DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGR.VTH rER PRESS ASSOCIATION. N.Z. PASSION FRUIT. AUCKLAND, August 29. A. successful trial shipment of passion fruit from Auckland, which was sent to England, has resulted in numerous enquiries, and it is possible that it may be the forerunner of further shipments and the commencement of a valuable export trade. In the early part of the present year, it was decided to make a shipment of'passion fruit of the ordinary commercial variety. The fruit was packed in boxes ol 201 b each. The .shipment left New Zealand on April 20th last, and arrived in London on June 7th, and figured on the menu of an all-New •Zealand dinner that was given to Sir Janies Allen prior to his relinquishing the position of High Commissioner. It 'is not known what prices New Zealand shipments would average on the Home markets, but the successful trial shipment has proved that the fruit carries well. GAAIBLTNG CONVICTION UPHELD WELLINGTON, Aug. 30. The conviction by a Magistrate of Alfred Dawson and Harold Percival Bishop, proprietors of a “roll down,” for keeping a common gaining house, was uphold by the Chief Justice, Air Justice Skerrett, this morning. In delivering his reserved judgment in. the appeal case, His Honour said that while this game was not one which attracted had characters, oi caused a nuisance, it attracted women and children. The stakes were not higlf. hut the games were played in quick succession, and chance prevailed over skill. No doubt the game was prejudicial to the morals of the community, as its popularity was not due to its intrinsic value, but to th gambling element. RED CROSS ATONEY. AVELLINGTON, Aug. 30. His reserved decision was given today bv the Chief Justice, -Mr C. P. Skerrett, on the motion for a. declaratory judgment regarding the disposal of thirty thousand sterling forwarded to the Governor-General of New Zealand in 1919 by the British Red Cross Society. The judgment virtually vests the money in the New Zealand Red Cross Society, which is given power to spend both the principal and interest in the alleviation of suffering. The Society also may. in its discretion, if it thinks fit, apply the whole for the benefit of ex-soldiers and sailors. BAN ERUPT AIISSING. DUNEDIN, Aug. 30. A meeting of creditors in the estate of Katie Theresa Dwyer, also know.it as Katie Theresa Dyer, formerly a boarding house-keeper at St. Clair, was held this afternoon. There was no appearance of bankrupt”. The official assignee, E. AY. Cave, said bankrupt had leased a house and furniture on the hire-purchase agreement. She obtained credit for various goods, and later she appeared to have sold everything that was not in the hire-purchase agreement. It was understood, however, that the bankrupt had property either at Hamilton or at Rotorua, but lie did not think there would be anything in it for the creditors He did not know where the bankrupt had gone, but if be ascertained. ho would issue a warrant for her arrest. Her debts ‘totalled £l6O.

A creditor s'aid that she liad left early ill April. The meeting adjourned sine die to enable the Assignee to have enquiries made regarding the bankrupt's whereabouts. KAWARAU DAM. A PICTURESQUE SCENE. INVERCARGILL, Aug. 30. AVltli the stage set for the opening of Kawarau’s great gold mining scheme, the curtain went up at 10.30 to-day on a. picturesque scene at Frankton Falls. After a frosty night, the sun was shining brightly, and on the bank witli tbe snow-capped ranges surrounding the Frankton Falls, the dam gates were closed, and after centuries of careering over fhe rocky falls the waters of AVakatipn were at last barred in the outlet.

The exact time of the closing was eleven o’clock and the ten winches were set in action when a steam whistle was blown. Within one minute, the dam was closed and cheers for the 'directors and engineers rover berated in tile valley. Within 15 minutes of the closing of the gates, the river level had fallen Dm feet six inches. A TIPSY MOTORIST. AUCKLAND. Aug.” 30.

“A man might easily overestimate his carrying capacity, or underestimate the strength of the liquor lie drinks,” said Magistrate Poyiiton. in fining a young man of 28 years £5 and costs for being in a. state of intoxication while in charge of a motor car in College Hill early on Sunday morning. The police stated that the accused was driving home from a dance at about 12.30 a.m. yesterday, when his car struck an obstacle. The accused was found sitting in the car. He was in a state of intoxication. Air Matthews, who appeared for the accused, said that the had “cut tilings a little too fine,” one of the front wheels running into a street excavation. The Magistrate said it was not r. serious case, and, on counsel’s application, agreed to order the suppression of the accused’s name.

PIRACY OF NEWS. PRESS ASSOCIATION WILL PROSECUTE. WELLINGTON, Aug. 30. Complaint has been made to the management of the Press Association that the broadcasting agencies are infringing the Copyright Act l>y issuing cable news to their subscribers. As the newspavers of New Zealand are paying some forty thousand pounds per annum for the fine cable service which the public enjoys, they must he protected against the piracy of their property. whether by broadcasters or any other persons. This, thercfoie, is issued as a warning that such infringements of the law will he followed by prosecution. . The Telegraph Department had pinmised that a clause would be put m the regulations drawing attention to the fact that the copyright of the cables must be respected, but it was overlooked. This, however, does not affect the legal rights of the Pre=s Association.

| BURGLARS ACTIVE. | AUCKLAND, August 30. i, On Saturday night, while patrolling jj his beat, a constable discovered that I a glass panel in the front door of I Messrs Hughes and Cossar, wine and [ Spirit Merchants, of Swanson Street, |j bad been broken. The constable smn- || mo nod Air Percy Hughes, and it was 1 found, after an inspection of the warej "house, that burglars bail broken the ! glass in a large showcase upstairs. A large quantity ol expensive liquers, I valued at approximately £3O, was rcI moved. Evidently the intruders were skilled connoisseurs, for they did not j touch any of the heavier brands of I liquor. ! Tobacco and cigarettes worth about i £ls were taken by burglars who broke into the shop of Air S. J. Davidson, ; grocer, of 379 Manukau Road. I The theft was effected some time ; between midday on Saturday and ves--1 lerday afternoon. I Burglars entered a draper’s shop at 1 247 Dominion Road, on Friday night. ; Entrance was gained by breaking the ' glass in the front of the door and •opening the lock. Goods worth £lO i were stolen. CEMENT INDUSTRY. WESTPORT, Auckland 30. The attention of overseas investors • has been drawn to the immense cement rock deposits at AA T cstport, and there is a strong probability from cables received that the works will be commenced at an early date. As good coal enters largely, into cement making, Westport is considered an ideal centre for such works, and it L claimed that the costs of produc- ; tion will be extremely low, owing to the great local deposits of coal and cement rock. tree and disorderly. SEAMAN ACCEPTS CHARITY. AUCKLAND, August 28. “ He’s a bit of a Buffalo Bill, or something, and he wears a wide brimmed hat,” was the unusual description given by Senior-Detective Hammond. ol Francis Edgar Burgess, aged 19 years, a seaman, who pleaded guilty at the Police Court, to a charge deeming him to be an idle and disorderly person with insufficient means ‘of support. “ This young man was paid off the Kiwitea on July 28th, anil he was getting £l3 10s per month as a seaman,” said the Senior-Detective. Since then lie lias been hanging about the town with undesirables, 1 have a receipt here from the Charitable Aid Board, which guaranteed his hoard for a fortnight. I now find that other seamen have been doing the same thing i u getting assistance from the Board. Accused is an able-bodied man, and is fit to go in the shafts of a dray. It is disgraceful for such a man to get assistance from the Charitable Aid Board like this.”

Accused: That’s not so. I was paid off the Kiwitea with compensation for an injured foot, and 1 can go to a job on Monday. Detective Hammond: He smokes between 2s and' 3s worth of cigarettes a day and lies in bed till 10.30 a.m. He lias never been before the Court before. Tbe Alagistrate (Air F. K .Hunt): Now. look here, 1 will give you until Monday to get to work, otherwise I will send you up above for 4 three months. Detective Hammond then stated that until Monday was not very long to get work. Accused: I can get work by that time. Air Hunt: Well, I will give you a week, but you will have to refund the money you got from the Charitable Aid Board. Accused: Yes, I will do that. PRESBYTERIAN SCHOLARSHIPS. DUNEDIN, Aug. 30. The Rev. Dr Gibb, who has been arranging the Dunedin Presbyterian Clin relies’ share of the sum of , £IO,OOO aimed at by the General Assembly jis a scholarship fund, has secured £3.151, and it is anticipated-that the final local total wilt he £4OOO. Dr Gibb went North this morning. INFANT’S BODY FOUND. AUCKLAND, Aug. 30. The body of -ail infant was found under a hedge at Onehunga to-day A post mortem examination will be he to decide whtthcr the child was born <im FALSE PRETENCES. PALMERSTON N., Aug. 30. William Frederick Hobson, with two aliases, appeared at the Magistrate s Court when a number of charges involving false pretences were preferred against him. *Holison, it was stated, operated in Palmerston North, Wanganui. Fcildjiig, Shannon, Otaki and Wellington representing himself to he connected with Nelson Apple Coy. and extracted small sums of money from various people. Senior Detective Quirk stated Hobson was recently sentenced to a month’s gaol at Waipukaf„r a . similar offence. He asked that accused lie remanded to Wellington on Friday on a charge concerning Wellington, where there would be other "charges preferred. Hobson pleaded guilty to* each of the other offences, and was sentenced to two terms of three months each on two charges, the sentences to be cumulative.