DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1926, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS.

LBY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] NATIONAL DELEGATE. WELLINGTON, July 2. Mr W. A. Veiteli is to ho the National Party representative on the New Zealand Parliamentary Delegation to visit Australia in Scptenilier for the Empire Parliamentary Assn. Conference. TRAIN DERAILED. FIREMAN INJURED. DARGAVTLLE, Jur.e 30. The first serious accident of any kind to take place on the PukchuiaWaiotira section of the North Auckland Main Trunk railway system, still under control of the Public Works Depafeniont, happened near Oinana today, when an engine and same trucks wore derailed, and a locomotive fireman, named C. Moore, was so seriously injured that he hail to he renioiod to the Wliangarci Hospital. The wither lias been very wot during the post three days. This caused the filling at the approach to the bridge to subside. The subsidence was not noticed till tho train was right on to it. with the result that the engine left the rails, and the following trucks telescoped on to it. The fireman was extricated from the wreckage, and sent to the hospital. No one else -was injured. The engineer in charge of the works, Air Gibson, soon had a gang of men at work putting the derailed engine and trucks on the line, and traffic was resumed later in the day. The spot where the accident took place is very soft, especially after heavy and continued rain, and has given the Public Works Department much trouble.

SIR FRANK HEATH’S REPORT. WELLINGTON, June 30. The Board of Science and Art met tliis morning to consider Sir Frank Heath’s report on the organisation of scientific and industrial research in the Dominion. While agreeing to accord general approval to the report as a whole on the grounds that if adopted it would great Iv improve the position of industry, the hoard decided to adopt Dr Allan Thomson's memorandum and forward it for the consideration of the Government.

The chief points concern the establishment of a Dominion library and the publication of certain papers and reports. The memorandum recommends the repeal of part of the Science and Art Act of 1923. If the new department advocated by Sir Frank Heath is set up the present function of the hoard to advise the Government as to any expenditure that may reasonably lie incurred with benefit to flic Dominion in scientific and historical research and the development of science and art will, he abolished, as well as the hoard’s function to publish certain papers and reports. If the Government consented to place the museum and art gallery under a hoard of trustees, another part of five Act which puts into the hands of the hoard the control of these institutions and the Dominion library must also ha repealed.

HOTELS AT WAIHI. WAIHI. July 1. After seventeen years of closure the Rob Roy Hotel at Wailii opened its doors at two o’clock this afternoon for the sale of alcoholic beverages. Miners off shift who had congregated in the street, in anticipation of the event, made a wild rush to the public bar when the doors opened. THREE LICENSES GRANTED. WAIHI. July 1. The Oliinemuri Licensing Committee met this morning, when the following licenses were granted:—• Rob Roy Hotel, Wailii. Commercial Hotel, and Criterion Hotel, Paeroa. The meeting then adjourned till Monday, when further licenses may lie granted, these being dependent on their having their premises completed according to the plans and requirements. RE-VALUED LANDS. NO RELIEF FOR FREEHOLDERS. WELLINGTON, June 30. A singular omission from the. scheme for re-valuing soldier settlers’ lands, namely non-provision for freeholders, is pointed out in a petition presented to Parliament to-day hv one of the latter class, W. J. Mcßunioy. of Wnerenga. Auckland. The petitioner says that his property was taken up in the first place after subdivision by a returned soldier, who failed to .make a success of it. He (Moßnrney) subsequently purchased the property from the Government outright. No fresh valuation was made, hut he was required to pay the value already placed upon the land. £2040. together with £fiß(>, being the loss which the Government had suffered through his predecessor's iailure, including arrears of rent. Eater other properties in the same settlement were re-valued and the holders were granted substantial concessions. However, as lie was neither a lessee nor a licensee within the meaning of the Act, lie could obtain no relief, though the valuation placed on his property was plainly ,excessive. He points out that if he had not elected to lmy outright for £2726, he could have obtained advances up to a limit of £3250. so that by his purchase the State was in all £59,6 to the good. He prays that the original excess of £GB6 he refunded to him. that the property he re-valued, and that he he paid the difference between the old and the new valuations, a vote to he placed on the Estimates for the purpose.