DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1926, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] FIRE OX MAKURA. WELLING ON, May 26. “It was just touch and go with the ship,” said a passenger, referring to the outbreak of fire, in the stokehold of R.M.S. Makura at Sydney on Thursday. The Makura arrived at Wellington last night, en route to San Francisco. There is. still a smell of smoke in the passageways. Repair work was undertaken in Sydney, hut. was not completed before the vessel •sailed. Mon are engaged to-day in the stokehold, pushing on to hove everything in first-class order again before sailing time this afternoon. The fire commenced about 2 o’clock

in the afternoon, when one of the ship’s firemen noticed smoke and (fames issuing from the region of the stoke-

.hold intake. The pumps of the lire engines were placed in the harbour, and hoses were run through the ventilators to reach the seat of the lire, which was threatening the oil and fuel tanks. .It was realised that.

should the lire extend any further, and should one of the tanks become ignited and explode, the ship would almost certainly be destroyed. At the time when all danger seemed over, another fire was reported on C deck. \ squad of firemen was immediately detached to attend to this putbreak, and the flames were soon extinguished. Well within an hour all danger had passed. “There was a number of passengers on hoard,” said a passenger to-day, “and there was a hurried exit. A constant stream of seamen and ; -rters

ssuod from the ship’s side canving

luggage or wheeling heavy portmanteaux. Orders were given for all passengers’ luggage to he carried on to the wharf for it was not known at what moment the lire would spread further.” A.' COURT INTERLUDE. DUNKLIN, May 26. Tim atnisophere was electric for a few minutes at the City Police Court this morning during the proceedings in connection with a maintenace case. Evidence was being given by Constable Macartney, who frequently qualified statements by asserting that they were made to the “bes, of my belief.” This led Mr W. G. Hay, who was appearing for the defendant, to say that the Court didn’t W.mt “belief” evidence. “I take objection to such evidence.” said counsel, after a witness made another statement which had been inelixcd by the inevitable phrase. Tim Magistrate iMr.I. R. Bartholomew. SAL,): Your objection is overruled.

Mr 11 ay: Thank you, sir, for overruling, the objection. The Magistrate: Please withdraw that remark, Mr Hay. 1 consider it offensive.

Mr Hay: But I was not offensive, vour Worship. 1 only The Magistrate; Your attitude is must improper. Never in the ,ionise of my experience have T ever hand counsel express thanks for having an objection overruled. Mr Hay: 1 certainly will withdraw the remark, bill I did not mean anything offensive. 1 want to say The Magislinte: T won’t hear you any further. Please sit down, Mr Hay. Counsel still seemed inclined U>

pa,-,-v further with Mr Bartholomew, but another sharp command to “Ud down, Mr l-lay,” induced counsel to follow the Magistrate’s advice. licensing LAWS. DUNEDIN, May 28. The United Tempera,nee Reform Council has passed a resolution: “That the Council draws the attention of the Premier, Attorney-General, and Minister for .Justice to the facts disclosed in Dunedin Police Court proceedings in which it was disclosed tliat a girl, aged 18, with two other women and a man wore taken into hotel pre tines |,v a hoarder at 11.30 p.m. the party being supplied with cocktails and champagne. The girl being persuaded to drink became intoxicated, and the party did not leave the hotel until 1.30 a.in. Negligent driving resulted in a collision between the motor-car and n telegraph post, and in serious injury to the girl, whose father was unaware that she had been supplied willi liquor in this fashion. The Council protests against the licensin ’: laws permitting such occurrences and requests an alteration, particularly providing that no liquor shall he supplied or sold during hours when the bar is closed.” A.S.R.R. ASSISTANCE. WANGANUI. May 27. The East Town branch of the .A S.R.S. at a meeting this afternoon, requested its executive to cable a sub'■l•intial sum to alleviate the distress among the dependants of the British miners, considering it its bounden diltv to do so.