DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 February 1927, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[nv TC.LEGUAPH PKIt PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

UNEMPLOYMENT in AUCKLAND AUCKLAND, Fob. 10. Tin* Auckland C hamber of Com-

merce is giving serious consideration to itneiiiplyiri-ent.

After a discussion, in which very diverse views were expressed, the council. at its monthly meeting, set up a special committee to go into the question as fully as possible and draw up definite proposal. In the opinion of several members, the situation was really graver than the actual volume of unemployment appeared to show, and it was stated that many business concerns were keeping upon the pay rolls employees of long standing who were not fully occupied in the present condition of trade.

Air A. G. Lunn suggested that permanent machinery should be set up to regulate immigration according to the prospects awaiting immigrants. One thing to avoid would be the landing of immigrants at the beginning of winter. Air J. A. C. Allum declared that one. necessary measure was to encourage local industries. It was most regrettable that the Government had given preference to imported materials in the railway workshop contracts by

announcing that the duties would be remitted.

Mr H. P. R. Caughey, considered that the trouble'really originated outside New Zealand, and that, with hotter prices for the- Dominion’s exports, the prospects were brighter than they had been.

A POSTOLIC BENEDICTI ON. DUNEDIN, Feb. 10

Bishop AYhyte is in receipt of a cable from Cardinal Gaspnrri (Papal Secretary of State) that the Pope has imparted the Apostolic Benediction on the occasion of the inauguration of the Christian Brothers’ College al Rodcastle, > Oaniani.

WHOLESALE THEFTS. AJ ASTER TON. Feb. 11

At the Court to-day. George Httia Brewer and Edgar Arthur Peterson were charged with converting to their own use several motor cars, and the theft of various articles. Both pleaded guilty. For taking Air Scales’ car the sentence upon both defendants was imprisonment for three months, with hard labour. For stealing Air'Seales’ other property, six months’ hard labour. with ail additional two years’ reformative treatment. For stealing AV. D. Hornes’ property, six- months’ hard labour, with two years’ reformative treatment. For taking Schofield’s car, Forman’s car, Iloldswortli’s car. Harvey’s ear and O'Connor’s motor cycle, three months’ hard labour on each charge. For stealing Ondsby’s, . property, T\nojxes’ property, Hawking’s property, six months’ hard labour on each charge, with an additional two years’ reformative treatment. Accused were committed to the Wellington Supreme Court for sentence on a charge of taking Peterson’s car. DOAHNIOV’S FTTEL resofrces Wellington, Fob. i<x B Wrtance of the conservation of the Dominion’s natural fuel resources was stressed at to-day’s meeting of the , s Institute. That New Zealand should depend upon imported coal when her own supplies suitably blended were equally efficacious was deprecated. Dr Afnr.sdon said the question of fuel research was before the Department cf Scientific. Research. Aluch valuable data already had boon collected and before long it would be possible to issue a report. Britain’s coal supply, it bad been reckoned, would last another six hundred years, but in New Zdaland another fifty years might see us seriously considering the question of the supply of bituminous coal. Not that the supply would b$ exhausted, hut it must be admitted that present methods were wasteful. Consumption of coal in future would bo chief!,- through gas and its by-products. The advent of hydro power had undoubtedly stirred up the gas companies, but the latter liar] copied and improved upon many of the best electrical equipments. It was obvious to him that electricity could not in the long run supply all the fuel needs of the conntrv.

Dr Alaciaurin, of the Dominion Laboratory. emphasised the importance of experiments in the blending of various kinds of coal. The subject bad been gone into very fully of late, chiefly in the direction of finding good coke, but still there was a very promising field of research in this direction. Evenattempt should be made to use New Zealand coal in preference to the imported article. He would like information why Newcastle coal, for instance, was preferred to New Zealand. Air Belton said the argument against the use of Diesel locomotives in New Zealand had been that they would be dependent on imported fuel, but he ventured to say that from 400,000 to 500,000 gallons a year of suitable fuel could be derived from New Zealand coals. Any developments, however, in this direction should be in the hands of the Government as a national concern, rather than in the hands of oil companies.