DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1928, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) D 1.0 U NT A INFER INTO. ASCENT OF DfOUNT COOlv. TLDIARU, Jan. 5. Mount Cook was climbed on Wednesday by Dir E. D. 'l'. Lewis, of Christchurch, aecoimipied by guides Victor Williams and T. Pope, the journey to the summit and the return to the Haast Hut occupying 22 hours. The party went up to tlie Haast Ilut on Monday when there was a heavy mow storm. On Tuesday steps were cut well ii]) the Linda Glacier, and on Wednesday morning at 2 a.m. the ascent was commenced. The early start was made to enable the climbers to get well up the glacier before tne heat of the sun caused the snow to melt and avalanches to start. The party found the going heavy at the head of the Linda Glacier on account of crusted snow.

The first part of the journey safely over, the top rocks were found in excellent condition and good progress was made. The mice was slowed up considerably on the ice cap where conditions for climbing were had, patches of hard, soft and broken snow being encountered.

The weather throughout was good and from the top an excellent view was obtained, both the east and west coasts being clearly isible. On the return journey the party had to make fast time down the Linda Glacier to avoid avalanches which were more than usually frequent. The Haast lint was reached at midnight.

DrOUXT ASPIRING CLIMBED. ■DUNEDIN, Jan. 5.

The third ascent of Dlount Aspiring has just been successfully accomplished hv .Messrs Erie .Miller, J. W. Aitken, H. DY. Bodily, and Roland Ellis, of Dunedin, and Dir J. S- Shanks, of Wellington. 1 This party enjoys the distinction of having achieved its object without the assistance or advice of professional guides or porters. A flying camp was established on the ice. near the summit of Dlount French at 7000 feet, and here the trampers were weather hound for four days awaiting favourable conditions. The ascent of the main {leak of Dlount Aspiring was inride more difficult by a heavy mist which froze ni the clothing of the climbers. The mist further impeded the return to the flying camp and the homeward journey of one mile and a half across the erevassed surface of the Dlonar Glacier had to bo made by compass directions. Except for fitful glimpses of the peaks beneath, the mist prevented the climbers from enjoying the reward of their efforts in the survey of the wonderful panoramic view from Hie summit of the highest peak in Otago.

PURE WATER SHORTAGE. AUCKLAND, Jan. 5.

Water is being sold for a penny a glass in Hamilton to-day owing to the great discolouration ol the DVaikato river water due to its impregnation with pumice as a result of the Arnpuni operations. Spring water is being retailed in tlie shops at a penny a glass. A long spell of dry weather has aggravated the situation, as many tanks holding the reserve supply have run dry and pure water is at a premium. The town water supply is so dirty that people are eschewing baths, and. as the river is unfit to swim in. there is a general rush to the lake, which is low and is also being well churned up. There is no fear of a shortage of water, hut the municipal filters are unable to cope with the great weight of impurities. D\ ashing day is definitely o(f in Hamilton till the water clears. It is .absolutely impossible to attempt to wash ch’thcs in a tub of-what looks like swamp water, so that, until some effective step to improve the supply is taken, the possibility of keeping really clcMt is remote.

GIRL BATHER SUCCUMBS. WELLINGTON, Jan. 0. Just after noon to-dav, by-standers at the junction of the Onepu Road and Lyall Parade, beard cries which wore the prelude to a tragedy, in which Stella Josephine Knight, aged fourteen years of age, lost her life. She had been bathing- in the Lvall Bay Surf in company with her brother Lonnie aged 10, and had been in the water for a short time when both the children were seen to he in difficulties. The beach caretaker, Mr McDonald, Mr D. CL MeXab, of Timaru, and Mr Marchnnt of .the Lyall Bay Surf Club, with other members of the club, rushed to the rescue, and brought the boy to the shore.

Once on the beach he was soon none the worse for his experience. Are McDonald and Air AlcNab carried Stella Knight from the sea, and it was scene that the unfortunate girl was at least unconscious. At once means of restoring respiration were employed, hut without result. Dr A\ . Shiror who was communicated with at once, hastened to the spot, but on his 1 arrival declared life extinct. Stella Knight was a daughter of Air Knight of Afnrgaret Road, AA’adestown, who is a messenger in the General Post Office.

PRICE OF PETROL. AVKLLTNGTOX, Jan. G. As from to-morrow, the A'acuum Oil Co., announce that the price of petrol will ho advanced by Id per gallon. This increase represents the amount of the pet ml tax. which was recently decided upon by the Government:

GAS AVORKS AIKNACKD AYANGAXfI. Jan. G. The AVangamii City Gasworks was menaced by a fire which broke out late this afternoon. A spark from a railway-engine ignited some dry grass in a reserve in .which the works stand and the flames spread to some tar, which burned fiercely, sending up a large volume of black smoke. The (City and Castlecliff (brigades were called out and managed to keep the ever spreading flames from reach-

ing the big gas holder, the damage to property being negligible. One fireman had his foot badly burned by boiling tav.

DISRATED OFFICER. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. G

The following telegram was despatched this morning by Air E. J. Howard, ALP. to the Afinister for Labour: “At a meeting of Trades Union Secretaries 'held this morning, strong indignation was expressed at the disrating of an officer who has been in charge of the Labour Department here. They urge an inquiry, as they consider he has been treated badly. AA’ould you grant a departmental enquiry?” AH Howard explained that as a result of a readjustment of positions in the Lalmiir Department, an officer who had been in charge of the Christchurch office, is being given a less important position, and another officer has been appointed to take charge of that office.

CHRISTCHURCH UXEMTI.OYMENT CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 6.

A promise of extra work was given to a deputation of Christchurch unemployed by the Deputy-Mayor, Mr D. G. Sullivan, 31. P.

The City Council will put in hand work on Worcester Street, Cashel St. and Fitzgerald Avenue, and will also make room for men on its casual staff.

The Prime Minister and Minister of Public Works have been communicated with, and have promised to look into the situation immediately. WOMAN CODIDIITS SUICIDE. HA AVER A, Jan. 6. v \ A verdict of suicide while of un- t sound mind was returned at an inquest at Tekiri to-day concerning the death of Charlotte Lillian Ferguson, widow, who was found lying before a mirror, in a room at n farmhouse yesterday, with her throat cut, and a razor beside the body. Medical evidence was given that deceased had suffered from acute mental depression for the past four months. TAWA FLAT TROUBLE. WELLINGTON, Jan. 6. With reference to the tunnellers’ strike at Tawn. Flat, DVoTlington, liefore the holidays a conference between J the parties was held under the chairmanship of Mr Walter Newton, of the Labour Department, Dir Arthur Cook, general secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union being in attendance. The conference ended abortively. The contractors, Messrs Burnside and Matthews, then publicly announced that they would do the job with non-union labour. No change took place in the situation during the holidays, and the position now is that the strike is still on. The appeal for funds to help tlie men, who number nearly 40. is open, and all who wish this great work -to ho done under trade union conditions are urged to respond at once.

VICE REGAL. WELLINGTON, Jan. 6. On Wednesday evening (January 11th) the Governor-General and Lady Alice Fergusson propose to leave Wellington for Dunedin and Invercargill, and for an official tour of several districts in Southland. On or about Jan. 20tli. Their Excellencies will go into residence at “Elmwood,” Papanui Road. Christchurch, for three weeks or a month, and early in Dfarcli they propose to pay their customary annual vist to Auckland, where they will take up residence at Government House. On Tuesday next (Jan. 10th), Their Excellencies will hold a garden party at Government House, DVellington. Those in possession of invitations for a similar function which was to have been held on November 22nd. last, but which was unavoidably postponed, are requested to regard the invitations as holding good for Jan. lOtli.

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. HADVERA, Jan. 6. Before the Justices Court to-day. Seamen Andrew Alexander Clerk, alias Hugh Grant, alias Hugh Vernon Ponsford, pleaded guilty, and was commrtted to the Supreme Court for sentence on two charges involving false pretences; first, with stealing a gramophone valued at £39; second, with fraudulently obtaining a. cycle car valued at £IOO, by falsely representing that the gramophone was his own property. According to the evidence, accused, using the name of Ponsford, secured tlie gramophone at Unworn on the hire purchase system in March, paying £2 10s deposit and instalments of 7s fid in March. He trailed the gramophone as a deposit on the cycle car at Elthani. £3O being allowed hv the dealer : and in June traded the cycle car as £SO deposit on a motor cycle priced at £95, at Auckland. The cycle was hater sold to a Hawke’s Bay resident, from whom it was recovered by an Auckland firm. Accused was remanded to DYellington on a further charge of fraudulently obtaining £SO from a Lower Hutt resident, in July, by falsely representing himself to he a plight Lieutenant at the Sockburn Aerodrome. He admitted changing his address whenever wanted by the police for of- * fences in various parts ol New Zealand.

FRAUDULENT STATEMENT. HA AVER A. Jan. 6. Charged with fraudulently stating that lie had jiosted a letter at Hawera, containing £ls, Rolfe Ronald, Cooke pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence. The Hawera Postmaster’s evidence was that accused, who owed rent to a third party, had signed an official form declaring he had posted a letter addressed to the houseowner and giving details of its alleged monetary contents. AA’lion interviewed by the police, accused subsequently confessed that the storv was false.