DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

TARIFF COMMISSION CONCLUDES

AUCKLAND, Feb.

The Tariff Commission has concluded it’s sitting at Auckland and leaves today for Ohakune. The Commission has been taking evidence daily for the past three weeks. Evidence received has been of a, very informative and valuable character and will be most useful to the Commission, in formulating a report which it is expected will be presented at the end of June. A large number of importers, industrialists and representatives of other sections of the community gave evidence and members of the Commission visited several factories in tho City and district and gained first hand information. The Commission will spend a day at Ohakune to hear evidence there, and after staying several days in Wellington will open an inquiry at Christchurch on Thursday week.

NEW BUILDINGS. WELLINGTON BUSY. WELLINGTON, February L The era of progressive building reconstruction upon which Wellington has entered appears to lie bringing forth greater activity year by year, new records in tbe value of permits issued being created every twelve months. There is every appearance that 15)27 will eclipse the year just closed. “Building well and building high” appears to he the slogan. Rates and other charges on land have risen to such an extent that the owners of city property find it a sound financial proposition to make a large outlay and recoup themselves by means of rent from floors they are unable to use for their own purposes.

In the opinion of some critics the crop of tall buildings that has sprung up in the past three or lour years is providing floor space much m excess of the demand. It is argued that many new buildings must remain untenanted or partly so for some time to come until this condition is readjusted. Contrary to Auckland, Wellington seems inclined to overbuild in the city area and not in the suburban shopping districts.

Another factor is the tremendous growth of the Unit Valley, tho end ol which cannot he predicted, either from the business or residential point ol view, or manufacturing growth, which continues to advance rapidly. New buildings this year will he the “ Evening l’ost ” (front building), W. J. Seater, Custom House Quay, and Colonial Carrying Company, Victoria Street. All three will he to the limit of the height permitted (seven storeys). Another big seven-storey structure will he on the Bolton Sreet corner of The Terrace, providing shops, storerooms, and suites for doctors and dentists. Further along the Terraco, a syndicate is to erect a huge block of flats adjoining the new Masonic Buildings (seven storeys). Other builders are Bell Gully, Mackenzie and Cleary (Legal Chambers), Standard Insurance (Feathorston Street), heightening of tbe premises of Cathie and Sons (\ ictoria Street), and Jenkins and Mack (Billlance Street). A number of other buildings are listed for erection on To Am Hat, including possible a new I radcs flail in Vivian Street.

AN UNFORTUNATE CASK. AUCKLAND. Ft-bruary 7. Armstrong Gerlield Robinson, agml ■II, pleaded guiltv to a series ol limits, and obtaining money by fraud. Accused was stated to have a long criminal history, including sentence of imprisonment for one mouth in Wellington. Coucil for accused said his client was well connected in England. He met with an accident in 1910, sustaining a severe injury to his head, as a result of which, whenever lie took too much liquor lie went mad. He had been a lieutenant in the Engineers during tlm war, had degrees of B.A. and B.Se. Gn one charge accused was remanded for a week. On the others he was convicted and discharged, and ordered to make res titutiou of LG 11s .‘ld. 'I hy Magistrate thought in the meantime the accused should he medically examined.

MOTHER RESCUES CHILDREN BLENHEIM. Feb. 5.

A two-storey house at. St. Andrews, occupied hy 3lrs I;. 11. Rainey and family, was destroyed hy lire last, night. .Mr Rainey was absent in the country. The eight children were in the house, and 31rs Rainey had some difficulty in collecting them and removing them to safety. .Mrs R.ainoy was in a state of collapse when the neighbours arrived. The children range from a liahy one year old to a hoy of 14. The house was insured for £2o(l and the contents for £2OO. Practically all the contents were destroyed. LEVEL CROSSINGS. AUCKLAND, Feb. 6. The policy of the Government in connection with the elimination of railway level crossings was briefly stated by the Acting-31 mister for Railways, tbe Hon. 3L' Rolloston, yesterday, when he opened the new overhead bridge at Newmarket Borough Council, the Government erecting the bridge, and the Council constructing the approaches. The .Minister said the only method of doing away with the danger of level crossings was to eliminate the crossings themselves. Tbe policy of his Department was to make level crossings reasonably safe for pedestrians and motorists, but it was impossible to make any crossing safe for careless persons. Local bodies had a responsibility as well as the Government, and where the Council, ns in the ease pfi Newmarket, proved it was willing to assist, the Government would do all it. could to hear the cost of erecting over- I bridges.

j FREKZTXO COYS AXD FARMERS. | r WEEIVrXOTOX. Fob. 7. Tho statement that the meat freezing coys are more concerned to have industrial peace, irrespective of increased wages, than to protect the farmers against increased charges, was flatly contradicted to-day by Mr Milne, on behalf of the Meat Freezing Coys. Tho interests of the companies and the farmers in the question of the costs of freezing. Mr Milne stated, was a common one, and freezing companies were just as anxious as the farmers were to keep down the charges. If such were not the case, why did the companies last year, firmly and successfully resist the claims made in the country, and why wcro they again resisting the claims made this year. Of course, the freezing companies desired industrial peace, as most sensible people did. but not peace at any price. For the past six years, the meat freezing indusrv had enjoyed a fair measure of industrial peace. There had been disputes, but these had been adjusted. and in such a manner that there had been no increase in Mo charges whatever to the farmer. On tho contrary, generally speaking, the charges had been reduced. Mr Milne added that the freezing companies wanted to co-operate wholeheartedly with the farmers in resisting any unfair demands made, and intended to do so to the best, of their ability. It was so obvious that their interests were identical that he was astonished to find any doubFs raised on the subject. At any rate lie was pleased to he able to give a flat contradiction to the erroneous ideas on the subject which were being circulated in some quarters,