DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

FOUND DEAD

OAMARU, May 25

Margaret Cuthbcrt, a widow, 76, residing at New Street was found hanging by a strap from a hook on the door of her bedroom to-day. A doctor was called but Mrs Cuthbert was then dead. Sho was last seen alive at 11 a.m. and then seemed in her usual health and spirits.

GLEN AFTON STRIKE SETTLED AUCKLAND, May 24.

The strike at the Glen Afton collieries has been settled, and, as far as possible, the miners will resume work to-morrow morning. The agreement was reached last evening as the result of negotiations between the owners and the miners’ representatives, extending over several days. Mr P. ITally, Conciliation Commissioner, has presided at the meeting of the parties. The strike commenced on April 26th., so that the men have been

idle for a month. Mr Hally explains that the agreement is only tentative, and its terms will be observed only until such time as a' conference is arranged to adjust the whole of the outstanding differences in connection with the' Waikato coal field. The Company had agreed to employ three sets of miners on the coal, instead of two, an arrangement that disposed of the difficulties upon which the parties had split. BUSES OFFERED TO COUNCIL.

f CHRT ST CHURCH, May 25. 5 The omnibus proprietors in Christchurch have offered to sell all the r buses now in competition with the 1 trams to the Christchurch Tramway Board, but the offer has been declined, says to-night’s “Sun.” An im* i' portan t outcome of the decision of ’ the Board is that the proprietors are ■ likely to continue in competition, indications being, t&£ft they claim certain conditions of new regulations to take effect from June 10th. cannot ho enforced. It is learned that representatives of the owners waited upon the "Works and Traffic Committee of the Board, and offered to sell all the hoses in the 'competition, the number of these being twelve. The Committee then was informed of the stand

which the proprietors intended to tnke in the event of no settlement being reached. SECONDARY SCHOOLS. WELLINGTON, May 25. “We are going somewhere, hut only ,-God knows where,” said Mr J. A. Colquhoun, in his opening presidential address at the annual meeting of the Secondary Schools Assistants’ Association to-day. In a survey of the trend of education in New Zealand, he said that it had been amply demonstrated child-

rcn should begin post-primary education at an earlier age, and that the secondary school curricula should he widened, but lie urged that both changes could l>o made gradually without 'a disruptive change and retaining almost, tho present organisation and with little extra cost, arguing that no idea, especially a prc-coneeived one. should lie accepted without ample evidence. Ho traversed a number of statements made in regard to junior High Schools proposals, and declared that they wore unsupported by convincing evidence. Ho urged that a thorough understanding of what was proposed should precede acceptance.

UNIVERSITY SENATE. WELLINGTON, May 25. The New Zealand University Senate met to-day, Professor MacMillanBrown, Chancellor, presiding. Professor T. A. Hunter moved that for nil University exams, except matriculation and entrance, the pass mark shall be 50 per cent. He said that at present there are two pass marks. 40 and 50 per cent. It was the practice in law, medicine and accountancy to require 50 pc reent,- but in flic arts course the practice varied. Professor Wall opposed making a standard. Different pass marks might be desired by the examiners. The motion was negatived by 15 to 4. The Semite agreed in regard to a recommendation of the Wellington Committee as to alleged irregularities in connection with examinations, that the chief supervisor in each centre he asked to submit to a local committee his list of assistant supervisors and his proposed arrangements, for the approval of the local committee.

El ,ECTR] Cl AN CHARGED. CHRISTCHURCH, May 25. The information laid against Robert Talbot Daly, electrician, for the theft of wire, or alternatively receiving stolen wire, the property of the P. and T. Department was dismissed. FIRE IN OPERA HOUSE. WELLINGTON. May 20. Some excitement was caused in the gallery of the Grand Opera House at 10.35 last night through a spotlight apparatus catching fire during the performance of tho farcin] comedy, “ Give and Take.” The spotlight which was in front of the gallery suddenly burst into flames and for a few minutes endeavours to extinguish the outbreak were unsuccessful. This occasioned some alarm among the people in the gallery and a few hurried towards the exit. The situation was saved, however, by a lady’s coat being put over the flames which were almost immediately extinguished. The performers on the stage proceeded with the dialogue without portraying the slightest interest in the proceedings in the gallery, thereby preventing a tendency to panic.