DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1927, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

(by telequaph—PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION-i

GAMING ACT CHARGE. AUCKLAND EAST, May 20

F. Connolly, confectioner, of Oneiiunga. was charged at the Police Court with keeping a common gaming house. He had in his shop what lie called a profit sharing machine. Two oilier persons, Herbert and George Cockell, were charged with using Connolly’s shop ns a common gaining house. A constable stateil he bought fotirpence worth of sweets and was handed four discs which he was Instructed to place in the top of the machine. Sometimes he would get one or two discs back, sometimes none. He had seen small boys working the machine and could say from his experience that the whole idea was a game of chance, it was stated that there were seven similar machines in shops in the city. Connolly admitted that he got 25 per cent of the takings of the machine, about 10s weekly. Connolly was convicted and ordered to pay 10s court costs. Each of the Codicils was fined 10s and costs.

STOMA MAYS. MKI/LTXGTON, May 19. Two stowaways were discovered soon after the Federal Company’s steamer, Northumberland left to-day for Loudon. They were sent ashore in one of the ship's bouts, when‘the steamer was just outside the heads, and landed at Fitzroy Bay, to the northward of Pencar row lighthouse. This leaves them with quite a long tramp hack to Wellington, unless they manage to obtain transport, as the distance is well over 20 miles. BREACH OF PROMISE SUIT. NEW PLYMOUTH, May 19. For breach of promise to many. Iris Rita Morrison secured 200 damages against Victor Douglas Whitehead at 11 io .Supreme Court to-day. It was a story of two young people on neighbouring farms at Tikorangi, who it was alleged, became betrothed after a long friendship. Whitehead eventually married another woman in Xew Plymouth. The chief contention of the defence was that plaintiff’s father broke off the engagement. VITAL STATISTICS FOR APRIL. WELLINGTON, May 19. The total births registered for urban areas in April amounted to 1022, as against 1205 in March, a decrease of 183. Deaths in April were 404, a decrease of eight as compared with the previous month. Of the total deaths, males contributed 249. and females 215. Fifty-three of the deaths were of children under live years of age, being 11.42 per cent, of the "hole number. Forty of these were under one year of age.

CRASS SEED. CONTROL OVER IMPORTATION. MFLLLXGTOX. May 19. In future all consignments of grass seed (including lucerne, clover and millet seed) imported from the Australian Commonwealth are to lie accompanied by statutory declarations, which will ensure the following precautions : In respect to seed from Xew Smith M7alcs grown elsewhere than in the tick infection quarantine area that prior to shipment to Hie Dominion it lias been subjected to fumigation by carbon bibulphidc at a strength of 101 b to 1000 cubic feet of chamber space for a period of not less than twentyfour hours, an ( | that it is accompanied by a statutory declaration made by the consignor, also by a certificate signed by an oflicer id tbe Department of Agriculture of that State. Grass seed grown in Hie States of Victoria. South Australia, M extern Australia and Tasmania may be imported into Xew Zealand subject, to Hie condition that it is accompanied by a statutory declaration made by the consignor that it is the produce ol Hie particular State from which it is exported. Introduction of grass seed grown in Queensland or the tick infested quarantine area of New South Males is prohibited.

LOCAL LOANS. NEW CONSIDERATIONS APPLIED. WELLINGTON, May If). Local Government Loans Board regulations show that this new body, which has to approve local loans, brings within its jurisdiction not only municipal and county authorities, but secondary school governors, the universities, College of Agriculture, a number of park and domain boards, drainage boards, river authorities water and gas boards, Christchurch Tramway Board, library and institute authorities working under their own statute, and the trustees of the Wairarapa, Hokitika, Geraldine, Wainmtc and Oamaru race, courses. The regulations prescribe the method of application to the board lor loan approvals, which must first be ad\oitised in 'the locality concerned, and state that the hoard in fixing conditions for repayment will have regard

to t-lie continuing utility and duration ol the proposed works, together with the following additional considerations : (1) Probable obsolescent: of such works. (•J) Probable continuance or cessation of the conditions juxtilying the loan. (3) Probable increase or decrease ol population in a district. (I) Change of outlook or advance in public opinion. i's) General financial position of local authority. (6) Expediency of charging the cost of such works upon the generation ol persons who will immediatoy benefit by stu b works.