DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPTRIPHT. j FALL THROUGH SKYLIGHT. J WELLINGTON. Jan. I. ! While engaged in dismantling work at the City Corporation’s old power house on Friday morning last, a young man named John Robertson. fell through a skylight to the floor, 26 feet below, and received Injuries from which he died in the Hospital this afternoon. When picked up Robertson was unconscious and suffering from severe injuries to his head, and a broken leg, and shook. How the accident occurred is not quite known. AFTER BIG FISH. AUCKLAND, Jan. 4. Amongst the well-known fishermen who arrived by the Maramn to-day was Mr AV. C. Wentworth, of Sydney, who in 1923, caught, the thou record swordfish of 6231 b in the Bay of Islands. Members of lii.s party at Russell will he Air K. P. Andreae. of Sydney, whose mako shark of 6691 b established another record. Air James Burns. of Burns Philip and Co., and Colonel T. Routlr-dge. of Sydney. The expedition will bo joined next, month hv Sir Thomas Bridges, Governor of South Australia. GOLF COURSES. AUCKLAND. Jan. I. A visitor io Auckland is Dr A. Alaej ketme, of Leeds, a prominent golf j course architect, who has designed many ! of the principal courses in England. I He has just concluded a tour of Australia. during which lie reconstructed most of the leading courses in New i South AVales, Victoria, and South Ausl trnlia.

His first task in New Zealand wit I he to prepare a new lay-out for the Alaungakiekio Golf Club, after which lie will undertake similar work in other parts of the Dominion.

A.S.R.S. PRESIDENCY. DUNEDIN, Jan. -1. AD Al. Connelly, railway guard at Dunedin, and formerly president of the A.S.R.S. has announced his intention of again contesting tho presidency. He was recently elected to represent tho Traffic Department of the southern district, South Island, at the Biennial Conference, which meets in Wellington on February Bth. RENOWN SOCCER TEAM. AUCKLAND. Jan. 4. Although H.ALS. Renown will he hero in midsummer, the ship’s sports officer has agreed to a match on Saturray, February 26, with Auckland Soccer representatives. The Renown carries a. highly trained eleven, which should provide a strenuous contest for the New Zealand premiers. A MAYOR'S IMPRESSIONS. WELLINGTON. Jan. 4. Air J. AY. AfeEwan, Mayor of Pctone, returned to Wellington last week after a six months’ holiday tour of England, Scotland and France. During his visit, ho said, he had taken a keen interest in municipal work. On the whole the Dominion had not much to learn, many even of the cities of England being behindhand in such matters as reading. In many of tho cities and larger towns of A'orkshire and in parts of the city of Glasgow the streets and even sonic of the footpaths were sli 1 paved with cobblestones.

AL- AlcEwan sail] ho was present at a meeting of the Glasgow City Council, on which there are 113 members, and was surprised to see in spite of this largo membership the large amount of business transacted. The members seemed very much alive, and indeed on occasion four members were speaking at one time and the chairman had considerable difficulty in keeping control. The formation of the meetings of municipal bodies was very striking to visitors from the newer lands. Members did not take their scats in haphazard fashion, hut the ALoyor or Lord .Mayor, preceded by the mace-hearer, was followed into tlm chamber by the aldermen and councillors.

Tho Old Country appeared to Air McEwaii to he roaFy in a bad way. In most towns more than half of the industries were closed, and a large proportion of the others were on half time. Bradford was one of the best towns visited ill regard to keeping the wheels of industry bloving, and tliorc they were paying £3 per toil for imported coal. At Port Glasgow the builder of one of the few ships on the stocks said ho was waiting for the arrival of German steel.

Air AlcEwan was of course struck by the great strides made by motor-bus enterprise in London. Large doubledecked buses running on solid tyres travelled along the Strand at twenty-five miles per hour. Tn GVasgow, however, the trams were more than holding their own. Owing to efficient management and the establishment, of the zone system the trams-were made to pay in spite of the fact that tho fare for a twenty-mile trip was only 2d.

AVH/D SCENES. AUCKLAND, Jan. -1. Prior to the departure of the three Main Trunk expresses for the south last evening there wore wild scenes at the entrance ol the departure platform at the Auckland Railway Station. The limited space in front of the harriers was thronged with men. women and children all eager to hoard their respective trains. At times there were unseemly rushes towards the gates while women and children sc-reamed and men shouted. There was only one policeman' on duty, and he and the railway porters did their host to control the rush. Several people had their clothes dam-no-ed, and one man who entered the precincts of the station with Ins collar and tie immaculate emerged on the other side of the harrier minus those articles, as well as having his coat almost ripped off him. Through it all the officials on duty kept their tempers under most trying circumstances, and did their best to assist the women and children.

FREEZING DISPUTE. MASTERTON, Jan. 5. As the result of a dispute between the slaughtermen at the Wainguwa Freezing Works and the management of the company, the entire hoard, numbering some fifty butchers, was paid off to-day. It is understood that the dispute arose over a request- by the slaughtermen that labourers should he employed to tie the neckstrings on the carcases. A meeting of butchers was held, when it was carried, it- is understood by a small majority, to hold up work. The management this evening issued the following statement for publication : ‘‘As a result of continued irritation tactics by the slaughtermen, the management of the AVaingawa AAorks was to-dnv obliged to dismiss all its butchers. It is intended to man the boards again with free labour slaughter men, and preparations are already well forward, as the recent Defence Organisation was not disbanded. Killing by free labour is expected to resume in the morning.” It was learned that u meeting of slaughterboard labourers decided that, in view of the fact that they were not consulted bv the slaughtermen, they would continue to work, and in tho event of free labour volunteer slaughtermen being engaged, they would handle tho meat as usual. The President of the local branch of the Union state! to-night that the dispute was not a Union matter.