DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 July 1926, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

] [by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. FLOATING CRANE. WELLINGTON, July R>A AYaipiri Bay report states tliat tlie floating crane, Repaid, for Lyttelton from England, put in here this morning short of coal. It was found impossible to reach Auckland or Millington owing to the recent storm. LORRY FALLS 120 FEET. NAPIER, July 16. Edwin Phillips, of Napier, was killed early this afternoon as the result of a lorry which lie was driving leaving the road in the Afatahourua Gorge, and falling 120 feet into a stream below. The lorry was travelling at a moderate speed around a bend, when it appears the sudden application of the brakes caused it to skid and go over the side of the road. Some months ago a service car went over the hank in this gorge and three people were killed. TIMBER DEPUTATION. WELLINGTON, July 16. A deputation representing the Timber Workers’ Federation of New Zealand, met the Premier and the Labour .Minister, and asked that the Government should favourably consider several matters affecting the industry. It was asked that there should ho a first charge in a bankrupt estate. Id was stated that employers had been asked to provide fans to minimise tho dust danger from machines, hut had refused. It was suggested that the‘Government should consider making the provision of fans compulsory.

Tho Secretary (Air Turley) asked that a representative of the men should bo allowed to accompany the Labour Department, official inspecting tho labour and time boohs, He also urged closer inspection of aeeomnVjdation and protested against the immigration policy, which, lie said, was causing unemployment. Ml' Anderson said that ho would have tho question of accommodation and machinery looked into. A forty hour’s week was requested. AH' Coates replied that Purl Lament was rather busy this session. Mr Anderson: As far as 1 am c< ncerncd. you won’t have any support from me for a forty hours’ week. It was stated that, as tho result of large importations of timber, numbers of workers had been thrown < ut of employment. That employers wore also feeling the pinch. Afr Coates said the matter was at present receiving the attention of D'e Minister of Customs and the .Minister in Charge of Industries and Commerce. ROUGH PASSAGE FROAI. SCOTLAND. GISBORNE. July 16. AYith practically no food on beard, and with her bunkers almost empty of coal, a curious-looking craft dropped anchor at Waipiro Bay. a small port on the Fast Coast this morning. A launch was immediately sent out. which ascertained that she was the ernneship “Rapaki” en route from Scotland to Lyttelton, under order from the Lyttelton Harbour Board. ■She is iul exceedingly squat vessel. Tho only portion of her visible at >iny distance is the arm of tho crane— a substantial structure as must he necessary when it is realised that, it lias a lifting power of 80 tens. The vessel’s beam is 55 feet, and her length 110 feet, so she is exactly half as breed as she is long. A surprising feature is that despite the heavy nature of Ter superstructure, she draws only tm feet of water.

Lust April, the- “Knpaki” lotl dentlainl on her long and arduous ' trip with a crew of 13 ab<ml and she proceeded via the Panama Canal. Her last port of call before Wnipiro Bay was Papeete. Since leaving that port, she has had 'a very rough passage, and has been seriously delayed, the recent stormy weather giving her the worst buffeting throughout the trip. In the- course of the last period, on several occasions, she was practically at a standstill, and for a great part she progressed at only- one knot an hour. The recent storms prevented the vessel taking shelter at Auckland, and with all this delay, she became veryshort of stores and coal, and it was decided to call at- the nearest port for replenishing—wherefore her advent at Waipiro Bay. After leading some foodstuff, Ihe llapaki left for Tokomaru Bay at about- 3 p.m., where she will take cn sufficient cord to complete her voyage to Lyttelton. Late to-night, it was stated that- the eraneship llapaki was due at Gisborne early in the morning to replenish her bunkers and stores before proceeding south. INFLUENZA. BADCLUTHA. July 17. The district has suffered from the influenza epidemic, the chief sufferers being children.

MOTOR VAN AFIRE. BALCLUTHA. July 17. A motor delivery van owned by H. Croft, a grocer, caught fire yesterday evening while the tank was being refilled by the light of a kerosene lamp, though the lamp was some distance from the petrol. The damage to the van is estimated at £lO. FATAL FALL. WANGANUI. July 16. A labourer, Walter Thomas Brown, single, aged forty-five, fell sixty-five feet on to a. concrete floor at Kemptborne Prosesser’s works at Aramoho this afternoon, and died instantly. This is the second fatal accident which lias occurred since the construction of the works commenced. The deceased was an ox-hotel keeper of Wellington. PRICE OF FLOUR. CHRISTCHURCH. July 17. The action of the millers in increasing the juice of flour in Christchurch by £1 per ton has raised the hopes in some quarters that they will be prepared to give more for wheat. However. ,n merchant stated yesterday that ho lmd approached the millers to see if they wold pay more, hut they were not prepared to do so.

EXCURSION TO OTTRA. CHRISTCHURCH. July 17. The Railway Department has arranged to conduct an excursion to Otira on Sunday. July 25th. The District Traffic Manager stated yesterday that the excursion has been decided upon order to give the public an opportunity of seeing Arthur’s Pass under snow. IMMIGRATION. NEARLY 11,000 LAST YEAR. GREAT MAJORITY ASSISTED. WELLINGTON, July 16. Arrivals in the Dominion from U.K. and Ireland during the year ended March 31 last, totalled 10,965 (6,001 males and 4,904 females), of which 7,685 were assisted by the Imperial and New Zealand Governments. The Under-Secretary of the Immigration Department states in his annual report presented to Parliament to-day, that there has been no material change in immigration policy during the past year, but owing to the ship-

ping strike in England, there has teen a slight decrease in tlie number of arrivals compared with the previous twelve months. With few exceptions the newcomers have been successfully absorbed, and were well satisfied vith their new conditions and surroundings. The percentage of juvenile immigrants had been well maintained and public and secondary schoolboys were making good progress. Auckland absorbed 2,615 of the total, and Wellington 2,204.

DOGS ATTACKED BY PNEUMONIA. DUNEDIN, July 16. A disease, which is said to be sometliiiig in the nature of pneumonia, has heel) responsible for considerable mortalitv amongst high country sheep Jogs in Central Otago. When attacked, the victims go down suddenly, and die in a few days. Two shepherds have lost dogs valued at one hundred pounds, while several have lost as many as four WELLINGTON CONSULAR CORPS. ANNUAL DINNER. WELLINGTON, July 15. Tho annual dinner of the Wellington Consular Corps was held this evening. Fifteen consuls were present, and a number of ladies and others. Apologies were received from a number who could not attend, including the Con-sul-General for France and the Dean of the Auckland Consular Corps. Air Frank Dyer proposed the health of the Dean (Air W. H. Lowrie, America), and extended a welcome hack to New Zealand to Afr and Mrs Lowrie, who l(ive lately been on a holiday trip to America. Tie mentioned that the Wellington Corps was now firmly established, and he had advice front Dunedin that the consuls wore row establishing a corps in that city. In replying, Air Lowrie said that although he and Airs Lowrie had had a very Nappy holiday in America they wete glad to ho hack in New /.ealand. They had made many friends here and now looked upon this country as their home. CAR, KNOCKS DOWN CYCLIST. GISBORNE, July 16. Shortly before seven o’clock to-night a middle-aged married man, Oswald Alexander Burns, when riding; a cycle near Alakaraka, was knocked down a car containing Maoris, and suffered a fractured collarbone. GIRL CYCLIST KILLED. AUCKLAND, July 16. Grace Baldock, aged 20, whose parents reside in New Plymouth, was killed to-day as the result of an accident in Kliver Pass. She was riding a bicycle, when it Collided with a heavy motor lorry, which threw her aside, her head striking the- kerbstone. She died ten minutes after admission to the hospital.

presentation of all black CAPS. AUCKLAND, July 15. Though it is 45 years sinte they first played Rugby football in a New Zealand team, two of tlie members of tlie first Rugby side that represented New Zealand are now to receive All Black caps. The two old footballers, members of the 1884 team, who are to have the honor conferred on them, are “Darby” Ryan and T. B. O’Connor, and their caps were received from the New Zealand Rugy Union by the Auckland Union last evening. Mr Ryan who is at present in the Auckland Hospital, :is president of the Auckland Union. Alcssrs J. Arnell and the chairman of the Alanagement Committee, ATr IT. Frost, were deputed to take his cap to the Hospital and there make the presentation. ALVORI’S FRAUDS. AUCKLAND, July 15. At the Police Court Rangatahi FJori Tnuroa, aged 38, admitted obtaining £5Bl from Arthur George by falsely representing that lie bad £SOOO on fixed deposit in tho bank. George produced receipts for various sums, making up the amount claimed. He said that he did not expect any interest .hut accused had offered to give him 10 oer cent. A detective gave evidence that when accused was arrested at Taumaramii he had only 7d in his possession. Accused said that George had professed to he a very smart man. and that a European was too smart for a Arnold. Tie thought that lie would like to heat George. He spent £250 buying a motor-car. got married and went for a honeymoon. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.