DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAM—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] INSTITUTE OF SURVEYORS. CONFERENCE AT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, August 11. A number of matters, of interest to surveyors were discussed at the conference of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors, which was opened to-day. Mr F. I. Ledger, of Nelson, president of the Institute, dealing with the registration of engineers, stated that the Engineers Registration Act was being administered in a manner very different to what was contemplated when the Act was passed in 1924. The council of the institute was engaged in collecting particulars of apparent hardship with a view to taking action in cases where it was felt an injustice had been done. It was understood the Prime Minister had suggested to the Engineers’ Registration Board that it should reconsider any application which the institute should recommend for rehearing. However, the speaker believed the board was disinclined to follow that course, holding that the institute was not entitled to interfere in its decisions. Tt was agreed that the matter should not be allowed to drop. The council had recommended to the Minister of Lands and Public Service Commissioner the appointment of inspectors of survey for the more efficient checking of field work. The unsatisfactory practice prevalent in some provinces of accepting diagrams on transfers without survey had also been placed before the Registrar-General, and he had promised to take such steps as were in his power to limit such procedure as would make for uniformity. Three vacancies on the council wore filled by the re-election of Messrs M. H. Miller (Auckland) and E. C. Barker and C. Hastings Bridge (Christdiruch). Mi- W. S. Wheeler was re-appointed auditor. Mr Preston Chamber was elected a Fellow of the Institute. Tt was decided fo hold the next annual meeting in Napier. CARRIAGE OF LTQIJOR. INVER CAT?GILL, August 11. An interesting interpretation of several aspects of the Licensing Act in respect to the carriage of liquor into no-license districts was delivered in the Magistrate's Court to-day by Mr Cruickshnnk, S.M. Two taxi drivers, who bad brought liquor into Invercargill from Wallacetown hotels, were charged with carrying liquor into a no-license area without obtaining a signed form from the purchasers. Defendants were convicted and fined £l. Two other men, who had brought beer into town, were charged with failing lo give their names and addresses to the. vendor, informing him of their intention. They wore fined nominal ampunts, counsel stating that the cases were unique. LORRY DAMAGED BY EIRE. WHATvATANE, August 11. A spanner struck the terminals of the battery on a motor lorry owned by George Wilson, of Runtoki, and caused i spark which .ignited benzine vapour. The flames shot up to the roof of Dalgety’s building, which was scorched. Tlie lorry and the goods were badly damaged. REVIEW DURING RECESS. WELLINGTON, August 11. A very careful study of- the whole question of direct and indirect taxation is to he undertaken during the recess according to a statement made in the House to-night by the Minister nf Finance. Referring to criticism which had boon levelled against the present incidence if land and income taxation during Lhe second reading of the Land and Income Tax Act Amendment Bill, tin 1 Minister said lie had recently quoted figures which showed beyond doubt that under the present system the burion of taxation was placed on the shoulders of uiose best able to hear it. such as peoples with largo incomes and large landed properties. "On account of the enormous growth if local taxation it means that two taxation authorities are trying to reach the same field and some adjustment mist ho made before long.” said the Minister. 11 On account of subdivision ;ho land tax yield is leading to an unrcnsonnble increase in taxation. Roughly speaking I think it is a fact that two-thirds of the income fax is delved from incomes of £SOOO and fouriiftlis of the land tax is paid by pioicrtios of £IO,OOO and upwards. Ihope luring the recess to make a very careful study of the whole question of fixation, both direct and indirect, bemuse wo hope next year to revise the Customs tariff so that the whole area if taxation will come under review, md T also hope then that some of the matters giving rise to difficulty at the present time may he overcome,” THEFT OF WALLET. CHRISTCHURCH, August 12. Charged with stealing ‘a wallet containing .£lls, a youth, aged 20, pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court today. Accused told a story of how misfortune had dogged his steps since his arrival in the Dominion fifteen months, i,Ho had been in the hospital for three months, and was again taken ill after bis discharge. He bad been out of work, and could not resist the temptation of taking the money. Chief Detective • T. Gibson stated that the accused was twenty years of age, and bad been in the country only fifteen months. He had come from England, under the Public Schoolboy system. He had been staying at a house where be stole the money from a fellow boarder. He had spent £23, but the remainder had been recovered. Mr Cunningham stated that accused had had a series of misfortunes. He had only been out here a short time when he was kicked by a horse. This necessitated a stay in a hospital for three months. During that time he had contracted debts amounting to £33. The pressure of those debts was so great that he had taken the wallet. He said that his father had recently died bankrupt, so he sent £l2O which had been given him on his departure from England, to his mother. Tins had left him destitute. He had been out of work, and the temptation had been too great. His former employer was willing to take him into his home until something could he done for him. Accused said that he had written for assistance and had received £ls. nc was again taken ill. but had managed to pay his way. On his recovery he had'been unable to obtain work. H< was admitted to probation for a tern of twelve months. Air Cunningham asked that accused s name might he suppressed as he liac been in the country for snob a short time. , , The Magistrate said that accusec Kas 20 years of age, and had ever;

W. i chance of making good. People were taking an interest in him, and, under the circumstances, his name would be suppressed. MAN KILLED. CHRISTCHURCH, August 12.. A man, as yet unidentified, was killed at Amberley Station, to-night, through falling from a moving train. The body was dragged two hundred yards. DAMAGES FROM EXPLOSION. DUNEDIN, August 12. In the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr Justice Sim and a special jury, a ease in which Daniel Lankford Smith, hospital attendant and his wife, Annie Smith, claimed £239 16s 6d damages from the City Corporation for injuries sustained by Mrs Smith as the result of an explosion in Miss Barnett’s shop in George Street on October 2,192 d. after a retirement of about half an hour, the jury found that the accident was the result of an explosion of bitumen gas, formed from the fusing and brea king of an electric cable in George Street, and that two of the Corporation employees were, negligent in taking a naked light into Miss Barnett’s cellar. Mrs Smith was awarded £l6O, and Smith £3O. BIG LAND DEAL. GISBORNE, August 12. It is reported that the Crown has purchased the Te AVera Station, in the Matawai district. It comprises ten thousand acres. The price is stated to be between six and seven pounds per acre. APPOINTED REAR-ADMIRAL. AVELLTNGTON, Aug. 13. Commander Alistcr Beal who has been in command of the Now Zealand Naval Squadron for the past three years has been promoted to RearAdmiral. He leaves the Dominion on August 31st, for England, via Australia.