DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1927, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER press association.] A T.TFT TRAGEDY. CHRISTCHURCH. Aland) 7. While inspecting the under-carriage of a lift in the store of the ‘'Lyttelton Times” building this afternoon, an elderly man, John Thompson, employed by the Company, was killed by the sudden descent of Die lift. The accident apparently was due to the grippers on which Tltomps m was working becoming loose, with the result that the lift, which was suspended some (listaii-e a ■ e, fell, striking the deceased • : Du- head. Death was pract iealh " 1 a nl a neons. Thompson was a marri • h - an with three children. Til LET (MARGE. AUCKLAND March 7. Frederick Ray Humphreys, aged g’B. pleaded guiliy a.I: Die police Court lo st,".ding £ 189 from Id- employers. A. B. Vi right and Sons. I.id. Accused’s method was to make additions to an '■"try in the receipt book after it had L-en slumped by the official who received. The amount of the thefts extended from July LO. 1925 to February 21. 1927. ' ’

Accused, in a statement to the p.oI'ce, said his wife left him in .May. hut she returned liter, hut again left him in December. 192fi. The stolen money uns spout in knocking; about having a lew drinks and lending liioney to his friends. Hi- wife took all Ihe furniture from the house. All lie had now was its fid, Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

THEFT CHARGES. GISBORNE, March 7. At the Supreme Court. Stanley Malcliitl and Joseph Collins a upon rod for sen tela c on < Un'ges of breaking, entering and theft at Opoliki. .Mr Justice Ostler sa.id that Collins, who i- onlv 19. had deliberately chosen a career of crime. He was sentenced to three years at Die Borstal. Alalchitt u as given two years’ probation. STRIKE OF KISH FILM EN. Ti l A.M ES. March 7. The only new development in the li-hing strike is ihat. six of the boats put out to sea on Sunday and they returned with good cargoes, which have been sold by the men to various retailers down the railway line. Some of the lish are coming into one local shop. It is understood that loyal fishermen are not putting nut. tearing reprisals. One man stated that it was a senseless strike, as he upheld the. companies’ oiler to pay ltd a lb for fish, as if 2d were paid they could not compete against the Auckland merchants. The striking fishermen have procured five tons of ice from Auckland and have made their own boxes. ’FLU CASES. IN I AI.M I (ill ANT SHIP. AUCKLAND, .March 7. Six cases of influenza and two of chickonpox occurred during the voyage of the Slum. Savill and Albion Company’- .steamer " Taniaruii." from Southampton, and this was responsible for the vessel being detained in the stream for idiom an hour and a-lialf on her arrival to-day. There were 395, passengers ahoarn. Of these 2(55 was nominated immigrants. All are of good type. .Most of them are coining for farm and dome-tie work. The eases of influenza consisted of three third class passengers, also the chief officer, chief engineer and second electrician. Two children in third cla-.- contracted chicken pox.

All the ca-cs of influenza had recovered, excepting that of the Chief Orfber. Air \Y. Dawson, who is in a com descent state. One of the children alfected witli thicken pox had not completely recovered when the vessel arrived, and both have I ice 11 oidered to remain aboard for a few (lavs more.

l-'ATA I. SCALDS. j ASM I:! R I’O.N, .March ] Edita Don- Argylc. aged three vear- and nine month-, daughter of M. Argylc. motor mechanic, died in. the hospital this morning as a rtsuit o| scalds received through tailing into a low built cupper at her parents residence ,\ Vsk ‘rday ax’ienioon. No one ei-e was in the wasli-hou-e at the time. FOUND SHOT. DUNEDIN. March .8. Simeon lndor, single, aged 59. a farmer residing at lilakstone Hill, was found shot through the head near his home on Sunday morning with a gun lying hv his side. SAILOR’S THEFT. AU( Kl. AND. March 8. At the Polite Court. Thomas William Oakes, one of the crew of the Port Caroline, was charged with embezzling a pair of hoots the property ol the Commonwealth and Dominion Line, on the Voyage from. London. A case of hoots was pillaged extensively, and a pair of new boots were found under Oakes hunk'. Accused said he found the hoots and denied stealing them, Hut he previously stated fie had bought the hoots in Loudon. lie was .sentenced to one month’s gaol.

AI FT 110 D 1 ST ('< >N F FI! FNf ’E. AUCKLAND. March 8. The New Zealand Methodist Conference passed a resolution urging Ministers and members to do all in their power to secure the passing <>t the Religions Exercises ill Schools Bill next session. A proposal to hold a national conlerenoe on religious education in 1929 was approved. Rev. Rlamires was re-appointed general secretary of the Young Peoples Movement for six years. The following were appointed a chaplain committee:—Northern ( haplain ol the District and Messrs Buttle Stone, Delbnv. Mutton and Major 11. C. Soar. RAILWAY CLERKS THEFTS. CHRISTCHURCH. March 8. In the Magistrate’s Court. .lames Noils.on and Gavin Gordon Watson, railway clerks of 12 and 14 years service, were ehjirged with having lot goo various signatures on the paysheels of the maintenance branch ol the Department. It was stated that the shortage amounted to £o.sbF In a* statement. Neilsun admitted lhe loigeries. >• lying he spent the money on motor cars, gambling and drink. A departmental otlieer said there were names on the paysheets of men not employed on the railways. Jbo forgeries had been going on since December sth. 1925. In answer to Air Sargent tor the accused, witness said the- r.iilwavs had no special audit office. The Magistrate- -Your expenditure runs into millions a year. Surely von have some one rt sponsible.

Witue»s—The Department relies on ils i rusted officers.*

‘TI seems that the sum of live thousand has been lost through the want of an ellieient system of auditing.’’ observed the Alagistrate. 1 know that audit is not absolutely proof, but tilings of this sort should mu go

Roth accused pleaded not guilty ami were committed tor trial. Bail, each in £250 and a surety of £2511. They wore ordered to report twice daily to the police. WOOL’ SALES lAIPROVE. DUNEDIN. March 8. A large proportion of the wool offered last night and this morning being suitable for Continental orders, the deriViiid by those buyers was surprisingly keen, particularly for medium

halfbred and merino crossbreds, which were up too, especially the finer classes. Hardly anything was passed in. Alerino fetched up to 22)d and KMibred to 25d which is a Dominion record for the season. Crossbred up to 19:Jd, one lot. A ROBBERY. DUNEDIN. -March S. Burglars entered the Wharf Hotel during the night ami removed the sale to the backyard where they chiseled a hole in the hack, hut failed to get. into the inner chamber. A roller top desk in the office wa.sV-dso broken open and the pol.lv cash taken. UNWANTED SECTIONS. GISBORNE, Alarch 9. • No applications have been received by the Lands Department for eleven sections, comprising 9155 acres in leivera Inock. forty miles Iron) Gisborne, recently acquired in face of strong opposition. A mini her ot inquiries were recti veil hut apparently it was considered the values were too high.