DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] PUBLIC TRUST. LOAN TR ANS A CTIONS. . WELLINGTON, April 20. Tho following particulars of loan transactions of tho Public Trust Office and now business reported during the month ended March 31 have been supplied by the Prime Minister. New loans were paid out to the amount of £284.175, making the total paid out for the financial year £3.129.. 106, which constitutes a record for the office.

New loans granted during the month amounted to £156,565, making the total granted, but not yet paid, £715,717. In addition loans offered, being less than the full advances applied for. amount to £70,725. or a grand total of £786,442.

Applications for further loans amounting to £392,827 are receiving consideration.

The value of estates the administration of which was undertaken by the iffieo during the month was £404,327, making the total £4,651,44/ lor the inaneial rear.

The nunilier of wills deposited lor safe custody was 554, making a total of 5807 for the year. .This also constitutes a record for the office. On March 31 the number of such wills held was 48.900. FORESTRY SERVICE. WELLINGTON, April 20. At the opening of the fifth annual conference of the State Forest Service Mr 0. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, said he looked on the Department as largely comme'rcial. The future, ol a largo part of Hie Dominion was hound up with its forests. Large areas not suitable for agriculture were well suited for tree planting and a forward move in re-afforestation of these lands would soon be necessary. The noxious weeds problem could he alxdishcd by treo planting. Referring to tho numerous afforestation companies formed in New Zealand ho warned investors to satisfy themselves regarding tho risks of fire, pests, etc., before putting in their money. FLOUR. DUTY. CHRISTCHURCH, April 21. A conference on wheat values was held in committee to-day between representatives of the Canterbury A and p Association and the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. It wins “for the purpose of endeavouring to assist tho parties interested in arriving at a solution of the present difficulties.” Subsequently, it was reported that it had been decided that a deputation he asked to go to AVclßngton and interview the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Industries and Commerce, and to urge that the Government should give effect to the following: “That, in order to fully protect our local industries, it should be recognised as a general principle that the duty upon manufactured articles •should he greater than that on the equivalent of raw material used in the manufacture, and that, as the present duty on flour (£3 per ton), is only on a par with the duty on wheat, we are of the opinion that tho duty on Hour should be increased, and that the Government take immediate steps to exercise such powers as may ho necessary to prevent the dumping of Hour now and at all future times.” During the' con fere nee, a deputation representing the- Flour Millers were received and they placed before the conference the millers’ views on the matter. DEATH FROM HEART DISEASE. CHRISTCHURCH, April 21. The inquest concluded to-day of Charles Nelson, fisherman, of Lyttelton, who was found dead in a cottage on Saturday with u cord attached to a beam tied round his neck. Dr B. If. Gilniour gave evidence to the effect that on April 18, he made a post mortem examination of the body. He found the heart in a. condition ol syncope, and heart, muscles in a state of fatly degeneration. The other organs were normal. The cause ot death was syncope, duo to emotional stress, superimposed on the Intiy degeneration of the heart muscles. The stress was caused by the deceased’s preparation for hanging. There was no sign of asphyxia. The coroner returned a verdict accordingly. N.Z. CUSTOMS REVENUE. AV,ELLINGTON, April 21. Although the country’s aecoimls for the past financial yen' have not yet been completely made up. it was announced by the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nosworthy) when speaking at the Chamber of Commerce dinner tS’-night that tho year’s operations will show ■a surplus of approximately C 1.000,000 which the Minister considered extremely satisfactory. Revenue was very buoyant for the year, he said, and the .aggregate showed a substantial increase >over the previous years. In spite of reductions in the rate of taxation. a large amount of revenue was necessarily derived from the customs duties. These increased largely. The readjustment of imports reacted upon this source of revenue. The exercise of prudence would assist in restoring the economic balance. He felt that the increased imports was a passing phase in the industrial life of the people. MOTOR ACCIDENT PENALTIES. INVERCARGILL. April 21. The sequels of three recent motor accidents on the North Road were enncted in the Magistrate’s Court today. when the motorists concerned were charged with negligent driving. Tn one case, a girl named Ivy Tnffery, who was cycling along the road early one morning, was knocked down by a motor cyclist, and sustained serious injuries. The young man concerned in the accident, AA r m. AlcLelland, i\;ns fined £3 for not reporting to the police, and was convicted and •ordered to come up for sentence when called upon on the charge of negligent. driving. James Harvey, an elderly man, who ran into and smashed a telegraph pole, was convicted /and discharged for negligent driving, and his driving license was suspended for twelve month;, as the police stated that he was apt to collapse at the wheel, and he had had numerous mishaps with the car recently.

George Wallace Bow was charged with negligent driving as the result of a serious collision with a tram cor. He was convicted and fined £3. SERIOUS OFFENCE. AUCKLAND, April St.

Charles George Lightwark for incest at Hamilton, u-ps sentenced to three years’ hard labour at the Supreme Court to-day.

MAORI ROBBERS SENTENCED AUCKLAND, April 21

At the Supreme Court, Mr Justice IJordman sentenced three young Maoris, Manalii, Nukunuku and Thimaerea Patarara to two years’ hard labour, followed by two years’ reformative detention,- for robbery with violence at AVaipiro Bay. The accused went to a man’s house, two of them masked, and one of them with a gun. The man (a saddler) was knocked down and half strangled by ono of the accused, while the other robbed the house.