DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH— PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

A TRAGIC DEATH. AUCKLAND, Feb. II

A train conductor, James AI. Slater, met with a tragic death in Anzac avenue to-night, the causes leading up to the accident remaining a mystery. The tram-car was proceeding down Anzac avenue from the Great South road about 8.45 p.m. At the stop passed St. Andrew’s Church the tram-car pulled up to allow passengers to alight. Failing to get the customary signal to proceed, the motorman looked around, and found the conductor missing. At this stage a motor-cyclist came along, and said Slater was lying on the road opposite St. Andrew’s Church. The motorman hurried to the scene, and found that Slater had sustained revere injuries about the head and body. jfo Railed a passing motortruck, and conveyed the injured man to the hospital, but on arrival there he was found to be dead. The fact that Slater’s body was found near the centre-pole leads to the belief that he struck it, and was thrown from the tram-car. No one witnessed the accident. Slater was married, with two or three children, and lived at 45 Cumberland road, West mere.

MAORI LAND OLAIAfS. WAITARA. Feb. 11

The hearing of the Alaoris’ claim in replied to lands confiscated after the Maori War was continued belore the Royal Commission at Waitara to-day. Afr D. S. Smith, counsel for the petitioning natives, continued his opening address, which had occupied all the first day. Ho contended that the Crown broke three provisions of the Treaty of Waitangi. He submitted that the Government was at fault, and the confiscations were unjust. Air Justice Sim asked if counsel would go so far as to say there ought not to have been any confiscations. Air Smith submitted that the Taranaki confiscations from A\ aifara to Waitotarn, which came in under the petitions, were all unjust, and apart from inquiry number one. before (he Commission, which dealt only with the question of whether the quantity of all confiscations exceeded what was just and fair in the Taranaki claims.

Counsel giid ho was entitled to rely on the Treaty of AVaitangi, and with tho whole circumstances taken in to account, ho was entitled to reparation. Counsel dealt with the causes leading up to the Waikato and second Taranaki Wars, tho responsibility for which, he endeavoured to prove, rested entirely with tho Government and its Af.inisters. Failure to give effect _to .Sir George Grey’s decision that Waitara should ho abandoned after the natives Wad quietly allowed the military to take possession of Tataraimaka block, was the primary cause of the Oakura insurrection. This was not murder in the native sense, but ’an assertion of their claims to the Oakura. lands, while the Government’s .subsequent threats resulted in general war, tho outcome of the inadequacy of the native policy of the European Government. Wniihra was ultimately given back to the natives on Ala.y 13th, IS(>3. but the talk of confiscation in Gie proclamation which appeared in July 1563 was tho fulfilment of the native fears. . . Counsel’s address is still proceeding. Groat interest is being displayed by tho natives in tho district. JOCKEY’S DEATH. NEW PLYMOUTH. Feb. 12. Fowler, rider of Take Take in the hurdle race on Thursday who sustained serious injuries to his head when tho horse fell died in the hospital, late last night.

PRICE OF FLOUR

WELLINGTON, February ti

A drop in the home consumption price of Australian Hour has made the dumping dut" somewhat ineffectiic m helping New ‘Zealand wheat-growers t<ohtnin their proposed minimum price freiii local millers. When the dumping duty was first imposed it amounted to 12s (hi per ton. As l'orty-eight bushels of wheat go to make a tun of Hour this represented fairly good protection for wheat in New Zealand, though it was not considered sufficient warrant payment ol (is a bushel. Wellington merchants find that iowl wheat bus gone hack from,Us a bushel to 5s Bjd a bushel f.0.b.. southern ports, sacks extra. The position has since badly weakened from the viewpoint of protection for New Zealand growers, as the present price of Australian Hour for export is Lll a ton f.o.b. The home consumption price. which controls dumeiu. r duty, is UI2 5s a ton. _ This warrants the Customs in imposing a dumping duty of 'Os a ton and enables Australian Hour to he landed in Wellington at LIU 10s a Lon, while southern quotations are LTfi !ss. less 2! per cent, f.o.b. southern ports. When frei'dit and handling charges are added New Zealand flour is at a great disadvantage. while the dumping duty on this basis works out at 2d a bushel, compared with duty of Is 2d a bushel if wheat is imported to ho milled in Now Zealand. Wellington merchants are of opinion that tho situation is becoming more complicated and unsatisfactory than ever. BOA' DISAPPEARS. CAALBRIDGE, Feb. 12. Robert F’indon. sou of E’indon. a sharcinilkor at Fencourt, aged 17, is missing from homo since Thursday evening. He was last seen by his sister near the house at 7.15 in the evening. Previously the father scolded him for not attending to a certain duty, but tho chastisement by no means \farrantod the youth’s action. Tho lad is about five foot one inch in

height and slim build and was wearing a grey jersey and greenish grey knickers, black boots and a sunhat when he d isappCared.