DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 June 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY TELF.QBArH —FEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

FRUIT AND JAM

AUCKLAND, Juno 7

Developments in the New Zealand fruit-canning and jam industries are probable as the result of *a visit by Sir Henry Jones, ol Hobart, who arrived by tho Aorangi from Sydney. Sir Henry is the founder and head of Henry Jones Co-operative, Ltd., the largest fruit preserving concern in ihe Commonwealth. This company has a capital of £1,500,000, and controls practically the whole of the iruit-can-liing trade of South Africa, in addition tt> its Australian business.

In February last it purchased the controlling interest of the Now Zealand Grand Lodge of Freemasons in tho old-established jam manufacturing concern of S. Kirkpatrick and Go., Nelson, tho Into Mr Samuel Kirkpatrick having bequeathed' his shares in the company to the Masonic body, in trust, for tiro, maintenance of a girls’ orphanage. Henry Jones Co-operative, Ltd., intends to develop the Nelson business by the erection of more plant of G-c most modern kind. When tho ti.msaction was announced it was stated tHst the company was considering the erection of a very large and up-to-date factory in the North Island. Tn April it was reported to bo negotiating for tho purchase of the large jam-making business of Thompson and Hills, Ltd., Auckland ‘and Nelson, hut no information could lie obtained as to the truth of tho statement.

iSir Henry Jones, interviewed, bad no information to give about his business affairs. JTe bad not visited New Zealand before, except, as a through passenger, and lie intends to spend about a month in the Dominion.

A LONG VOYAGE. AUCKLAND, Jun o 6. An arrival at Auckland this morning after a voyage of 70 days from Antwerp was the King Line motor ship, King Malcolm, which is the latest 'addition to her owner’s fleet of 12 5000-ton vessels. She' was taken on her trials last December, and is at present on her second voyage with a cargo of basic slag for discharge at Auckland and New Plymouth. Her first trip was made from Cardiff to Port Said with coal, after which she returned to Cardiff, thence proceeding to London and Antwerp, where she loaded for New Zealand. On her recent voyage the vessel left Belgium on March 28th and experienced squally weather to tho Azores, better progress was made after this, although the ship’s speed varied. , When some days out (if Colon n cracked cylinder caused considerable dot’ay, tho ship being hove to while temporary repairs were carried out. Slow progress was then made to Colon, which was finally reached on . April 22nd. Eleven days were occupied in repairs, and Balboa was cleared on May 4th. Tho weather remained fine until May 22nd. when tho vessel was subjected' to a buffeting. Thereafter fair progress was made, and anchor was dropped in the harbour at J. 30 o’clock this morning. The vessel’s construction is of interest in that she has long corrugated busters below the water line on lacli side, and which protrude 19in and are designed to increase the speed, but their effectiveness could not he judged to any satisfactory degree on this trip, which was not made under good circumstances.

flock house farm. WELLINGTON, June 8. The Palmerston North Slieepownors’ Fund appointed Captain F. 11. Billington of Napier, (and J. IT. Mitchell of Bnleluthn to the position of principal and farm manager respectively of the Flock House Station. STATE ADVANCES. WELLIXGTOX, .Tunc S. Loans were authorised by the State Advances Office during the financial year ended March 81st last to 8162 borrowers. The loans totalled £8,330,474. The loans are divided as follows: — To .1,717 settlors, £5,-109,310; to workers. £2,703,644; to 112 local authorities, £157,520. The amount of loans used for the erection of dwellings by 3,250 borrowers, was £2,937,189. Of these 2,738 workers took £2,460,214. Homos for 1,170 workers in 1-924-25 absorbed £950,100, and homes for 1,355 workers in 1923-24 the total lent was £1,092.705. The amounts repaid to the Department under the several headings d urine- 1925-20 were: By settlers, £1,010,354: by workers. £514,778; bv local authorities, £103,660. GIPSIES FROM SYDNEY. AUCKLAND, June 8. A party of gipsies who arrived fr-un Sydney by the Aoraugi and were refused permission to land, were to-:ii> transferred to the Mamma, and they will be sent back to Sydney by Unit vessel on 1 vidav. roll down parlours. CHRISTCHURCH, dune 8. The proprietors of the only ‘‘Roll Down” parlour in Christchurch state that they have bad legal 'advice to continue'the business in the face of the City Council’s decision that the license bo cancelled immediately, and Mr XL Robinson, one of the partners, said that if they were prevented from c.oinrr business, they would be involved infinancinl loss, as they Lad contracted to rent premises and to purchase stocks for at least three months. Mr Robinson said that, two years ago, the Council granted him a license for the same game. He Lad conducted the came for various charities, including the Lewisham Hospital Bazaar at ■Wellington last year.

WEST COAST MINES, CHRIST CHURCH, June 8. There has been a report lappearing in the Christchurch and Wellington papers to the effect that the West Coast coal miners are now reverting back to the eleven day fortnight. This report is now contradicted. The report lias emanated from W ellington,

THEFT CHARGE. CHRISTCHURCH. June 8. Before Mr H. A. Young, S.M. at the Maistrate’s Court. M. McDonald, the steeplechase rider, and William McRav, stablehand, of Woodville, were charged with the theft of £l7 from the person of Thomas Henderson on May 27th. Chief Detective T. Gibson who prosecuted, intimated that there was a third person wanted. He had not been- located. Henderson stated in evidence that he was approached By a stranger, and they subsequently went to two other men. Witness produced his wallet, and gave

one mail £1 for a bet on a horse, putting his wallet hack in his pocket. After further conversation, the mail he first met said “You’ll be all light for the racing game; let mo feel your weight.” The man lifted witness up, hut placed him to one side. He did not remember anything about his pockets when he went away. Soon after his wallet was missing, and he had then reported the matter to the police. Accused pleaded not guilty and reserved their defence, and were committed for trial. A MOTOR PUBLICATION. CHRISTCHURCH, June 8.

An injunction was issued to-day by Mr Justice Adams prohibiting Martin Harvey, of Dunedin, Advertising Agent, and David M. Lister, of Dunedon, printer, from publishing “The Official South Island Motorists’ Guide” on the round that it infringes the copyright of “The New Zealand Motorists’ Road Guide (South Island).” The action, in the form of a publication for an injunction, was brought by Andrews Baty and Co., of Christ-' church, printers, against the President and tho Executive of the South Island Motor Union, and Harvey and Lister.

Mr Hutchison, for the plaintiff, said that a settlement between tlio, parties had been reached, by which all the defendants, except JTiuv.ey and Lister, hould he struck out. and the injunction should he granted against those two only. Andrew's and Baty did not claim for accounts, or for damages. AH costs between the parties had been settled and actually paid.

Mr White said that the settlement involved a frank admission that the South Island Motor Union had not authorised publication of the official South Island Motorists Guide. CANTEEN FUND. WKLDTXGTON. .Tune 8. According to information supplied at Hie War Funds Conference, the Canteen Regimental Trust Fund has now in hand £BO.OOO. It was stated that this money is being conserved with an eye to the future, when the funds of other societies would he exhausted. and, when there would lie an urgent call for accumulated funds. It was estimated that in a very few years the amount would bo brought to £200,000. The conference was asked to express an opinion upon the question of assistance to Patriotic Societies when their present funds are exhausted. The meeting decided ii was tli duty of the War Fund Council to provide funds to assist Patriotic Societies whose funds were exhausted. BUMPING PRICES. WELLINGTON, June 9. The following extract is taken from a letter dated May 4th, received by the Wellington representatives of one of the largest dairy produce firms in Tooley Street, London: —“It is rather peculiar that here whilst we have a strike and all the big stores are pushing British goods for one week and in face of the Government issuing an emergency order, the two combinations that tried to force prices during the country’s trouble were (well-known New Zealand brand named here) and the Australian Overseas Federation. However, an order was soon issued that prices must not lie raised and we presume where they had charged more they had to reduce their invoice price or send a credit note, but this sort of tiling does not do New Zealand or Australian produce any good.”

THEFT CHARGE. GORE, June 8. -John Francis Walsh, late Town Clerk at Mataura, was charged today at the Gore Magistrate's Court, before Mr Dixon, with theft or conversion to his own use between October, 1925. and March 1926, oT a sum of £228 belonging to the Mataura Borouh Council, and also £3 15s on June 22nd. last. The charges were taken together. Detectiue Can-oil said that most of the money had been repaid. Lengthy evidence was given regarding the audit and the sums unaccounted for. The accused’s father had paid £lB4 12s, leaving a balance of £43 10s. The defence was reserved, and Walsh was committed to the Supreme Court at Invercargill for trial, bail being allowed in self £2OO and Iwo sureties of £IOO.