DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1927, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BT TELKGRAm PF.It TIIF-SS ASSOCIATION.! SOLICITOR CHARGED. AUCKLAND, March 20. John Clarke Woodley, aged 27. a solicitor, was brought back from Australian on the Alaungaimi this morning and will appear at the Court this afternoon on a charge of stealing £l3O, the property of Alary O'Gormau at Auckland <>n 31st August, 102-3. Woodley was arrested at Canberra. AX UNDESIRABLE. AUCKLAND. March 20. James O'Neil, aged 10, alias Sid Morgan, who wa arrested in the Domain on St. Patrick's Day with three other men whom the police said were international criminals, who were picking pockets, came up for sentence to-day. Mr McKean, S.M.. sentenced O’Neil to one month s imprisonment saying it was rather unfortunate that he cannot leave New Zealand for he is not wanted here. TLMBER TRADE STATISTICS. WELLINGTON, .March 23. A report by the Government .Statistician, which the .Minister of Internal Affairs released last night, throws an interesting light on the position of the limber Industry.

The report deals with the log sawmills only. It states that there were 371 sawmills engaged in production during the year ended March 31st. 11)20, its compared with 30!) mills in the year 102-1-23. Altogether during the 1920 term 353,22-1.196 superficial feet of timber was produced, tins being an increase of 0,129,322 super, feet, or approximately of three per cent over the output in the rear 192-1-26.

The l'iinu cut. which was about no per cent, of the total output, fell just below the output in the previous year by 121,000 super, feet. The report says there was a mild boom in this species in the two preceding years. The quantity of Kaliikatoa (white pine) cut was 21 per cent of the total. It increased by 10 per cent over 1921-25, and the output of this species was the highest since the year 1919-20. The liiatai cut increased by nine per cent. The kauri output dropped l>\ 120.000 feet to 22,705,877.

The totara output declined by 4.399.075 feet, or by no less than 21 per cent.

All the classes of employees in the milling industry decreased by four per cent., to 7.505. The wages paid increased by three per cent. The value of the timber—rough sawn —at the mills for the year 1925-20 was £3,138.079. which showed a decrease ni £30,020 in comparison with ilio value in the previous year. “JOCK” RICHARDSON. IXVMRCAROIUL, March 28. At a meeting of the Southland .Rugby Union to-night. “Jock” Richardson. the well known All Black forward was appointed secretary. This means that Richardson’s playing days are ended. It will be remembered that he captained the All Blacks in the three internationals during the 1924 team’s famous tour of Great Britain.

POLICE ACTIVITIES. WELLINGTON. March 28

Some recent activities of the police in regard to bookmakers prompted an inquiry to the Cominisioiier of Police, Mr .M‘llveuey. if his Department was carrying out a general raid on suspected hot l mg concerns.

Commisione Al’llveney smilingly suggested that a Police Department anxious to round up any class of offenders did not start by circularising them to that effect, but he added that lie recognised that a question of public importance was behind the inquiry, and he could answer it seriously.

“So far as the police force is concerned,’’ declared Air M'llveiiev, “ii stands for a strict enforcement of t lie statutory law, and this will he done by all members of the force throughout New Zealand, irrespective of the otI'enders’ position or occupation. So long as members of the force do their duty honestly and faithfully, without laying improper traps or having recourse to dishonourable or even doubtful practices, they will have the I idlest support 1 can give them.’

ARRRFCI ATfON OF N.Z. AUCKLAND, March 28. “\Ye have a wonderful little country, but the trouble is wo don’t advertise enough.” said Air M. Rudd, the assistant manager ol the Union Steam Ship Company, tins morning on his return by the Niagara from a holiday trip to Honolulu. Mr Rudd is convinced that there is a great future before New Zealand as an attraction for rich Americans and others who don’t mind how much they spend as long as they get what they want. ‘‘l know New Zealand from one end to the other.” he said, ‘‘and f am sure we can show people as good as |Lev can get in any part of the world. We' have a little of everything, and some wonders that others places ha'e not got, such as Rotorua. It was suiprising to me to find how little about New Zealand is known among these people. It is wonderful tlio nniouiit ol tourist traffic that is attracted to Honolulu. and I am sure il we New Zealanders would only boom our remaikable little country a little more, wo could get our share of fhe business.

DA TRY BOARD POLICY. VIEWS OF CHAIRMAN. AUCKLAND. March ‘NS. “The market has just reached bedrock. and the merchants, short stocked, would have been compelled to operate. Then the hoard gave up the fight and vested interests attained their object.” In such terms ATr AY. Grounds, chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board, condemned the policy of abolishing price-fixing, during an interview oil Saturday morning. “Vested interests at Home, aided by interested parties in ibis Dominion, combined to weaken the sales o! New Zealand butter and thus frighten producers into selling on an open market again.” said Air Ground. “The hoard lmd hung out long enough to have merchants in a position when they would have been compelled to operate •lirain. If it lmd not been tor this combination of anti-control interests the market would never have dropped to such an extent. The fact that lmvers on the Home market wanted New Zealand butter is indicated in the trend of the market within the last few davs. Practically all this week’s quota of butter and cheese was sold on .Monday and Tuesday. and prices advanced to Tots. “There is every prospect ot the n.umice of this season's hotter anil cheese being disposed of at satisfactory prices even though the speculator was allowed to operate.” concluded Air Grounds.

AN ASSAULT. AUCKLAND. March 29. Francis Jocellyn Johnston I'letclicr. 29. pleaded guilty at the Police Court to assaulting a young woman, and to a breach of probation. Chief Detective Cummings read a, statement by accused in which he stated he was a coal and firewood dealer. Early in Alnrch he advertised for a dancing partner willing to travel at a good salary. BetweenSO and 90 girls applied. He admitted that he told one complainant that she could get £3 per week while learning and £7 per week on tour. He advised her to take a flat above. He drove her home in his oar. At the cate he nut a handkerchief around her ankle, and said: “I think you wi” do.” Counsel for accused said there was no suggestion of impropriety. The assault was caused by the girl refusing

to kiss. The Alagistrate imposed fourteen days’ imprisonment on the first charge and a line of £-10 for breach of probation, agreeing later to reconsider the sentence this afternoon. VALUABLE WHALING CARGO. INVERCARGILL, March 21. The whaler C. A. Larsen arrived at Stewart Island on Sunday, with 47,500 barrels of oil from the Ross Sea valued at approximately a quarter of a million. The ship reports heavy weather on the return trip. She visited 13aIleny Island, and found whales numerous there, securing ICO in ten days. This new field in warmer regions opens the possibility of a longer whaling season. Ealleny had not- been visited since 1830. The vessel proceeds to-Wellington in a few days to replenish oil fuel. CALLOUS MOTORIST. OLD MAN KILLED. AUCKLAND, March 28. Eye-witnesses state that the motorcar which knocked down and killed Daniel Neale in Grey street on Saturday evening drove on with its lights out, despite calls ol "Stop that car. ’ Enquiries are being made by the police in an effort to trace the motorist. Neale was an old man. 70 years of age, and practically blind, lie was engaged by the Auckland City Council as caretaker of the Grey street public lavatory, and lived at Grey street, where lie had resided tor the past 10 months. After the accident. Neale was picked up in the middle of the street.

One eve-witness stated that the motor ear approached from Queen street, and was on its correct side. It is thought that Neale did not hear the car approaching. After the collision, the ear pulled up lor a lew minutes, but it is reported that the lights went off and the car disappeared in the darkness. Tjhose in the vicinity called out: “Stop that car,” but the driver did not take any notice. Neale died in the street a few minutes before the arrival of the ambulance to take him to the Auckland Hospital. LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE. AUCKLAND, March 28. t)n Saturday, ’ll. G. Trowern, lather of the well known boxer stated “There is a wrong impression that Reg. will not light I’urd,y lor the lightweight championship. Reg. is quite willing to meet Runty, but lie won’t light him as champion on the principle that he dues not consider turn the champion, f irst of all, we maintain that when Murray lortoited the title it should have gone back to the previous holder, O’Neill, who was willing to light tor it; secondly, Trowern beat .Rurdy three times, yet the title was awarded to Rurdy when Alurray forfeited it. Reg. is prepared to light Rurdy for a £2OO purse in Auckland on the same lines as they were matched at Ralmeisi-on North. After that lie would consider a. light for the championship in the meantime.”

\AIER I CAN 'll AIDER. RRJCE CUTTING MAY END. AUCKLAND, Alareli 28. New Zealand sawmillers who are living under the shadow of the menace of'cheaper Oregon pine, which is cuinpetihg so seriously with our own timbers, will be interested in some news brought, by Mr E. D. Dike, a well known Sydney sawniiller, who is aboard the Niagara, completing a tour ol the world. While in San Francisco he louml that negotiations were in progress for the absorption of some of the smaller “outfits” instrumental in the pricecutting that had resulted in the sending of so much cheap timber to New Zealand and Australia. The idea is fur the big mills to buy up these smaller men. There is no doubt that they are no makiii" anything out ol the trade and once these small mills and pn cocutters are out of action Mr I ike thinks that it is a certainty that the prices will advance. New Zealand sawmillers are vitally interested in tho problem of Oregon and amalgamations will undoubtedly ease the present situation, as they cannot compete with the enormous output ot these Amei mail mills when price-cutting is resorted to. W.C.T.U. URGE RE.FORAI. AUCKLAND. March 29.

At the Dominion Convention ol Women's Christian Temperance Union, !1 resolution was carried expressing the opinion that the present system ot compulsory military training was mainly responsible for the militaristic spirit that is manifest in the community and in the minds of the young, which spirit was one of the principal obstacles in the cause of peace. The abolition of the present system of compulsory physical training was urged.

ARRESTED FOR DRUNKENNESS. AUCKLAND. March 29. A tire late to-night gutted the old wooden house of about live rooms in Newmarket, owned by H. Denton and occupied by Stanley Clark. There were throe persons in the house. . . Two got out safely, bat the third, Stanley Clark, was only rescued with difficulty by the firemen. No iurnituro was saved. Clark was later arrested on a charge of drunkenness. CHILD DIES OF SCALDING. AUCKLAND, Ala rob 29. A child of three and a half years. Douglas Bennett, died in the Auckland Hospital this morning, from injuries received through being scalded on .March 20. He was severely scalded on the buck and ou the right arm. no

was admitted io the Auckland Hospital soon alter the accident occurred, lull his injuries were so severe that he died at-G.io o’clock this morning. B CILDER S’ CON FEENCE WELLINGTON, Alarch 2!). The annual Conference of the New Zealand .Master Builders’ and Contracors’ Associations’ Federation opened to-day. The Mayor. Mr Norwood, welcomed the delegates. The President, Mr McCormack, presided HON. T). 11. GVTITRIK’S ILLNESS. WELLINGTON. March 29. The latest advice concerning the lion. 1). 11. Guthrie, who is lying seriously ill at the residence of his daughter, Mrs Allan Evans of Masterton, is that there is no change in his condition. THEFT CHARGE. AUCKLAND, .March 29. Regarding the charge of stealing £ 1 .‘JO the property of Alary O’Gornian. as preferred against John Charles Woodley, aged 27, fanner, Auckland, in the Police Court to-day, Chief Detective Cummings said further charges were pending. Accused had arrived from Australia under escort only this morning. On his arrival he had informed the detectives in charge of tho case that he intended to assist in the investigations, so accused was remanded until April 7th, hail being fixed at £IOO and accused being ordered to report to the police daily.