DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1927, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) THEFT OF MOTOR CAR. DUNEDIN, Sept. 6. At the Police Court, Jas Henry Percival Hagerty and Francis Hagerty, young men, were charged with converting a motor car valued at £l5O to their own use and having damaged the car to tho extent of £4O. The car which was taken from outside business premises in Stuart St. went over a bank. Jas. Hagerty was sentenced to 3 months ,gaol on each charge and Francis Hagerty to one month on each charge.

SAMOAN TROUBLE. COPRA THE CAUSE. AUCKLAND, September 5. “It is neither taxation nor prohibition, but copra, that seeenis to be at the root of the trouble at Samoa.” This was the oponiop expressed by Air Hope Gibbons, ex-May or of Wanganui who returned from the islands this morning after a holiday visit. Air Gibbons said that to visit Samoa with a previous knowledge of tho island was to realise the great progress that Had been made under New Zealand’s administration, and, as far as lie'could gather the Administrator had done very good work. Outwardly everybody in Samoa sccmed|to be perfectly linppey, and there wiwnot on the surface any evidence of dissatisfaction. In Eastern Samoa, which is under American control, higher advances were made to natives for copra, and apparently that caused discoment in Western Samoa. From a visitor’s viewpoint, Air Gibbons claimed that Samoa was a “tiptop, glorious place” for a holiday, and the weather scenic attractions was second only to New Zeaalnd’s. Air Gibbons announces that he is leaving Wan gaiiui in February on a two years world tour.

A VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS. AUCKLAND, September 5. “Fruit-eating, harmony loving and peaceful, the Samoans aro just as happy now as they were in 1914.” This was the impression of Air L. P. Leary, an Auckland solicitor, who rein rued on tlio Tofua to-day after a Pacific trip., “After a casual survey it would be impudence to attempt to answer tho questions which have been raised iri Samoa,” lie continued. “Ary own impression is that the natives get all they want iand are happy as they were in 1914.

THE CHINESE RESIDENTS. AUCKLAND, September 5. “There are less than a thousand Chinese residents in Samoa and they are. a happy ahd contented people,” said uie Rev. W. Alawson, Presbyterian Alissioner for Chinese in Auckland, who returned from a trip to Samoa by the Tot'ua. Air Alawson said that the Chinese were brought to Samoa for a term of three years, and could, if they wished,, remain another three years teruLTß/a, Chinese wished to leave his job 1107 could do so after seven day’s notice, and he was then given three days to get another job. If lio failed to get one by that time he had to take tho first job that was on the Government waiting list. Air Arawson said that there were no fears of the Chinese mingling with the Native population. Tho law on tho point was very strict, but the Samoan Chinese seemed quite content to stick to tlieir own race. Most of them were employed on the plantations, some wero in domestic service, and a few were in business. In tho time of the German occupation a number of Chinese married Samoan women and they and their children wore exempted from the regulations., AN HOTEL LICENSE. AUCKLAND, September 5. The power of licensing authorities in districts in which restoration is carried by a poll came under discussion in tlio Supreme Court this morning when William Johnstone, farmer of Arorrinsvillo, applied for a writ of Ohinemuri Licensing Committee in granting n publican’s license for the Alorrinsville Hotel. The main contention in the case was that all such licenses must bo granted at the first annual meeting and n»as in the present instance, at a later and separate meeting.

TOWN PLANNING. WELLINGTON, September 0. Recent citicism of the Town Planning Legislation arid of its operation was referred to by the Hon. Sir Maui Pomarc (Acting Minister of Internal Affairs) to-day. The object of the legislation, he said is primarily to ensure the preparation of town planning schemes, and is applicable equally to every Borough Council in New Zealand. The powers to carry out a town planning scheme were not really to be found in the Town Planning Act. but in the Municipal Corporations Act. The Town Planning Act does not alter the essential functions of a Borough Council, but merely ensures that those functions shall' he exercised in accordance with the scheme, and not haphazardly. The Municicpal Corporations Act confers those powers that should he possessed in common by all local authorities. The Town Planning Act confers special and exceptional powers. Tlie Act did not give specific powers in various directions (as, for example, to enable a council to borrow money | without taking a poll of the ratepayers). Every person having any estate or interest in any land taken or injuriously' affected by a town pfenning scheriie was given a right to compensation. YOUNG MAN’S SUICIDE. CHRISTCHURCH, September The name of the man who committed suicide in the unemployed workers’ relief camp at Hawardfeh yesterday, was John Curran, aged 33, single. Evidence wfis givfin that dfecCSSISd had been depressed for som4 time, at the inquest to-day. Mr Lawry. S.M., found that deceased cut his throat while in a depressed state of mind.

WARNING TO SPORTS. WELLINGTON, Sept. 6. At the annual meeting of the "Wellington Trotting "Club, referring to the Gaining Bill recently introduced iii Parliament, the President said the outcry against it from the extremists should serve, as a . warning to sportsmen that they had been taking things all too easily in the past. There was no limit to the dancer of the extremist influence in the,Legislature. If the sporting people did not take a

greater interest in the calibre of Parliamentary representation for various districts, they might find themselves deprived of their in the near future. The present Gaming Bill was an innocuous measure. I aimed at the better control of one of the problems surrounding racing. It could not do any harm, and might prove beneficial. It certainly didj'.ot justify the outbursts of opposition that had greeted its appearance.

DAMAGE TO STBAAIER. AUCKLAND, September 6. Tlie Gisborne sheep formers’ steamer Tiroa, which was badly holed when she was struck by the cosisbai steamer Hikurangi at King’s Wharf on Monday afternoon, was placed on the Har hour Board’s slip at Freeman’s Bay this morning for repairs It was found that a portion of the wooden hull was damaged for about 15 by 6 feett. It will have to bo renewed as well as the deckings and bulwarks repaired. This will take about ten days and will cost about £SOO. The accident will not he tlie subject of a nautical inquiry before a mastrate. A local Superintendent of Alercantile Marine will hold a' preliminary inquiry to-morrow, and forward particulars to the Department.