DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1926, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[bv TELEGRAPH —PER TRESS ASSOCIATION. SHOOTING FATALITY INQUEST , WAIM ATE, Aug. 10. i At the adjourned inquest on tlm ■ death of D. E. England, who received a charge of buckshot in the abdomen from a gun which was being unloaded bv Owen McKee, tlie latter claimed the privilege of with-bolding certain details of evidence, oil the ground of tlie possibility of incriminating himself of manslaughter. O'ne witness deposed ,to deceased stating he had quarrelled with McKee, giving the latter a black eye, this statement being made the night before the tiagedy. A nurse at the hospital, however, stated that England told her his mate bad intended shooting a hawk, but the breach jambccl and lie got the full charge of shot. The Coroner, Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M. said the inquiry had been rendered difficult by the most important witness declining to carry the evidence to the fullest possible point, and he co’inmented on the doubtful wisdom of • this course. Had McKee carried the evidence through lie would have lieen justified in coming to a certain conclusion, hut ho could only find that Duval Earle England died from shock and haemorrhage, due to a gunshotwound, caused by the discharge of a gun in the hands of Owen Joseph Francis McKee. . i POTATO EXPORTS. statement RY MINISTER. WELLINGTON, Aug. 9.

Interviewed to-day on the subject of the export of New Zealand potatoes to Australia, the Hon. A. D. M’Leod, Minister of Industries and Commerce made the following statement. “Neither the Government nor myself, as Minister of Industries and Commerce, received any indication of the difficulty until ten days ago, when Mr D. Jones, M.P. (Ellesmere) informed me that he was in receipt of cabled advice that the Commonwealth Tariff Board proposed to inquire into tlie question of imposing additional duties on New Zealand potatoes entering the Commonwealth, and, further, jthat under regulations in existence for some time sacks of over 2001 b. in weight could not lie landed. I immediately conferred with Lhe Minister of Customs, who got into communication by cablegram with the Commonwealth Minister of Customs in regard to the matter. My colleague is to-day intimating that potatoes at the wharf side in Australia or in actual transit to Australia, will he landed even if the sacks are in excess of 20011). on tlie understanding that iniv future shipments from New Zealand must conform to the Commonwealth regulation as to weight. “So far no information has been received as to the Commonwealth Government’s intention to increase, or alter in any way, the duty on Now Zealand potatoes.” !

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. AUCKLAND, Aug. 9

Sir Edwin Mitchel Son, president, speaking at the annual mooting of the Auckland Racing Club this afternoon made a protest against the levies by the Racing Conference on the Auckland Club, describing them as rather drastic, and not equitable. At present Auckland nays £1303, which is one sixth of the whole levy for the Dominion, and the racing clubs in the Auckland district nay one third of the whole contribution. The Auckland Club thinks the conference should evolve some scheme on a fairer method, so that the payments, especially by the larger Clubs, should he more in keeping with the services rendered to them by the stipendiary stewards and racecourse inspectors. This would mean a larger payment by some of tlie oilier clubs. The Conference, however, voted that proposal out. Last year Auckland paid £1303. Wellington paid £762 and the Canterbury Jockey Club £748, although they all enjoyed the same services. Such a position was unsound in principle, contended Sir Edwin, and ho urged that some fairer method should be evolved. During the past year the Auckland Racing Club paid the Government £75,243 in totalisator taxation and £1698 in rates.

DAIRY SEASON SHIPMENTS DUNEDIN. Aug. 9: By the end of the present month the last of the past season’s butter and choose will be cleared from the stores under tlic control of the South Island Dairy Association. The secretary reports that the Tninui has lifted the balance of xbe cheese from Bluff and Port- Chalmers, that the Toiigariro is. loading the last of the butter from the same ports, that the Maimoa has cleared up the balance of tlio butter, and the Matutua lias taken the last of tho cheese from Timavu and Lyttelton. The output of butter from the South Island this last season was loss than usual, but the cheese total was about the average. Dairymen are rejoicing over the open winter so far experienced. hoping that it will be the forerunner of a good season.

CYCLIST BADLY INJURED. TIMARIT, Aug. 9. ( Between six and seven o’clock on Saturday evening a serious accident happened on the Canal Road. Saltwater Creek, .resulting in an elderly man named Cook, a resident of Aveniio Road, being severely injured. At present lie lies in the hospital, but so far the lull extent of fits injuries lias not been ascertained, although they are known to be serious. It appeared that Cook was cycling towards the south when he was run into by a cart and horse coming into town. Cook was thrown to the ground, receiving severe bruises and perhaps other injuries.

CLAIM NONSUITED PALMERSTON N„ August 10. . At the Supreme Court. Archibald John Dale, a master mariner of Lower Hult sued Iforowlhemin County Council for £SOO damages for, injuries received by loss sustained through plaintiff’s ear going over a clay embankment being added to a formed metalled road near Waiknuae. Plaintiff gave evidence that be was going along the road with two wheels on the embankment, although unaware of the fact and on the vehicle coming to the end of the embankment it naturally toppled over, falling six feet. A lady passenger was killed and plaintiff, severely injured. Justice Reed non-suited plaintiff without bearing the defence, saying there was no responsibility on a local body to fence or light the end of an embankment each day as the work progressed. Ft was not negligence on the part of a local body not to light or fence any work of this sort, which was an extension of a road property on which the Council had not invited the people to gg. It would be an unfair burden to impose on local authorities to make them take precautions against people going on unformed portions of a metalled road.

dent Art Union would have to he post- j poned. L The Minister agreed .to postponement) of the drawing until Wednesday night, August lltli. THE FT OF SHEEP. DUXKDIX, Aug. 10. Rehearing of the ease against John William McLennan, sheepfarmer, Miller’s Flat, who was charged with having stolen 493 sheep valued at £674 4s (Id the property of George Kain, and another, and (2) with having received the said sheep knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained, was concluded before Mr Justice Sim in the Supreme Court to-day. Accused was found guilty of receiving and was sentented to two years’ imprisonment. “FI’X FACTORY’’ DAMAGES. m'XF.DIX. Aug. 10. Magistrate Bartholomew gave judgment in the case of George Sidford, accountant. of Wellington,, versus the Exhibition Company, a claim for £2OO for injuries sustained (a fractured leg and a sprained ankle), while using the slide in the fun factory. The Magistrate held that defendants had shown lack of duo care, and were negligent in the'construction and operation of the device. That construction of the slide was such that persons were projected with considerable velocity on a canvas mattress, with a drop that varied at times from six to thirteen inches, and this drop created a danger if the sliders’ logs being doubled beneath them. Judgment, was given for plain!i:V for the full amount claimed. Security of appeal was fixed. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES REPORT. WET.ILIXGTOX. Aug. 10. The annual report of the Registrar of Friendly Societies was presented by the Hon. Mr Wright. The Lender of the Opposition, Mr IT. E'. Holland, asked if the Minister or the 0 orornment had taken into consideration the matter of maternity allowances. In this resneet, there was a - - ' --t

great deal of difficulty in connection with the new arrivals here, particularly with the families who had been in the country only ten or eleven months. There also was difficulty regarding people who changed from one district to another. For the purposes of the Act, the Miners’ Medical Associations were friendly societies. At • times it was found that families, mowed from one centre to another, and although there was an unbroken payment into the fund-, there was a difficulty, or a barrier. against- the collection of the benefit. Would it not be possible to make the maternity benefit payable to all mothers in New Zealand 1 The miners were much ill favour of haring those restrictions removed, and he thought there seemed to be something wrong the system which made benefits possible to one mother and not' to another.

The Hon. Hr Wright said that the members of any Association which were affiliated for the purposes of the fund were all entitled to the maternity benefit. He added: “It is not universal. and. as far as I know, that aspect has' not been considered hv Cabinet so far. The suggestion opens up the question of the toi*d. I will take a note of the request, and have it brought before Cabinet.”