DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

< By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WAR PENSIONS. WELLINGTON, June 20. An official communication the Commissioner of Pensions (Air G. C. Facile) lias received from the British .Ministry of Pensions draws the attention of former members of the Imperial Forces now resident in New Zealand to the approaching conclusion of the period during which, under the War Pensions Act, 1921, the Ministry is empowered to grant pensions in respect to disability. -

The circular reads:—“Claims cers. nurses, non-commissioned officers and men to any Imperial pension, grant, gratuity or allowance in respect of disablement incurred in the Great War (including claims by pensioners for additional disabilities) can only be considered i;f made within seven years

after the date of discharge, or within seven years after the termination of the war (August- 31st. 1921), whichever date is the earlier.” Claims for any class of Great War pension and other relevant communications, should he addressed to the Commissioner of Pensions. Wellington.

A PETROLEUM BILL. WELLINGTON, June 20. A. Petroleum Bill is to he among the legislation brought down during the earning season. This is to lie a recognition of the fact that the Dominion possesses oil resources of considerable value, in fact, great enough for the Under-Secretary of Minos to doe’are that if they were developed on anything liko a big scale, they would ho worth more than all our coal resources put together. A fatal hindrance to the proper development of New Zealand’s oil wells at -pesent is the fact that practically all our petroliferous land is freehold, and that being so prospectors are faced with great difficulties in the search for new wells. The object of the Bill will be to facilitate the work of prospecting and to rdhiovc obstacles which so far have limited the development of the industry.

HEAVY SNOW. HANMER SPRINGS, June 20. There is reported to he 18 inches of snow on the flats in the hack country. The weather cleared yesterday, hut clouded again last night. Fog is thick round the adjoining hills. To-day the temperature was about freezing point. The glass is high with a slight fail since morning.

DAMAGES OLA DIED. HAMILTON. June 20. Induced hy alleged representations Unit the land was of excellent quality and highly suitable for dairying, a large number of Taranaki fanners a few years ago took up areas of land in what is known as the Mataraua Block at Tokoron, near llotorun. A number of these settlers, alleging that the land is cattlcsick, and that it was misrepresented to them, have inrtituted an action against the vendors, the Mataraua Land Company, lor an aggregate sum of £17.939 damages. The cases lor hearing at. the present session of the Suprdme Court against the Mataraua Land fTpi-uny arc the

claims of H. and A. 11. Cairns, £5347; George D. Pinny, £1174: Frederick F. Rogers, £100; Michael M’Doniiell, £5442; Arthur S. Allen, £1196; and Alfred AY. Townsend. £4949. The ease is now proceeding before Air Justice Herdman, and a special jury. ft is expected to last for live da vs.

CRUSHED BY LOBBY. MASTER-TON, Juno 20. John M’Kcnzie, a single mail, aged i'orty-l'our, with no relatives in the Dominion, was killed this afternoon through being crushed under a motor lorry which fell dc,,wn a bank oil Hinakura Hill, south of Alartinborougli. The deceased was a county employee and in company with bis workmate was being given a ride on a. motor truck driven by a youth named Lefort. AA’hilo negotiating the hill the hack wheel struck the edge of a culvert, and the machine headed over the side of tlio road, falling about twenty feet. Tlio driver and the other passenger were thrown clear, but deceased was crushed beneath one of the back wheels.

MAKURA’S ROUGH TRIP. WELLINGTON. June 20. The Afakura, vjhich arrived this afternoon from Sydney, met very heavy weather yesterday, straining several rivets in the forepart of tlio vessel. Water entered No. I hold. As soon as the vessel arrived at the wharf divers’ equipment was taken aboard with a view to making an investigation of the damage. Until the extent of the leak is ascertained to-morrow morning, when the water will have been emptied, no statement can bo made as to the vessel’s future movements. Under ordinary circumstances she will sail for San Francisco to-morrow afternoon.