DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[nv TELEGRAM —MR PRESS ASSOCIATION

JOCKEY CLUB SECRETARY. HAWERA, July 27

E. P. Cox, of Hawera, lias been appointed Secretary of Egmont Racing Chib and Hawera Trotting Club. There were eighty-one applications fom all over the country.

POSSESSION OF OPIUM. ' AUCKLAND, July 27. A cliinaman, Young Wall, was finet £lO for being found in possession o opium.

FLOUR SUPPLY. AUCKLAND, July 27. Thirty thousand tons of flour will have to be imported into New Zealand to tide the country over three months, between the exhaustion of the Dominion supplies and the placing on the market, in March, of the new season’s wheat. A miller stated that, speaking in the House, the-Minister of Agriculture had stated in his opinion that one million bushels of wheat were left in the Dominion, hut millers who had been endeavouring to secure stocks during the past week were dubious about that figure. If the quantity stated by the Minister was in the country, millers had no need to close down, if they had been prepared to meet a loss on the price for ’which they would have had to pay for their wheat. There is still little Australian wheat c-oming in, most of it being on contracts made previously. Millers are not likely to increase the price on the basis of the extra cost they might havo to pay for wheat later.

MEAT SHIPPERS’ CLAIM. GISBORNE, .July 27

At tlio Court this morning, Magistrate Levvy gave a decision that a shipper of meat is not entitled to recover from a freezing company, damages incurred through meat being sold at a lass. The action centred round the shipment of beef to Manchester in 1920 by Poverty Bay Farmers’ Meat Coy., on account of Otto Hansen. Tho price realised was insufficient to pay the charges and Hansen contended he could havo sold it at a profit of £154 for local consumption. Tho claim rested on tho allegation that the meat sent to the works condition upon an advance being made and that it was shipped to Manchester without authority. The defence was that the advance was promised conditionally upon shipment liy the Admiral Codrington, and that no instructions were given regarding tho port of destination. The Magistrate held that as the meat was not shipped in the Admiral Codrington, there was no obligation to make an advance and that shipment was authorised without instructions as to the port of discharge. Judgment was given for defendant.

. INJURED FIREMAN. AUCKLAND, July 25. There is a slight improvement in the condition of Fireman Douglas Catloy, who was injured in tho overturning of a lire engine on Friday.

A FIRE. DUNEDIN, July 26. Shortly alter 11 o’clock to-night a serious fire broke out in the Mosgiel Woollen Company’s premises in High Street. When the brigade arrived the flames had a strong hold in the basement, the whole of the stock in that part of the building being destroyed before they could he suppressed. The stock in the ground and first floors was considerably damaged by smoke. Insurances are not available! to-night, hut it is estimated that there will be heavy loss to the company. DOMINION BULLETIN. WELLINGTON, July 26. The infectious disease bulletin shows that there is no increase for pneumonic influenza. Figures for scarlet fever are about on a par with those for the preceding week. Reports from Taranaki, Horowhcnua, Wairarapa, East Cape, Central Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough may bo described as reassuring, reductions being shown in almost every case.

Shortly after 11 o’clock to-night a serious fire broke out in the Mosgiel Woollen Company’s premises in High Street. When the brigade arrived the flames had a strong hold in the basement, the whole of the stock in that part of the building being destroyed before they could he suppressed. The stock in the ground and first floors was considerably damaged by smoke. Insurances are not available! to-night, hut it is estimated that there will be heavy loss to the company. DOMINION BULLETIN. WELLINGTON, July 26. The infectious disease bulletin shows that there is no increase for pneumonic influenza. Figures for scarlet fever are about on a par with those for the preceding week. Reports from Taranaki, Horowhcnua, Wairarapa, East Cape, Central "Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough inav bo described as reassuring, reductions being shown in almost every case. STEEL FROM ANTWERP. WHY NOT FROM BRITAIN? AUCKLAND, July 26. A shipment of fifty-five steel beams, weighing 142 tons, was landed by the Tongnriro. The beams came from Antwerp for the railways. A correspondent, criticising the purchase, writes: “The Government advocates that we should buy British goods. Tt is the old story of the preadher over again : ‘ Do as I say, not as I do.’ Why could the order not have been placed with a British manufacturer? ” WELLINGTON, July 26. With reference to on Auckland telegram regarding a shipment of fifty-fivo steel beams landed by the Tongariros said io have come from Antwerp for the railways, the Prime Minister, questioned to-night, said he knew nothing of the order. “ "We have ordered no beams outside Britain,” ho said. Mr Coates suggested that the order might have been placed hv a contractor doing railway work. In that event, the Department was not responsible.

JOY-RIDER SENT TO GAOL. WELLINGTON, July 26. Over six months ago a motor-car was taken from a city parking place and driven to Lower Ilutt. where, later, it. was found ablmdoned, and in a damaged condition.' A sequel occurred in the Court today, when Robert Bruce M’Kinley. motor driver, twenty-seven years of age, admitted the conversion of the car to his own use. Accused had driven the car to Lower Ilutt with a friend, who stated, ho said, that it belonged to him. M’Kinley disappeared, hut was arrested n week ago, when lie admitted that lie knew before reaching Lower Hutt that the car did not belong to his companion. The damage to the car amounted to about £2O. MVKinlcy was , at present serving n sentence of three months’ for theft at j Blenheim. He was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, to be served at the expiration of his present term. THE VESSEL SHOWS UP. CHRISTCHURCH, July 27. The cfane ship Rapnlii arrived off tlie Heads between 5 and 6 p.m. and anchored in the stream at 10 p.m. Some anxiety was being felt for the safety of the ungainly looking craft which had not been sighted since she left Gisborne last Tuesday. The vessel, which is on order to the Lyttelton Harbour Board, was 109 days out from Greenock, Scotland. MILL ACCIDENT. TE KUITI, . July 27. A shocking accident occurred at mid-

day on Tuesday to a young man, John Murray, at Te Mapara, 12 miles from To Kuiti. He was leaning over a log hauler to straighten a wire rope, when tho hauler-catch put the machine in motion, and Murray was caught between the rope and the cylinder of tho hauler. The lower part of his body and liis legs were badly mangled, and one leg was fractured. He was brought into Te Ivuiti Hospital, and lies in a critical condition. Murray has only been married six weeks, and is the son of a well known settler in the district.

LAUNCH STRANDED. TAURANGA, July 27. The oil launch Whakari, owned by the White Island Agricultural Chemi eal Coy., left White Island at noon yesterday for Tauranga. About an hour later a northerly gale was encountered, with high seas and blinding rain. At 5 p.m., the visibility was only 50 yards, and the party were unable to pick up Motiti Island, for which they were steering. After steaming for eight hours, it u'as assumed that the launch was abreast of Motiti, and it was decided to head for Mount Maunganui. At midnight land was on the port quarter, and it proved' to he Point Makatu. Before the course could he altered, the launch grounded easily on the sand beach.

Mr R. IT. Baldwin (representing tho Canadian interests of the Coy) and Major A. A. Mercer (Director) walked fifteen miles on the beach to Mount Maunganui, and reached there at 7.80 this morning. A vessel has left Tauranga this morning to render assistance.

AN INQUEST.

■WELLINGTON, July 27

At an inquest regarding the death of a watersider, John McKinnon, 50, from injuries through being knocked down by a motor lorry in Featherston Street on July 17, the Coroner (Mr Page) remarked on the carelessness of pedestrians at times. The driver, in this case, was proceeding at a reasonable speed, actually sounding his horn. Deceased walked into the side of the lorry. The verdict was accidental 'death.

AN AMUSING CASE. PALMERSTON N., July 27. Can vendor of a property he held responsible for damfage done by a, tenant prior to ejectment, by the new owner, was a question propounded to Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., to-day. The case, apart from legal aspect, presented unusual and amusing features. The tenant, between tho period of sale and time that possession was given, married tho daughter of the vendor, who then was naturally diffident about, executing the writ for possession she had previously secured from court. Finally the tenant and his wife left, but not before they had dug up the garden and removed sundry fixtures, including the bath and disfigured tlio walls with texts “The Wages of Sin is Death,” and “Be sure Your Sin will find you out!”

Tlio tenant in explanation of this conduct, said lie wished to make an

indelible impression on the plaintiff’s mind. Judgment on legal points raised was reserved.

MOTORIST ACQUITTED. AUCKLAND, July 27

Tho Grand Jury alvNthe Supreme Court to-day returned “no bill” in a charge preferred against Alfred William ITegh of negligently driving a. motor bus and thereby (Busing death. The case related to an accident in Manulcau Road on ’May 17, when a bus collided with a telegraph pole, Miss Lorine Taylor, a, passenger being killed. The accident occurred while the driver was endeavouring to open the windscreen as the interior of the vehicle was becoming warm. THE BURGLAR MENACE. AUCKLAND, July 27. “These burglaries are becoming very common, and these young men going about with gelignite and fuses are becoming a menace to the community,” said Mr Justice Stringer in the Supreme Court to-night in a case in which! George Tdwnrtl Welch, aged 26. and Reginald Clarence Watson, aged 20, were' charged with breaking and entering a warehouse in the city. The jury found both guilty, with a recommendation to mercy for Watson on account of his youth. Sentence was deferred. CLAIM AGAINST “FUN FACTORY.” DUNEDIN. July 27. •Vt the Magistrate’s Court this morning George Sid ford, of Wellington, accountant, claimed from the Exhibition Company speefal and general damages amounting to £2OO for injuries received while using the clinic in the fun factory. He fractured one leg and sprained the ankle on, the other kg. The case is proceeding. SNOW AT INVERCARGILL. INVERCARGILL, July 27. The first real touch of winter was experienced here to-day, when a snowstorm played. on the city and nearby districts for a short period. Cold rain followed, which appears to have set in. Heavy falls of snow have been experienced in the back country.