DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1927, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telcornpli—• I\t Press Association. A DEYKLOPAIEXT .SCHEME. AITKPAXI). July 9. The Auckland Provincial Flax-Grow-ers’ and Millers’ Association lias inaugurated a comprehensive .scheme to develop the flax industry. It has decided to purchase an area exceeding 2500 acres on the Alangatuwhiii and .Maramarna Valleys, within 40 miles of Auckland, and £4OOO has already been set aside by the Association for developing the area for flax-growing and 111 ill i llg.

Discussing the proposition, Mr .Dean, an authority oil the llax industry, said the total Dominion output lor the year 1925-20 was worth only a little over half a million sterling, which represented barely one-half per tent, of the value of the world’s trade in fibrous raw materials. ‘'ln consequence of this very limited output no one industry is able to specialise in the manufacture of merchandise from our produet.” Mr Dean stated. ‘‘An example of the effect of this on the market price may he mentioned. The manager of a large manufacturing concern in the United States, when asked whether special machinery could he installed to deal with our fibre for the purpose of manufacturing ail improved hinder twine, replied he would lie willing to do so provided lie was assured of a supply of at least uO.OiIO tons a year. The total yearly output from the Dominion averages only 20. (GO tons, yet if the latter output were obtainable it would command at least double the present market price, even for purpose mentioned.’’ A large and steady supply of fibre of approved quality, he added, would open other and far more remunerative markets. Only one thing was lacking, and that was an ample and continuous supply of the highest quality dressed by improved methods and the greatest possible care, and shipped regularly in large quantities to the manufacturer. Given those conditions, the llax industry of to-morrow might rival in national importance the wool industry ot-to-day .

DIPTHEBIA AT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND. July »• Tnolve cases of diphtheria have been reported m the Auckland (ential Health District, comprising the city and suburbs, during the week, l-.mr , f the'cases are adults and youths, and two front children below school age. ‘■The cases are well scattered, and there is no suggestion of any outbreak.” said Dr Chesson. Chief Medical Officer of Health, this morning. ‘-Special precautions have been taken in the ease of all school children.”

DARTNG THEFT FROM HOTEL TILL. DUNEDIN. July 10. A daring theft is reported to have occurred at the bottle department of the Excelsior Hotel yesterday. About 4 o’clock in the afternoon a

man tendered a £1 note iit payment for a bottle of whisky, and, as the barman was getting change from the ca.sli register, the purchaser asked io have the cork drawn. The barman left the till open and began to comply with the request, hub as he was bending to draw the cork the stranger leaned over, and, grabbing a handful of notes from the till made a hasty exit. 8o far nothing further lias been heard of him. The licensee of the hotel. Air AY. Quirk, estimates his loss at between £ls and £2O.

HOUSE DAMAGED BY LIGHTNING NELSON, July 11.

A single clap of thunder startled Nelson about eleven o’clock yesterday morning. Tl was accompanied hv a ightning flash, which found its billet in the chimney of a house in Slielbourne Street, occupied by Air J. G. Dykes. Afanager of the Bank of New Zealand. All the family were at home when the flash occurred. They were suddenly startled by a particularly loud report, followed by a crash at close quarters. A sheet of flame, accompanied by several bricks, shot out of the dining room fireplace -and the rooms became full of dust from the explosion. Nothing further occurred, and an inspection showed that tinsides of the chimney above the roof •had been blown away. scattering bricks and mortar over a good deal of the lawn. The chimney was craelced at the base and it will probably have to be rebuilt. The electric lighting throughout the house was also put out of commission, the main iuso being completely melted out. The telephone service in the locality was also disorganised. The thunderclap was perhaps the severest experienced in Nelson tor very many years, ft iollowed immediately on the lightning flash. and many people, who were watfhing the hailstorms through windows or from balconies, wore considerably startled.

SAMOAN TROUBLE. AUCKLAND. July 11. Hon O. F. Nelson. A1.1..C.. Samoa arrived at Auckland by the T d oda v.

In an interview, he declined to comment on the present situation in Samoa. beyond saying that it was .a very serious matter, and that the future of a people was at stake. He »aid he Imped to see the Prime .Minister, and he would probably leave for AVellington in a few days.

Air A. G. Smyth, another member of the Executive of the "Welfare League of Samoa, is also on his way t i New Zealand, by a different route. Like. Hon Afr Nelson, be received, before leaving, a notification from the Administrator. Sir George Richardson, that on his return, circumstances might arose to cause bis immediate deportation under the new provisions of the law.

T. G. MACARTHY TRUST. WELLINGTON. Ju!v v ll. The annual meeting of the T. G. A La cart by Trust was held this morn-

ing at Government House. The annual report showed that during the fourteen years that the Trust has been in existence, £109.(197 has been allocated. Tn the first year (1913* the allocation as £2,530, whereas this year the total was £13,600, which is a record. and an increase of £1,500.

ON AKA K A IRON. WELLINGTON. July 11. A bounty of £5506 10s was paid during the past financial year to the Onnkaka Iron and Steel Company, in respect of 3071 tons of pig-iron niantifactued at the Company’s works at Onnkaka, Nelson. In the previous year the bounty amounted to £4554 18s in respect of 3578 tons 7 cwt.s. 2 qte. of pig-iron.

AN INQUEST. CHRISTCHURCH, July 11

An .inquest into the death of Joseph Hawthorne, an old aged pensioner, aged 83 years, who was knocked down by a motor cycle in Fendalton on July 2nd. was concluded to-day by Air Young. S.AL The motor cycle was driven by Robert Beattie AA’ilson. a draper’s assistant, who said he was travelling at ten or fifteen miles an hour. The night was dark and foggy, and witness did not see the old man until close upon him. Witness managed to miss him with the machine, but his shoulder struck Hawthorne, who fell. Other evidence « a.s that the old man had a habit of wandering at night. He always walked on the roadway, instead of the footpath, and was a danger to himself and to traffic. The verdict was one of accidental death.

PLAYS WITH FRACTURED SKULL DUNEDIN. July 11. AN hen Pirates tnd Southern met in the Rugby senior competition on Junp 11th, Wise, the Pirates’ wing threequarter, and Cushnie, a Southern player. collided and both men had to be taken to the hospital. AYise was injured in the head, but an X-ray photograph did not disclose any damage, and Wise was discharged after a day or two in the hospital. AYise played against Kaikorai last Saturday week, and against Alhambra on Saturday. Another X-ray photograph has just

been taken, and a remarkable discovery i- that AYise is suffering from a fracture >0 the skull. AYise will not i lav football again this season.

11. NX-GROWING INDUSTRY. WELLINGTON, July 7

Disappointment was expressed by Mr T. AA r . Rhodes (Thames.) in the House when lie said that the Atinister of Lands had not been able to offer flax leases on the Hauraki Plains.

The speaker knew that the Afinister lfad been making inquiries as to tbe flax industry, both here and abroad, but it was a matter for regret that, something had not been done before this to open up large tracts of land on the Hauraki Plains which were available for flax growing. There were numbers of people ready to take up suclt land, of which there was about 30.000 acres,

I lie Plains would grow some of the be flax oi the Dominion.

It was difficult to understand why capitalists were not invited to take up the land. and. give work to the unemployed. said Air Rhodes. It coui'd not he urged that there was no demand h»r flax, because figures ,shotted that there was no carry-over from last year. Iwo years ago the Minister had been given authority to deal with flax on the Plains. Inn. advantage had not been taken.