Mew Zealand rates of 1 wages. They were prepared to take the vessel into the stream to save the- company the wharfage charges, hut they would not do anything further He stated that the position was that the Company would have to pay the Now Zealand rates to an other crew should it he engaged. The men were not in the leasi dispirited at the cases going against them, stating that they would he fed better in gaol than they had been on tfic Cross Hill. Owing to the Lyttelton ’lock-up being too small to conveniently accommodate them, they were allowed to sleer, on hoard the vessel to-night.

BUS FATALITY DUNEDIN, March 31, Archibald Fidlarton, married, aged 59, who fell from a bus near the railway station on Saturday night died without regaining consciousness.

A DROAVNING FEARED. DUNEDIN, March 31. It is believed that William Morgan, a shepherd employed at Glen Tdon station, Ohau, was drowned in tlio Dobson River this afternoon. His korso was found on an island in the river which was in flood. Morgan was a single man aged 40. His relatives live at Ravensbourne. BOY KILLED. INVERCARGILL, Ala-rch 31. A lad named John Craw, aged 7, of South Hill End. died in the hospital to-day as the result of being thrown from a horse on Monday. It appears that the deceased was dragged some distance along the road, sustaining severe injuries to the head. An inquest will he held. DUNEDIN TRAAf COLLISION. DUNEDIN. March 31. Two trams were badly damaged in a collision which occurred in I-liigh St. tin's afternoon. Tlio brakes on a tram following a car which stopped, failed to act and the result was a collision in which Walter Afowat the conductor, received injuries to his body, the extent of which cannot he ascertained. There were a few passengers in the cars, hut none were seriously injured. SUDDEN DEATH. INVERCARGILL. Ala roll 31. An elderly mail, .Torn Toaley, aged 70. died suddenly at Waikiwi this afternoon. The deceased was working in a neighbour's garden, and was found dead. No inque-'t is necessary. Deceased had no relatives in New Zealand. DR. THACKER AND RUGBY. CHRISTCHURCH, April 1. When re-elected President of the Canterbury Rugbv League last evening. Dr. Thacker declared that the reason why the All Blacks met with such success in the Old Country was that they had adopted League tactics. There were three things they had adopted. The first was that they did not kick into touch; the second was that the hacks did not run to touch all the time, tint kept the hall in the centre of tlie field ; and the third was that they did side-stepping and interdhange passing and Vepassing. “1. know that they did these things because T was told by Rugby men in England.” SMALL-POX. OUTBREAK IN U.S.A. WELLINGTON, April 1. The Health Department, has received advice that Los Angelos, California, is experiencing an epidemic of severe small-pox in which the mortality i.s fifteen per cent. Hi other towns, both of the United States and Canada, the death rate was as high as 25 per cent. A close watch is. therefore, being kept on passengers from tile United States, but as the incubation pe.riod i.s fourteen days the position is eased by the fact that: the disease must have developed before any steamer can reach New Zealand. NELSON APPLES. NELSON. .March 31. The Nelson orchardists. to dale, have scin over a quarter of a mill ion cases of fruit to Wellington for export, the figures being 258 thousand eases. Hugo Stunner crops have not yet been picked. It is expected the total for the season will bo in the vicinity of half a million cases.