DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1927, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) INCREASED BANK BATES. HAMILTON, Sept. 23. ‘Ti the Government loses this seat you may rest assured that tho extra hall per cent put on as interest bv the hankers will bo adjusted. While T do not attempt to prophesy anything, I do know that the people who are running the Government are looking one." said Mr W. Jordan, M.P.. when speaking at Ngaruawahia. last night.

NO LICENSED HOTELS. MATAMATA, Sept. 23. Members of the Mntamata Chamber of Commerce at the quarterly meeting last night discussed licensing legislation. Several said that the town was suffering by comparison, owing to adjacent places where there were hotels drawing much of the trade from Matarnata. Oil the motion of Mr G. G. Bell, the secretary was instructed to wire to the Prime Minister, urging that in the new licensing legislation provision should be made to enable new centres, such as Matarnata. to obtain new licenses, preferably by a scheme under which the disposal of the license would he in the hands ol the local governing body.

ED l if ATI (>X D EPA I? TM EXT. DIRECTOR REPLIES TO CRITICISM. DUNEDIN. Sept . 21. Commenting i.n the Canterbury Education Board’s criticism of the Department, Mr -Strong, Director of Education, took exception to the statement that the Department showed no desire to co-operate with the boards, which was the more astounding as it was made on a day when lie conferred lor three hours with representatives of the hoard. As to the alleged multiplicity of Civil Servants, if his Department was staffed as liberally as tho hoards were, he thought il would he necessary in his own office for the departmental staff to 'ho increased by half.

MOTORIST’S NARROW ESCAPE. WELLINGTON, Sept. 24. J. Bailie was driving along Day’s Bay road to town after midday when tho sido of a. hill Toll out on his ear, smashing the windscreen and hood. Raine was not injured. He managed to pull his ear clear, hut found that it was badly strained and ho had to leave it on the roadside.

FIRE FIEND AT WORK. HAPPENINGS AT CAMBRIDGE. CAMBRIDGE. Sept. 24. A few weeks ago a deliberate attempt to destroy the homestead at Fencouri, near Cambridge, was frustrated. Last night another similar altempt was made on the residence of Mr R. Swiiyne. at Feiicourl. Miss Swaync heard footsteps, and on investigation, found a heap of dry bracken placed alongside the wall of her bedroom, the pile being ablaze. Til another part of the building a sack saturated with kerosene was found. Many fires have occurred in the district of late, and 'it is thought that the great majority have been due to a fire fiend. The police are investigating the matter.

CHILD’S SKELETON IN BASEMENT.'

l AUCKLAND, Sept. 24. | The basement of a house at lit ; Vauxhall road. Devonport, was the scene of a sensational discovery last I evening, the skelton of a child, apparently two or three years old, being discovered in a recess in the foundations of the chimney. The house was occupied by Mrs Hayson. widow, and the gruesome find was made by her youngest son, Clifford, aged lfi. Clifford was searching for solne bicycle parts which lie knew to he in the basement, and lighting a candle, he was fossicking about amongst rubbish down below, when lie noticed what appeared to he human hones in a corner of the brickwork of the chimney. Naturally, lie was too alarmed to investigate further, hut went upstairs to inform his mother. Mrs Mayscn at first thought that the boy might have stumbled upon remains of a cat or a dog, hut investigations by her eldest son, Mr Herbert Hayson. showed at once that the hones were all that was left of a human being. Tho skeleton was lying in the corner of the brick foundations, tho skull being detached from tho body, and lying to one side. When the hones were taken out Hayson noticed another hone, apparently of a leg or an arm. This grisly relic was taken away with the first skeleton, and will probably be the basis of a special enquiry. All the hones were covered with what appeared to he fragments of wallpaper, and on top of these.wore heaped lumps of concrete, evidently j rubble from tho original foundations. I Mrs Hayson and her family have occupied the house for just over a year. , The widow said the house was unton- j anted for only a short time before she I took possession, the previous occupants j having removed. ;

NORFOLK ISLAND. TRADE WITH NEW ZEALAND. AUCKLAND, Sept. 21. “ft is a wonderfully fertile place, and when its export trade is properly developed, Auckland should got a bigger proportion of it,” said Mr Harvey Turner this morning, on his return from Norfolk Island by the Hinenma. Mr Turner said that a number of New Zealanders bad settled on the island, and intended to go in extensively for growing produce for export. They believed that there was a splendid opportunity in connexion with citrus fruits and tomatoes. The shipping connexion at present maintained by the Hinenma to Now Zealand, was to lie maintained in future by the new motor vessel j which the New Zealand Government had procured at Home, and would afford better facilities for the carriage of island products. The islanders had also steamer connexion with Sydney, and thus had two markets in sight. All* Turner considered it would bo some years before the island reached the point of productivity that was aimed at. but the outlook was very bright: With a subtropical climate, fruits and produce grew in profusion, j while a fair amount of success was met | with in the cultivation of tropical fruits. Bananas realised nearly £1 per case, although the output was small. On the present trip to Auckland the Hincmoa’s cargo included now potatoes, beans, and pea-, this being indicative of the earlier season as compared generally with New Zealand.