DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1927, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(Bv Telegraph—Per Press Association. SAMOAN TROUBLE. AUCKLAND, Sept. 10. The Hon. O. I. Nelson has received a radio message from Samoa stating that many Samoan native officials are giving up their positions to join the M atti (Samoan movement).

li this goes on, says Mr Nelson, there will he nobody left to assist the Government in Samoa. A DEAD HEAT. AUCKLAND, Sept. 10. I lie Union Company’s Kaiiuauawa and the Westport Coal Company’s Canopus both arrived from Westport this morning within a few minutes of each other. Both left Westport on Wednesday, the former at 5.20 p.m. and the latter at 0.5 p.m. The Kaimanawa berthed at 7.28 a.m. and the Canopus thirty-five minutes later. Both sides are willing to call the race a dead heat. Both vessels were fully loaded and were burning the same coal’. The weather was perfect.

The Kaimanawn was docked five months ago and tho Canopus nine months ago. They maintained normal speed throughout the voyage.

TARIFF CHANGES. WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. Tho Minister stated to-day that in response to representations it had been decided lo release a limited number of copies of the resolutions of the Tariff changes, for sale at custom houses at the principal ports, for two hours after the collectors had received advice of the introduction. Sales would he made, added the Minister, on the understanding that the rates of duty and exemptions from duty set forth in the schedule of the resolutions do not come into force until they have been passed by the House.

INFANT’S TRAGIC DEATH. ELTHAM, S'ept. 12. Sad eircumxtances attended tho death of the two-vear-old-son of Thomas Walsh, of Rawhiliroa. On Saturday aifternoon he put him to bed at four o’clock. Ten minutes later Ihe mother found the child dead lie,side the lied, he being suspended in a loop of an electric light cord, which, had been tied to the head of tLo bed. At the inquest, a verdict of accidental death was returned.

railway changes. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 12. A persistent rumour in the Railway Department as to a proposed .staff reorganisation was to-day confirmed by a prominent railway official. ‘‘The changes will not l>e in the nature of retrenchment,” he said: ■‘hut in tho lower grades of Ihe Department. 1 understand that all positions will he made vacant, and employees given an opportunity of making application for them. This will give the lower men an opportunity of obtaining better positions, and should mean advance rather than a retrograde step for most of our men.”

RAGLAN ELECTION DATE. WELLINGTON. Sept. 12. The writ for the Raglan live-elect ion was issued to-day. It- is returnable within 28 days. The election will take place on Thursday. Sept. 29th. MEAT WORKS. MASTERTOX. Sept. 12. Tt was reported here to-day that tile Bank of New Zealand proposes to open the Wairarapa. Frozen Meat Coy., which recently decided not to renew the lease of the works from the Bank, hut to operate in conjunction with the Wellington Meat Export at Ngtirnhangti, which vacates the works at the end of September, and it, is understood that tho Bank proposes to operate them under their own management.

EIRE IN DYE WORKS. DUNEDIN, Sept. 12. At 9.30 this evening, an electric iron which had been left switched on, caused a fire in the pressing room of the City Dye Works, owned and managed by Mr H. Halliday. No d ■image to the machinery or fittings was done, hut a quantity of the customers’ effects on hand for cleaning was destroyed. These, however, are completely covered by insurance.

POWER BOARD INDIGNANT. TE AROHA, Sept. 8. The Thames Valley Power Board resolved to protest to the Minister of Finance “against the action of the Bank of New Zealand in increasing the rate of interest to 7 per cent, on tire hypothecation of debentures, and also to tlie calling up of the principal advanced, and that the copy of the protest be forwarded to the Bank of New Zealand.”

Tho Board also set up a special committee to report on the advisability of placing the hoard’s business with another bank. The resolutions were passed on the recommendation of the finance committee. following a demand from the Bank of New Zealand for payment of the amount of overdraft on tho loan fund account, namely, £32,224 13/1.

It was stated by the manager, Air. R. Sprague, that early this year the hoard entered into an agreement with the Bank to advance £40,000, at 6J, per cent, against moneys receivable from the A.Af.P. Society at tho rate rf £5.000 a month. The agreement had been drawn up ]>v the bank’s solicitors and duly completed. Since that time, however the interest rate had been raised to 7 per cent. The heard had refused to pay the increased rate, on the ground that its agreement had been violated. The hank, however, owing to an agreement with the associated hanks, refused to allow the interest rate to stand at <3J per cent, and now demanded payment of interest at the increased rate.

Air. Flatt said lie considered a change of bonk would he an effective method of expressing disapproval. Air. Pollen said it was a strong argument for a State hank.

RINGING-IN CASE. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 13. A report on the Promenade-Gathered Gold ringing-in case was made to the New Zealand Trotting Board by President Williams. He said Walter AfeCarthy and AVilliam Alatterson had boon found guilty and ordered to come up for sentence if called within two years. Steps would now be taken to deal with these men under the rules of trotting. The light sentence imposed was disappointing, but would riot deter the Board from bringing before the courts any persons who may be deemed guilty of tbe nefarious practice of ringing-in. The report was adopted and it was decided that AleCarthy be called on to show cause why he should not be disqualified.

INQUEST VERDICT. CHRISTCHURCH. Sept. 13. At an inquest to-dav on tlie death of Burrows [Frank Dyson, district manager for J. W. Niven and Co., a verdict was returned that death was dne to being struck by Iflying metal caused through tbe bursting of an oil cylinder fed by compressed air pressure and arising out of experiments made by deceased. A witness said that three men were knocked out by the force of the explosion. Deceased

was experimenting with a view to producing a better type of burner. THEFT CHARGES. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 13. On various charges of breaking, entering and theft, two young men, Natlialan Boyd and Leslie Stonniford Willets were to-day committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was refused Willets. Stolen property had been found in their possession connecting them with offences reported last month. OILFIELDS REPORT. GISBORNE, Sept. 13. Taranaki Oil Fields Ltd. report: Waipu No. 2 well depth is 2?63 feet in grey shale and good showing of gas. Have withdrawn Si i ti. easing and found bottom length missing. Now running B.\in. casing and will drill up lost joint on side track, taking probably about two week's.

Gisborne No. 1 well is to a depth of 535 ft. in blue shale.

TIMBER QUALITIES. WHERE MINISTERS DISAGREE. WELLINGTON, Sept. 13. With regard to an attack by the Victoria n Minister of Forests on New Zealand forestry companies and his assertion that nowhere was soft wood used for pulping, the Press Association has been requested to publish an extract front the report of the Minister’s own department completely controverting Ins statements. The report says: —•• A timber which is being successfully .used for building, furniture and railway purposes, box-making, and has proved suitable for pulping, for making both paper and artificial silk, can hardly he described as useless, and the evidence hero set out justifies the conclusion that pinus insiguis grown in Australia and New Zealand compares favourably in usefulness with other softwood timbers well known on the markets of the world.” ( (INVERTING CARS TO OWN USE. AUCKLAND, Sept. 13. Walter Robert Dean (19) and Cecil George Robertson (171) were remanded this morning on several charges of conversion of cars to their own use. They admitted taking about ten and said their mates made off without eight o titers.