DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1928, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) B ATT LEFT EL DS A'LSI T. EMPIRE PILGRIMAGE PROPOSED. WELLINGTON, March 10. It is proposed to muster 8000 British ex-service men in London during July, representing the many units that fought through 1914-18. They will journey through the battlefields of France, terminating their tour with a march through the Alenin (fate ARmorial at Ypres, and the suggestion has been made that- New Zealand should send a quota, of at least 100 men to join in this Empire pilgrimage. A circular sent out hy headquarters of the. R.S.A. says that the Dominion body is not in the financial position to spend any money on sending) ex-service inert on the suggested tour, and that the New Zealand party must lie composed of men able to pay their own way, but arrangements will be made for New Zealand ex-soldiers who happen to ho journeying to England to join the Empire'pilgrimage there. The route suggested is via Canada, in which ca.se the Australian contingent would probably come hy way of New Zealand. The delegation, if there is to he one from New Zealand, would need to reach London hy July 20th next at the latest. If is understood that till other Dominions and dependencies have been requested to send delegations, it being stated that Australia hopes to send 300. CIJEM-TST FINED. FOR SLY GROG SELLING. WELLINGTON, Alarch 10. Before Afr Ala unset 1, in flic ALigistrate’s Court to-day, Hugh O’Reilly, chemist, of Eastbourne, was fined £2O for sly grog selling. A witness named Edward AYilliam Reynolds gave evidence that he passed tlie defendant marked coins on behalf of the police. The Afagistrate remarked that the search warrant appeared to have been irregularly issued, therefore no order would be made for the forfeiture of the liquor. SAMOA. AIR NELSON’S VIEW. AUCKLAND. Alarch 10. In connection with tlie announcement made that Sir George Richardson. whose term as Administrator of AVestern Samoa will end on Alarch 10, has been appointed to represent New Zealand at Geneva, it is welcomed by the Hon O. F. Nelson, who leaves on Friday for Sydney, en route to Europe. Air Nelson stated that the people or New Zealand could form their own conclusions as to why Sir George Richardson was going lo Geneva, and added: “I am glad he is going, liecause it will bring an effective showdown before an impartial tribunal.” Referring to 1 In* proposed petition against the Administration at the Islands, Mr Nelson said: “Now that General Richardson is going to Geneva every facility should he offered to the Samoans to get a petition signed. Heretofore, with the guns of the warships trained on the town. il would have been seditions and disloyal if the circulators of the petition had moved about among the people with it.” LICENSING QUESTION. WELLINGTON, Alarch 10. A general election in August is predicted by an informant who is in close touch with Reform affairs. Strained relations between members of tlie Reform Party on the licensing issue is said to he behind the possibility of an early election. One section of the party will demand that licensing legislation shall bo dealt with, and if Mr Coates refuses, to go on with it a serious split is assured. Air Coates is quite prepared to resist pressure from the Prohibition side, and may readily go to the country. The Prohibition members of his party are prepared to go tfie limit, and will precipitate an election as an alternative to no licensing reform. Tlie case will he one of open rebellion. How will an early election affect the parties? Already tlie Reformers have had tlie hint to he ready, and it is possible that they will he better pro pared than the Labour Party, which has no money at present, or the United Party, which is busily organising. TERRITORIALS IN CAAIP. TRENTTIA.M, March 11. The weather is favourable lor the Army meeting, which opens on Tuesday. Territorials are in camp irom all parts of the Dominion. A competition is designed to promote weapon training for service efficiency on tlie battlefield. Keen interest is evinced (or the champion belt, which last year was won by the boy Corporal G. Parker. Wellington Regiment. RAILWAY OFFICER RESIGNS. WELLINGTON. Alarch 13. Air A. W. Afouat (staff member of the Railway Board of Alnnagement) lias, it is understood, followed the line of action adopted by tlie Chairman (Air K. .1. Jones) and has applied to he released from liis position, ’ihe application lias not yet been dealt with. INFANT! UK PA R A LT STS. CHRISTCHURCH, Alarch 12. A few cases of infantile paralysis have been reported in Canterbury. Five cases were reported last week and the sixth yesterday, hut so far

only two have been definitely diagonised as positive. The general opinion among medical men is that there is no cause of alarm. An epidemic is regarded as unlikely, although it is admitted that six cases in a week is unusual. Happily, it is considered too late in tlie season for the outbreak to assume serious proportions. One private school in the City has been closed owing to a case occurring there, but it lias since been re-opened. BURGLARS ACTIVE. CHRISTCHUR CH. March 12 Burglaries from bouses and small shops continue to be reported from tiie Christchurch suburbs. On Saturday night thieves raided a dressmaker's and a tobacconist’s shop occupied hy Aliss Culiopy and stole £SO worth, of dress materials, cigarettes and tobacco. The robbers smashed an electric light hill!> in a tram shelter and under cover of darkness forced open the front door of a shop there. There were signs of the thieves having tried vainly to force' the lock on a door of a store of the Cashmere Garage close byAtAN.UKA DISPUTE SETTLED. DUNEDIN, Alarch 12. A full crew was engaged for the Manuka this morning and the vessel sailed shortly before (5 p.m. for the Bluff and Melbourne. The Manuka was held up here for five days owing to a dispute between the Union Coy. and the .stokehold crew in consequence ol the discharge of one (iremap-., EX-SOLDIER’S PROTEST. CHRISTCHURCH, March 12. A meeting organised by flic Returned Soldiers’ Association, was held to-night to protest against the carrying out of the City Council s resolution to remove from public places in tlie City several guns captured in the Great War. The attendance was j)00, and the proceedings were at times lively. The following resolution was’carried hy an overwhelming majority:— “That this public meeting of Christchurch citizens emphatically protests against, the action of the City Council in moving war trophies from the City.” KAHIKA .MASTER’S REPORT. NAPIER. Alarch 12. In reference to the steamer reported to be in distress off Porangahau on Sunday night, the ’Kaliika. which arrived at Napier at 1.30 o’clock this afternoon, reports having sighted an unknown vessel a little south of Cape Tiirnagain. ’Pile Kaliika signalled lint received no reply and no further steps wore taken as the ship sighted appeared to lie proceeding normally on n southerly course. FATAL FALL FROM TRAAI. WELLINGTON, Alarch 12. Frederick Bradoek hy trade a salesman, aged 60, residing at 83 Endeavour Street, Lvall Bay fell off a tram at tlie intersection of Contis and Ross Streets. KilLi r n it*, at 1.25 p.m. lie was taken to the hospital, where lie died at 5.10 p.m. Deceased leaves awidow and five children. NEW ZEALAND TRADE. WELLINGTON, Alarch 12. Overseas trade figures for the period of two months ended February, 1928. show New Zealand imports totalled 318.458 and exports £15,119.297 com-, pared with £7.31)3,670 and £10.020,501 respectively for the corresponding period of 1927. Imports during February 1928 amounted to £3,578,238 and exports C/.845.822 compared with £3,293,010 and £5,015,451 in February last year. FULL COURT CASE. WELLINGTON. Alarch 13. The Full Court reserved decision in the lleyting case. The Chief Justice said lie thought lleyting was making a fuss about a very common matter. He could become naturalised and practice in New Zealand. lleyting said lie would meet with all sorts jot difficulties if lie went to America where he had considerable interests in connection with .his family afiairs. Mr Aleck, representing the Law Society, said the Society took no personal objection to lleyting, lmt it was undesirable that an alien should he admitted as a solietior, and was also illegal. The Law Practitioners’ Act, lie contended, meant any British subject when it said “every person” could lie admitted. TRADE BALANCE. CHRISTCHURCH, Alarch 13. “I think we can safely anticipate that at March 31st of this year, there will lie an improvement of at least £10,000.090 in the Dominion’s trade figures. The adverse balance of £3,000,000 on this date last year will he converted to a favourable balance of £6,000,000 or £7,000,000 said Hon AfcLeod, Afinister of Industries and Commerce in an interview last evening.