DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1928, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Tolegraph—Per ITess Association.

COURT OF AUREAL. AVELLIXGTON, March 30

In the application by Hey ting tor admission to the Supreme Court (Alarch 12th) two questions were raised. (a) whether Hey ting being a Dutch subject could lie a solicitor to the Supreme Court without first being naturalised as a British subject; (b) whether applicant for admission could file a notice of his intention to apply for admission before be bad sat for the requisite examinations.

On both questions the Court of Appeal decided against the applicant. 1 [is admission, therefore, was refused. No costs, however, were allowed against him.

In AVackrow v. Takapuna Racing Club (March loth) the Court of Appeal found in favour of respondents holding that on the day in question the race track was ns safe as all reasonable skill and care could possibly make it and that the danger itself was such that appellant should have been aware of it. Further the >espondent Club had taken all reasonable steps to make owners and horses cognisant of the state of the course and owners had accepted the position. The appeal therefore was dismissed. In Kerr v. Avon Dairy Coy. (Alarch Kith) the Appeal Conn held the position was that whether the case he regarded as involving a contract to pay as good a price as was payable for butterfat by co-operative factories in the district or contract lor sale of goods at a reasonable price. Appellant would !>o entitled to recover the sum of 3d per lb tor butterfat supplied during the season, in addition to advance payments made to him. The appeal was allowed with costs on the lowest scale as from a distance.

COURT AIARTULS POSTPONED. GIBRALTAR. Alarch 29.

Owing to an alteration in the charge of which twenty-four hours notice is required the court martials were postponed anu open on Saturday morning.

THEFTS BY A BOY. AUCKLAND. Alarch 29,

The escapade of a hoy of fourteen years and nine months was told in the Children's Court, where he was charged with breaking and entering a house and stealing clothes and also a motor-cycle. The hoy was an inmate of the Weraroa Training Farm. He was sent to work on license at Unworn. He absconded, stole the motor-cycle and rode to To Kuiti, hut smashed the cycle. He eventually reached Auckland where lie was arrested and remanded. He again escaped, and yesterday afternoon broke into three places, lie stole clothes ami money, hired a taxi and took some girls and hoys tor a ride. “ Prison is the only place to hold him,” said the chief-detective.

The Alagistrate remanded accused to Alount Eden gaol, ordering that he lie kept apart from the other prisoners.

A XKAY STAB. OAAIARU, Alarch 29

A new star was discovered here oil .Monday by Air A. Crust, of the New Zealand Research Department, who is in North Otago in connection with the establishment of a meteorological observatory.

The star, who will lie called Nova Lupi, is very close to another called B. Lupi, which is being observed. Nova Lupi is very faint and may not blaze up like Nova Aquihv in 1918. or Nova Pictoris in 1925. The new star is near the pointers of the Southern Cross.

GIRL CAUGHT SHOPLIFTING AUCKLAND, Alarch 29

At Hart’s sale yesterday afternoon a girl of seventeen was detected in the act of shoplifting. She was arrested by Detective Packman and appeared before Mr W. R. McKean. S.M., at the Police Court, pleading guilty to a charge of having stolen a raincoat, a child’s coat, and a jacket. of a total value of £3 4s fid. Chief-Detective "Hammond said the girl had never been in any trouble previously. Her parents were most respectable, and there was no need for her to steal. Her home life was good, and it was difficult to understand why she stole the articles, which she placed in a hag. “No doubt, it was a case of sudden temptation,” said Mr Hammond. The accused, whose name was ordered to be suppressed, was remanded for three months, the vr-.ristrate telling her that if her behaviour was good in the meantime nothing more would he heard of the matter. SKILLED WORK. HUMOURS OF ARBITRATION COURT.

WELLINGTON. March 29.

A humorous reference to the duties, which at times fall to the lot of members of the Arbitr-Gon Court, was made by Professor Murphy at the national industrial conference to-dav. Professor Murphy said that reference had been made by several speakers to the case of an application for an interpretation as to whether putting jam and cream on sponges was skilled or unskilled work, and it had been implied that the incident had originated in the depths of his imagination. That was not so.

“The incident was so rich,” said Professor Murphy, “that 1 will quote the records of the whole entrancing, comic-tragic incident. The Court was asked to decide whether women engaged in putting jam and cream in sponge cakes should he paid at joimieywomen’s rates, or two-thirds of those rates.

“The decision.” said the professor, “was that the work was unskilled, and it was solemnly signed by his Honor, the King’s Judge. AD Justice Frazer. (Laughter).

“T admit quite frankly that 1 have never appeared before the Arbitration Court, but T think you will agree that it is possible for an outsider, particularly a lawyer, to know something of its working.” said Professor Murphy. “The suggestion was made that 1 knew nothing about the Court, and f think that was a little unfair.”

TTMBEB TXDUSTEA’. DEPRESSION CONTINUES. WELLINGTON. March 29 Though the new tariff on imported timber has been in operation for six months the New Zealand timber industry is in no hotter position than it was before the Government granted it concessions last session. -lates Mr A. Seed, secretary of the Dominion SawmiHers’ Federation. At present prices are lower than they were six months ago and this is due to severer competition among millers who have been forced to quit their stock to meet immediate obligations.

The position of the industry is shown by the fact that a number of additional mills have been forced to curtail their output and one large mill in the Rotorua district has reduced its hands to half their previous number. The recent tariff has had no visible effect so far, and though the total importation? of timber have fallen there

yis no indication that this drop is dueto additional utilisation of New Zea-„ land lumber. AA'itli reference to the ' fallen prices for timber ATr Seed' points out that when a mill has reach--' ed the stage of being obliged to liqui- sida to its stocks it frequently has to quit, them at whatever price they will realise. This has meant that tion has been very keen.

It is hoped that ultimately theposition will improve, and the fact that the past six months have failed! to bring any material improvement to the industry is set down to the general financial position as much as anything else. High hopes are.entov tained for the new system of Wnt»r>. grading which will he launched at an ' early date, a meeting of suwmillers being called for early in Afay. and it is felt that the system will help to - bring about a tetter co-ordination between supply and demand.

PORT OF WELLINGTON RECORAL WELLINGTON. A Birch 29. JT An interesting feature of the open/ tions at the port of Wellington during the year ended September 30, 1927. ns disclosed in the reports presented at the annual meeting of the Harbour Board last night was that in spite of a decrease in the trade of the p«rt. due to general financial depression. the number and tonnage of ships that arrived during the year constituted a fresh record for Wate lington. and for the Dominion. f The harbourmaster’s report showed that during the year the total number of trading vessels arriving at the port was 3107. with a nett tonnage of 3 510 401 tons, an increase of nttjthree ships and 82.246 tons over the previous twelve months, a record Warships, fishing vessels, etc., brought the total to 3225 vessels, with a tonnage of 3,614,477 tons.

P.O. SAVINGS BANK

INTEREST PAYMENTS.

WELLINGTON, Alarch 29. A formal notification appears in this < week’s “Gazette” of a- reduction in + the maximum amount of deposits with 'V the Post Office Savings Bank on which interest will te paid. The change is to operate from April Ist. In commenting on the “Gazette notice, the Hon W. Downie Stewart (Atinister of Finance) explained that there is no change as far as individual. ' deposits up to £2OOO are concerned.. and such deposits will continue to receive 4 per cent, interest up to £.500 and 31 per cent, interest on amounts in excess of £SOO as long as aggregate deposits do not exceed £2OOO.

In regard to the deposits in excess of £2OOO up to the present maximum of £SOOO, however, it is specially provided that all such sums to the credit of. any Post-'Office account on March 31st. shall continue to receive interest at 3.', per cent, as at present, until the same are withdrawn. That is to say, if a man has, say £4OOO in his account on Alarch 3Lst. he will continue to receive interest on that sum as heretofore as long as it remains on deposit, but no interest will he paid on fresh deposits as from April Ist. until the balance of the account has been reduced below £2OOO.

The Atinister said that the Tost Office and Treasury had long teen of opinion that the maximum ought to ho reduced, as it was quite obvio«*ftAe Savings Bank was being used for purposes for which it was never jjU-pjded —to obtain interest on a \A count. This matter was referred to the House last session, when the Post and Telegraph Amendment Act was under discussion, and, in pursuance of the. policy then outlined, it is considered that the time is now opportune to effect the reduction in the maximum amount on which interest is payable, special provisions being made for larger sums during the transition period .

BANKRUPT DTSCIIARGED. AUCKLAND, Alarch 30.

Despite opposition by counsel for tbe petitioning creditors, Charles Bailey, Junr., boatlmilder. Auckland, was granted his discharge from bankruptcy by Air Justice Blair at a sitting of the Bankruptcy Court this morning. It was explained by Air Tnder, who supported the application, that Bailey’s trouble was over a large contract with the Tongan Government, for which he built the steamer “ Hifofoa.” A loss was made on Hie contract, owing to the 11011-arrival of machinery and the failure of certain payments. His Honour observed that tbe "Bailey shipbuilding yards were a landmark of Auckland. Everyone with a knowledge of Auckland knew the firm. After hearing l>oth parties, the Judge said he saw no reason for refusing the application.

AITLK VENDOR USES BORIC’ ACID. AUCKLAND. Alareh 30. For the addition of boric acid to milk. Fbenozcr Henry Slater was fined £2 and costs £3 3s at the Police Court.. Air Hubble said Slater supplied the City Tea Rooms with milk. Samplesy were obtained from there by an in-, spec-tor. An analysis showed the milk contained boric acid. There was a sweet taste, although it was really had milk. But for the presence of boric acid, it would have ls?on had to taste.

Air Burt, counsel for defendant, said that Slater had only three customers. The quantity of boric acid added was infinitesimal, being only about one spoonful in ton gallons of milk. Before Slater entered into the milk business, lie was interested in butterfat. and at that time it was permissable V to add boric acid to butter. Defendant was unaware of tbe regulation prohibiting the use of acid in milk. “Ignorance of law is tio excuse, and if a man enters into business, he should make himself conversant wifli the regulations.” said ATr AV-. R. AfcKean, B.AL. in imposing the penalty.