DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BT TELKGBATH FEU FUESS ASSOCIATION.I

CITY FRUIT STANDS. WELLINGTON, Jan. 7 City fruit stands were auctioned today, the rentals being for the quarter. The highest hid was for a stand near the Hotel Cecil and opposite Lambton Station. ’ This stand brought £9O for the quarter, or nearly £7 per weew, the highest price ever paid for a fruit stand in tliio City. Another stand brought £73 15s. or nearly £6 per week. The total amount received for all the stands was £390 17s fid, compared with LIBB IPs fid for the corresponding quarter last year. FALSE CALLS. HOAXES IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, Jan. 9. That perverted sense of humour and decency which finds malicious pleasure in inflicting needless pain or inconvenience on other people per medium of bogus telephone messages has lately been operating in Devonport. Tradesmen have received orders, which when delivered, have been repudiated at the address given, and taxis have been sent careering round the countryside to unknown people at street numbers which do not exist. An unbalanced mischief-maker achieved h?f masterpiece, however, when he or she dispatched an undertaker from Auckland to the house of a well-known resident of Stanley Bw.V with urgent instructions to . prepaio for a funeral. It was pouring with rain, hut the telephonist was so insistent that the journey was undertaken with all haste. When the undertaker arrived at the house ho announced to the lady who met him at the door that “he bad come to get ready for Mr So-and-so s funeral.’’ As the gentleman in question was then absent from home, and known to bo in somewhat dangerous circumstances, the blunt directness of the announcement was a terrible shock to the lady and to members of the family, who. in the absence of any other information, could not but believe the worst. Telegrams were at once dispatched, and inquiries from police headquarters soon revealed the falsity of the news, but the unfortunate victims of the harebrained hoax have not yet recovered. The telephone department miaintam a listening-in service and any attempts at such malicious practices are subject to police prosecution if the culprits are discovered. ROTO ROA ISLAND. INSUBORDINATE INMATE. AUCKLAND. Jan. 8. In the Police Court to-day. Daniel Heblev, ’aged 30. was charged that, as an ininato of Roto Ron Inebriates’ Island, he was guilty of insubordination l>v refusing to perform lawful duties 1 allotted him. Heblev pleaded not ■ guilty. Major Homo, officer in charge at Roto Eon. stated that accused was , committed to the institution on Feb- ' ruarv 3rd, 1926, for twelve months. Oil May 13th last he escaped and on being arrested he was sentenced to two months ’imprisonment. At. the ‘ expiry of this term he was returned ? to the island by order of the Court. Ever since then lie hail rebelled against . all fi w lul orders, stating that he would please himself what ho would do. Ho had caused discontent amongst 1 other good men on the island and had 1 frequently made use oi abusive lan--1 guage to’ witness. Heblev lnd stated find, ho would sooner go to prison ■ than remain at Roto Roa. Heblev. in a statement. to the Magistrate, said that ho did not wish ' to work out in tho rain as lie suflerod ‘ with rheumatism. “I would rather 1 servo the remainder of my time in 5 Mount Eden than on the island under s Major Home,” ho added, j Mr Hunt: Very well, von will he sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. < HOLIDAY TRAFFIC. f AUCKLAND. Jan. S. 1 Frankton Junction, the centre of the • North Island railway system, was a . very busy spot during the holidays. No' fewer than 423 passenger trains j passed through, consisting of 2800 cars ’ (drawn by 450 engines). carrying 84.000 passengers. On Boxing Day ■ 7600 people wore handled, while, ill t addition, there were tho usual goods i r • .1. a a..,. : n. Tlw. 4 Unmc-

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC. AUCKLAND. Jan. S. Frankton Junction, the centre of the North Island railway system, was a very busy spot during the holidays. No' fewer than 423 passenger trains passed through, consisting of 2800 cars (drawn by 450 engines). carrying 84.000 passengers. On Boxing Day 7600 people were handled, while, ill - addition, there were the usual goods ■ and freight trains. The ticket bookings. ordinary and excursion, for the period were 9342. for which £5102 was received. i DUNEDIN, Jan. 8. I For the holiday period, December 17 to January 3. about 50.000 passengers tTbvellcd to and from Dunedin on the I main express railway lines. 1 be re'enue I was easily a record, the receipts for the period being £20.000. FLAN INDUSTRY. PALMERSTON NORTH. January 7. j A big conference is oil foot to place the fhtx industry in New Zealand on a better footing. Some time prior to the holidays a proposal was made for reforming the grading system. A draft of the proposal was sent to all interested persons throughout the Dominion, and as a result of the replies received l it was decided to call a conference and go thoroughly into all the questions connected with the industry.

This will lie held at Wellington on January 21st, and will he attended by flaxmillers. merchants, manufacturers, and the Department of Agriculture. This will probably make the largest gathering of those interested in the industry I bar has been seen for many years. AN INQUEST. WOODYILLE. January 10. The inquest was held this morning concerning the deatli of Robert Russell, labourer, contract road-making in the Eketahuna County, aged 48. married. with wife and child in Ireland. Death occurred in a wliare at Wood-

ville on Saturday afternoon. The deceased and his brother had been holidaying in Napier and arrived in Woodville on Tuesday. The Coroner’s verdict was in accordance with the medical testimony, death being due from the effects of chronic interstitial pneumonia and acute alcoholism. The brothers had been in the dominion for two years.

QUEER CONDUCT. AUCKLAND, January 9, When a charge of vqgraiiey was preferred against .Join? Steele, aged 40, in the Police Court yesterday lie placed bis fingers in bis ears in order to prevent himself hearing the’cleric of the Court. The Court orderly removed the mini's hands, and repeated the charge. Accused: That is an assault. Court ordcrdly: How do you plead? Accused; I simply ask the King to defend me. I want a clergyman. Senior-Sergeant Edwards: I think he is putting it on a hit. your Worship. Accused: You are a liar! The Magistrate ordered a remand for a week.

MAD CHINAMAN. DUNEDIN. Jan. 10. When Kum Hong, 70. was charged at the Po'ioe Court with having done bodily Kinn to Charlie Loo Hung, he shouted volubly in his native tongue. A lady interpreter stated that he was saying he was a Scotchman, who only arrived to-day. Later tlie accused loudly declared that he had killed the man ho followed, but the complainant Hong was not he. A\ lien accused was (pliet the police explained that both Chinamen were inmates of an Old Men's Home. Hung killed a blackbird. to which Chong strongly objected and Inter accused was seen assaulting the complainant with an instrument, a pocket knife and Hung was in the hospital for eight days. The Magistrate formally committed accused to the Supreme Court and stated he would request the Minister of Justice to have accused detained in a mental hospital.