DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1928, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association. FOUNDATION STONE. WELLINGTON, Feb. 13. -Mr H. E. Holland laid the foundation stone of the new Wellington Tracies Hall in Vivian Street. It will be a three-storey steel structure to house all unions. About half ol the building will he completed at present, including a hall to seat five hundred. ’Die total cost will he £.30.000. Air Holland delivered an address on Labour, claiming they had never been beaten by their opponents, hut byworking men and women who voted against their own interests. Ho urged solidarity. SAWAIfLL EIRE. .TaU AIA RUNU f, Feh. 13. A fire broke out at 4.3!) this morning at S. Bishara and Coy’s sawmill at Rangiora. The brigade prevented the fire from spreading to the planing mill and sawn timber. The mill building, however, was badly gutted lull: the machinery is only slightly damaged. No insurances on tile mill, j hut the sawn timber is covered. THIEF SENTENCED. AUCKLAND, Feh. 13. l’oc Griffiths who was on Saturday found not guilty on a charge of pocket picking at Devonport, but was convicted on an alternative count of attempting to do so, and placed on probation was to-day sentenced to six months imprisonment on a charge of stealing an attache case and money, which be grabbed from a visitor to the city who chased and caught him. Griffiths, escaped, but a policeman completed bis capture. The offence occurred near midnight on Saturday. BAXK R UI’T'C'Y AXX FIXED. CHRISTCHURCH, Feh. 13. In the Supreme Court to-day, Cyril 1 oilman Mosley, an ex-accountant, was granted his discharge from bankruptcy. Counsel said bankruptcy had had two years reformative detention and had come into the world to make another start. Bankrupt bail earned the maximum remission in 1 1 is reformative detention and had been given charge of an orchard. Of this work he had made such a success that the Minister of Agriculture Imd asked the bankrupt to see him in Wellington and lmd promised wlmt help the Government could give. BUSH I’l hi: damage. AUCKLAND. Feb. 13. The lire which swept the slopes o 7 To Arolia mountain on Thursday and Friday, was got under control on Saturday and the safety of Ihe Domain scenic reserve and hot springs area is assured. The fire has travelled through a mass of tangled undergrowth to the mountain top. in (lie direction of thousands of acres ol Hush country controlled liv the Forestry Department. .Many volunteers remained on I lie mountain slopes until three on Saturday morning. Several bad to be assisted home owing to exhaustion. During the height ol the conflagration a portion of a t resiling cnrrving a water main was burnt and the loss of valuable wafer supplies from the already seriously depleted borough reservoir, was occasioned. The .Mayor states full measures are being taken to sheet home the responsibility for Hie unauthorised lighting of a fire in Buakaka area, GOV ER XAI ENT AItBA NG EAI ENTS. WELLINGTON. Feb. 13. The Prime Minister stated to-day the Government lias made arrangements to take on 20!K) unemployed in tbe public Works of the North Island. Although the South Island figures are not yel completed it lias been decided lo take on one thousand there. WKI.COAIE BATN. PAIMATUA. Feb. 13. The driest spell for years was broken on Saturday evening by welcome showers, including a big downpour tieui midnight, refreshening the countryside. COUXCIL’ S DECT SI ON. AUCKLAND. Feb. 13. The Finance Committee of the City Council decided to-day to send all correspondence in regard to allegations of waste brought by Air W . H. .Murray (member of the Council) to the Government urging that a commission of inquiry he set op soon.