DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 April 1928, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association,

BOTANICAL R ESEARCH

DR. HILL’S REPORT. WELLINGTON, April 3. Advocating tbe establishment of a Professorship of Botany at one of tbe centres, Dr. A. AY. Hill, Director of the Rovnl Botanic Gardens, Kew, contends in his report to the Government that such a step would give a great impetus to botanical research work, and lead to tbe training up of good young botanists on botanical research work in the Dominion.

“ It might be possible to combine such a professorship with the Directorship of the Dominion Botanic Gardens in much the same way as the Professorship of Botany at .Edinburgh I'niversit.v is linking with the Regius Kecpersliip of the Royal Botanic Garden.” said Dr. Hill, who expressed disappointment at finding how few university men there seemed to he in the Dominion who were being attracted to carry out botanical research work.

“ I have great hopes that if some good botanical posts can be established and also a competent botanist as professor,” he added, “ there will lie .a now of younger men to carry on the good work which has been done in

the past by distinguished New Zealand botanists, and which is being carried on with so much vigour and wide philosophical outlook by Dr. R. L. Cockayne, F.R.S., at the present time.” A SAFE BURGLED. OPOTIKI. April, 3. A safe at the l!av of Plenty Power Hoard’s office was blown open early this morning and a sum of about £IOO extracted, 'file money was for the gangs to lie paid to-day. Rarely is tbe money kept in the safe, but it was owing to the Easter holidays. The work is that of nil expert cracksman. No other damage was done. The police are reticient in regard to any clue.

INQUEST VERDICT. PAHIATFA, April 3

The inquest was resumed by Coroner J. D. Wilson on the hid Leslie AA’i.L Ired Murphy, who received fatal injuries as the result of an explosion of hydrogen in the science room during a

science lesson at Pnhiatua School on the afternoon of February oth. pieces ol flying glass penetrating the abdomen. An open verdict was returned that the actual cause of the accident was a. mystery. A FIRE. FOXTON, April 3. A tiro at five o’clock tin’s morning totally destroyed the store and post office at Manawatu Heads. The oeeupants A. Steer and family escaped in their night attire. Thu cause of the outbreak is unknown. The insurances are not available.

S A .MOAN .MILITARY FORCE. CHRISTCHURCH, April 3. It is slated here that Hie duty of tbe Samoan military force will be to relieve the detachment of Royal Marinos left in Apia, when the cruisers Diomede and Dunedin returned to New Zealand. The new force will be approximately .seventy strong and will be a military organisation. It will lie under, tbe command of Major P. R. Roll, at present .staff officer in charge of the Dunedin .Regimental District. With him will lie two other officers, also drawn ii'oin the New Zealand Staff Corps.

FIRE ON S.S. BREEZE. AYANGANCr, April .7. AA hen the s.s. Breeze from southern ports was 40 miles I'roni Wanganui at midnight a lire was noticed in the alter hold, where there were 1(1 tons of iimo in sacks, (lour, potatoes and hay stored. The hatches were hat lercd down and on arrival the brigade

was summoned, also a team of wharf labourers. The lime was burning fiorcel.v and it was a slow, tedious undertaking to remove the cargo, as tho men eould only work for a few minutes at a time before being relieved. Tho brigade is keeping the lire well under control, but. it will be some boors before the hold is

emptied. Present indications point to most of the cargo being damaged. There will probably he little structural damage to the vessel. The Breeze lire is extinguished. There is no damage to the vessel,