DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1927, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association

MOTOR ACCIDENT. CHRISTCHURCH, .July 5. Mr .1. Hawthorne, aged 83, was admitted to the Christchurch Hospital on Saturday suffering from shock and bead injuries, after being knocked down by a motor cycle. Hawthorne died this evening.

MOTOR VICTIM'S DEATH. AUCKLAND, July 5

.t. H. Snell, aged -15. a married man, who sustained a fracture of the skull through being knocked down *by a motor car driven by ,J. 11. Hayes, died at the Hospital to-day.

BARING ROBBERY. PALM F.RSTOX X. July 5. A daring assault and robbery in a stieet of Palmerston. North is reported. Mrs Coley was proceeding home on Monday evening when she was accosted by two men. assaulted, and r Jibed of a handbag containing cheques, ami also thirty pounds in cash. Today a mail was arrested in Feilding. where, in company with a woman, he entered a. shop to purchase a lady’s hat and coat with a cheque, which later was found to be one of those stolen from Mrs Coley. Tim assistant refused to accept the cheque, which the man then endeavoured to cash elsewhere. Meanwhile the woman made off with the hat and coat, but she later was arrested also.

X.Z. POTATO EMBARGO. TV EDDINGTON'. July 5. An Ordor-ili-Counci! was gazetted today prohibiting the importation of potatoes into New Zealand, except in accordance with the regulations, designed to prevent the introduction of tubers affected by disease. The following were added to the lisl of diseases:—Fusarial Diseases. Mosaic Diseases. Powdery Scab. Potato Moth. Stem Wilt.

INTER-ISLAND ’RHONE. WELLINGTON. July 5. To-morrow from his office in the Parliamentary Buildings, (In' PostmnsterGeneral (Hon W. Nosworthy) will speak to Christchurch by telephone. This action will officially inaugurate the new inter-island service provided by the linking up of Blenheim and Christ ch u roll. hit er-co in m u mention telephone service will now be available between the Christchurch. Blenheim and Nelson Exchanges in the South Island, and those Exchanges in the North Island as far north as Napier and Wanganui. In addition, subscribers in the Auckland City area, will he able to communicate with those in Christchurch. Nelson and Blenheim. Telephonic communication between the North Island and Dunedin will be available to-night.

Taranaki cows refusal. NEW PLYMOUTH July 5. At tlie annual meeting of the Taranaki Oilfields Lid., the Chairman (Hon ,\V. A. Watt) announced that, subject to settlement of the terms, an agreement was contemplated with the Darcy Exploration Company, a subsidiary of the Anglo-Persiau Oil Company, under which the Taranaki Company and its subsidiaries would grant an option over certain of their pro parties in New Zealand, The Darcy Company had sent two geologists to in. sped tlie New Zealand pioperties. and t|ic Company subsequently .sought an option over extensive area.-, on -yhic'li, in part, preparations are being made lor drilling. The Taranaki Oilfields, however, have decided that the terms offered are not satisfactory, and the Board has instructed its London representatives to terminate the negotiations with the Darcy Company.

COURT IN HOSPITAL. CHRISTCHURCH. .July 5. For the purpose of recording important evidence of a young woman in the case in which Walter James Alexander Mitchell, aged 29, and Robert Grant Bastion, aged 20, both of Christchurch, arc charged with unlawfully using an instrument on her. a special sitting of the Court was held in Christchurch Hospital to-night. The Court was held in the bedroom of the girl, whose age is 22 years, both prisoners being charged before her. On Thursday the men appeared in the Magistrate’s Court, and were remanded till to-morrow. In asking for the remand. Chief Detective Lewis had informed the Court that one of Hie girls concerned in (lie case was seriously ill. However, it "as deemed advisable by the police and the medical authorities that the evidence of the young woman should be taken to-night. Propped up with pillows, (lie girl told her story. .She said she had known Bastion for seven months, and that intimacy had taken place between thorn. She bad spoken to him about her trouble. At first Bastion had said nothing of it. but afterwards told her he had asked advice on it from a man. ‘‘‘That man was Mitchell," she said. One night later she had motored with Mitchell and Bastion to Halswell, "here Mitchell had performed an operation upon her in the car. She came to the hospital two (lays later, on June 13th. Alter the girl had been cross-examin-ed by the defending counsel, the Court adjourned.

OBJECTIONS TO GAMING BILL DUNEDIN. J ill v o.

"This Presbytery reiterates its strong opposition to gambling in all forms and voices its protest against Sir George Hunter’s Gaming Bill, now before Parliament, the effect of which if passed into la.w. would lie to facilitate betting by means of tlie totalisator throughout the Dominion.'’ Thy motion was carried by the Dunedin Presbytery at its meeting to-day. The mover was the Rev. Dr. Morring-

“I hope the Presbytery "ill voice its protest despite the optimistic statements that the Bill will be carried through the Hoti.se of Parliament," said Dr Merrington. Thirty-two race meetings were to be held in New Zealand from now to October, he said, and if tlie Bill was not opposed, gambling would grow to such an extent as was impassible at present.

The Rev J. B. Smith said the more activity by the Church, the greater would he the influence on members of Parliament. The Presbytery should urge its congregations t"> pass similar motions. OAMARU. July 5. At a meeting the Oamaru Ministers’ Association passed a resolution a,s follows:—“That this Association emphatically oppose the proposed (laming Bill to be presented to the House, because

(1) it is an attempt- to evade the original purpose of the Legislature when it legalised the totalisator; (2) it will inevitably increase facilities for gambling. and in the present condition of society anything of that trend is wholly undesirable.”

UNEMPLOYED. WANGANUI. July 5

The serious unemployment- situation here is being relieved to some extent by the Cjty Council’s relief works. The Council have nearly of) men on works. In the course of little over a. fortnight, the sum of £1.275 has been raised by public subscriptions to provide wages for relief works. The City Council are also raising a £OOOO loan. There were 92 registrations at the Labour Department to-day, as against 122 last week; hut it is known that there are many out of work whose names are not on the list.

REWARD FOR CONVICTION OF MURDERER. WELLINGTON. July 5. The Government is offering £250 reward for information leading to the conviction of the T’urwood murderer.