DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BT TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] A BURGLARY. AUCKLAND, March 22. During the week-end burglars broke into the Arctic Fur Company’s shop in Newton and removed £6OO to £660 worth of furs and fur coats. Entrance was effected by forcing a double-locked door.

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. AUCKLAND, March 22.

Before Justice MacGregor at the Supreme Court .Mrs Florence McNeill, of Devonport, claimed damages from William John Abbott, a company promoter. formerly of Auckland, and now of Sydney, and Allan McKcnsro McNeill, company promoter of Auckland, for alleged failure by Abbott to carry out certain negotiations in connection with an invention lor convciting into meat and Hour. Counsel for plaintiff said in consideration of their work in obtaining letters patent and' iu floating the concern, it was agreed that the invention of Bemuse, of Rongatau, should allow defendants a half share in the invention. Letters patent were taken out in several countries and the prospects of the invention were extremely bright. Defendants raised capital by selling a fractional interest in the expected profits. Mrs McNeill, who was a relative of the defendant McNcili’. put £7OO into the concern. Abbott luid several opportunities of completing the negotiations but had persistently declined to bring the negotiations to a head. Abbott did not defend the case. Allan Af.cKetv'.ie McNeill, the second defendant, called by Mr Gould, said lie was one of the holders of letters patent for the invention rein use. lie entered into an agreement with witness and Alexander McCralie, C. F. Court and Abbott (defendant) that Abbott and witness .have a half interest in the invention, in recognition of his work. As money was needed it was agreed that prospective proceeds from the half interest he realised. Abbott was instructed to negotiate. A\ it ness commenced to sell f ertain sub-interesls and about twelve thousand pounds were received and had not received any share of this. Abbott had continually obstructed the proceedings and negotiations wth a Mr Tramsey, who had a great influence in the meat trade in Australia and they were allowed to fail through. Witness estimated Mrs .McNeill’s loss over Abbott’s behaviour at £2,000.

In reply to his Honour’s query— Where bad the money gone-' Mr Gould said Abbott was penniless and might have to be made a bankrupt. After further evidence his Honour said lie was satisfied Abbott bad abused bis position in a way that amounted to a breach of eon tract. Damages of £ISOO would be allowed with costs.

advances to suppliers. AUCKLAND, Mardh 21

There are many variations in the rates of advances made this month to dairy factory suppliers throughout the Auckland province. The New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company is minking an advance of Is Id a H> on but-ter-rat to its suppliers. At least one factory claims an advance at the rate of Is 3d a lb, but this is an exception. The majority of factories will advance round about Is. but there are some still oaying off reclamations consequenton low prices obtained for last, season’s stored stocks, and their advances will be down at 11LI per lb.

KLI.LKD BY ROAD ROLLER. AYAIPAWA, March 21

John Cleary, labourer, aged fortyfive, met with a tragic death on the Omnkore Road. lie. was driving the

county road roller up a steep pinch, and it is supposed that in endeavouring to change gears he missed. The roller ran backwards over the hank and Cleary’s head was cruished to pulp. He leaves n widow, but no children. ROYAL CARS SOLD. QUEENSTOWN, .March 21. What is to become of the Duke’s cars is a question that will probably he exercising the minds of many people, and inquiries made to-night icvealed that they have already been sold. Two of the eight ears brought out from England, one an open model and the other a saloon, have been used by his Royal' Highness during his tour of New Zealand, and .Messrs Burns and Co., of Auckland, have bought both, and also one of the other six. Three of the ears have been bought by the Government for the use of Ministers. One has been purchased by the Prime Al.ini.ster for his personal use. and it is expected that the Gover-nor-General will buy the remaining one. WITHOUT A BREAKDOWN. QUEENSTOWN. .March 21. To have travelled from the top to the bottom of New Zealand, covering a distance of many hundred miles In a If, with but a single puncture and without a mechanical breakdown lias been the record of the Royal fleet of cars, which will complete their journey to-morrow. Eight cars were brought out from England for the use of his Royal Highness and suite in New Zealand, and they have been supplemented by twenty-six others, which have been hired in the Dominion. Considering the rough roads over which the ears have passed, and the speed at which they have travelled, the record is a remarkable one, and tributes to the chauffeurs are heard on all sides. AN AUCKLAND SUGGESTION. AUCKLAND. March 21.

“ 1 think some means of apprenticeship should be.devised for the farming industry,” said Ah' S. E. Wright, secretary of the Auckland Employers’ Association, when interviewed concerning the Apprenticeship Act. “The methods of employment in this direction arc very haphazard. Some system of binding hoys to farms might well he arranged, subject, of course, to proper control. Part of the apprenticeship might be that a hoy should spend, say two months in each year at a college or school where he could he taught the theory of farming. Allowing that we should require proper legislation bv which boys having satisfactorily passed through their apprenticeship would he able to .take up what is now waste land on such terms that they could he reasonably expected to make a good firing for themselves. Parents would have to be satisfied that their boys were going to he properly treated, and would have the* opportunity of acquiring land for themselves.”