DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

fDY TELMGRAI'II —fER PRESS ASSOCIATION.}

FREIGHT’S ON MANURES

WELLINGTON, Sept. 14

As an outcome, of the British Coal . .’Strike, New Zealand farmers will have to pay more for their basic slag, the Minister of Agriculture having been advised of freight increase from £1 5s to £1 10s per ton. The shipping companies, however, have promised to consider a revision to the £1 5s rate on the termination of the present contract. Jn an interview, Hon Hawken, commenting on the increase, said it was the Government’s desire to keep tho price of manures down as low as possible, recognising it highly important that farmers should use manures to increase production. It was most unfortunate that as a result of the coal strike, the shipping companies have increased the freight rates more especially after tho Government’s efforts in reducing rates on the railways.

MALTESE SEAMAN GAOLED

AUCKLAND. September 13

Joseph Couclii, aged 28 years, a Maltese, and a restricted immigrant, came up for sentence after having pleaded guilty to a charge, of deserting the steamer Antinous, in the Police Court to-day. Mr R. A. Moody, who appeared for the master of the vessel

rsnitl -t'l’sit tho accused had nil unenviable record on the vessel. He was signed on at London, and had deserted the boat at Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A. He had also refused duty, and now he stated that ho would not go to sen in the Antinous. The accused had £3B and as there was a matter of a £IOO bond at stake, Mr Moody suggested that the accused should be sentenced to a. fortnight’s imprisonment, and to be placed on tlie vessel before it leaves Now Zealand. The shipping company, lie said, had been put to an expense of £lO in connection with the accused’s arrest.

Couclii was sent to gaol for two weeks, lie was ordered to pay tlie costs of his arrest, and to he placed on the Antinous when she leaves Auckland. CHARGED WITH THEFTS. AUCKLAND, September 13. At the Police Court, Patrick Shields Hargreaves, a former Captain of the Indian Imperial Army, was charged with stealing a- canvas bag of golf clubs valued at £5, and a typewriter valued at £l7. The clubs were taken from tho rooms of the R.N.Z. Yacht Squadron. The defence was that it was customary in India to borrow other people’s property, and that defendant took the clubs to play with a lady, and lie had inadvertently omitted to return them. The accused held the Military Cross for gallantry on the field. After his leaving the Indian Army, owing to curtailments, lie had served in the Soudan as District Commissioner.

The Magistrate, in dismissing the charge, said that ho did not believe Hargreaves’ story, but, in view of his honourable record the charge would be dismissed.

The second charge was adjourned, the .-moused stating that lie desired to find the man who had sold him the typewriter. He knew his name, hut not his whereabouts.

BISHOP LISTON’S STATEMENT. DUNEDIN. Sept. 13. At the opening of the new Catholic Church at Outram yesterday, ITis Lordship, Bishop Liston, of Auckland, in tho course of his address, referred to the present religious situation in Mexico. The Bisliop said‘<The Mexican Bishops seek no favours. They merely are defending the right of man to worship God freely. They will not agree to the Church becoming a department of tho State; nor tolerate compulsory attendance by the Catholic children at schools in which tho Christian religion may not be taught—nav, in which the most sacred beliefs of Christianity

are openly derided. So the Bishops and their Mexican people, ninety-eight per cent of whom arc staunch Catholics, go into religions exile. The lights on tho altars are extinguished, and the public services of the Church arc, for tho first time since 1524, at an end. But the issue of this conflict cannot be in doubt! History will repeat itself and the Church will come out of this fire of persecution with her strength renewed. The Catholic world looks on with sorrow it its soul, but with faith and hope in its heart.” CAR BURNT. OHAIvUNE, Sept, 13. A seven-seater service car, ' owned by Webb and Coy., suddenly burst into flames on tlie Raetihi road this morning. Threo passengers and the driver made a hurried exit, but the car became 'a total loss. The fire is attributed to a back-fire.

FALL FROM LADDER. DUNEDIN, Sept. 13. While cleaning the skylights at the Stock Exchange buildings on Saturday afternoon, John Henderson, aged 30. fell from a ladder, sustaining head injuries, necessitating his ‘admission to the hospital. FATAL FALL. AUCKLAND, Sept. 13. Through falling from a trap door of a storeroom above Horsley’s Pharmacy, Queen Street, this morning, Alfred Williamson, aged 16, received head injuries, from which bo later, died in (lie hospital. SUBSTANTIAL FINES. NAPIER, Sept. 13. For selling liquor to natives in -a proclaimed area, John Carr, a baker by occupation, of Bay view, near Napier. was convicted and fined £4O at the Police Court this morning. Two natives, August Poona -and lvingi Potuo, for aiding and abetting in the commission of the offence, were fined £2O each. Carr laid an information against the constable detecting the offence, for assault. The information failed.