DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1928, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association. A NARROW ESCAPE. WELLINGTON, April 16. Work at the Mutt Road eml of the T'awa Flat railway deviation tunnel w;ts brought to a standstill to-day by it big slip, caused by heavy rain, which practically blocked the entrance to the tunnel. Four of the men engaged tunnelling, when about to leave, heard a rumbling noise, and debated whether to stay or run. They determined on the latter course, and they only succeeded in getting past when the slip came down. The workmen all along had considered the lacing to he dangerous. THEFTS BY TWO CLERKS. AUCKLAND, April ill. Herbert Frederick 'Thomas Goodman, clerk of the Tamaki West Road Hoard, and Roy Herbert Eraser Arroll, assistant clerk, were charged in the Police Court this afternon, with stealing C2AO and C 239 respectively, the property of the Road Hoard. Chief Detective Hammond, in Arch's case, asked for a remand to the 2;ird inst. He said that the total defalcation as far as this accused was concerned was the amount stated in the charge. In Goodman’s case, the total was CSIO.

Arroll was remanded to April 23 on L'3oll hail and a surety of (.'3OO. Goodman war. remanded until to morrow on one- surely ol L'oOO. N.Z. IRON INDUSTRY. NEI.SON. April 10. The Minister of Lands (Hon. A. I). McLEOD) made some important comments on the iron industry after a visit to the Onakaka iron and steel works. This, and the manufacture of cement at Tarnkohe, made up the two important industries of the Golden Bay district. When Ihe country Inis the necessary material for the production of iron, he said, everything possible should he done to establish the industry: also many industries which depended on the supply of pig iron. It was no use building up an industry which depended on the supply ol raw products if there was a possibility ol the supply Ihmiijj; cut oH. A sure source of supply of pin iron whs necessary in this country. It was disappointing to And a number of industries that had their requests for protection granted, buying their iron outside New Zealand. That is not playing the game. ‘•| was very nine'll impressed with the Onakaka works,” said the .Minister. There was an opening for the spending of more capital in providing new machinery and improvements to the present plant. .Many countries would like to have the adjacent deposits of lime and iron, as was found at Onakaka. The Onakaka deposits would be a gold mine if they were in Australia, and the .Minister could not think hut tlinr they should he a gold mine in Now Zealand.

"I can safely say lor Onakaka.” continued Afr AfcLcod. ‘‘that the little industry has a great future. With for Itself and for this district.”

PRISONERS SENTENCED. AUCKLAND. April Hi.

In the Supreme Court, William Charles Chapman, 60, who was committed from TV Knit i on a charge ol incest, was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment.

Charles Barclar Dewar. 63, committed from Whakataiie. on a charge of breaking. entering and theft, was sentenced to two years’ hard labour, to he followed hv two years’ reformative treatment. James William Shaw pleaded guilty and Alexander Lawson Andrew, fit), to receiving L’fi, knowing it to have been stolen. Roth were admitted to probation for two years.

SUMMER TIME. DUNEDIN, April 16.

Summer time is lavoured by the business men ol Dunedin. At a meeting to-night the council of the Chamber of Commerce unanimously carried the following motion: —" Ibis cliambci has always supported this reform, and after four months’ trial is more than over convinced of its advantages.” \t a recent meeting of the Directors of the Kokntahi' Co-op. Dairy Co. it was unanimously resolved that the Company vote against any luithei term of the Hon. Sidev’s Bill. LLOYD’S WOUND SERIOUS. DUNEDIN, April 17. Charged with attempted murder, William Hassett was arrested at his home at South Alilton yesterday afternoon hv Constable AlcQuitty, and lie was charged at a .sitting of the Police Court at Alilton this morning with the attempted murder of Albert Lloyd, a young man who now lies in Alilton Hospital with a severe wound in his abdomen. Hassett was formally remanded to (appear before ! Alr J. Dixon, S.AI. next Monday morning.

The injured mail’s condition is unchanged. The wound was inflicted by a pocket knife. It is of a serious nature, but is not considered danger-

Hnxsctt made no attempt to leave Alilton after the alleged affray outside Air P. Currin’s residence in Union Street on Sunday night. He was walking about the town yesterday, and was at his home when arrested. £2OO IN BETTING FINE. WELLINGTON, April 17. Fines totalling over £2OO were imposed to-day on men arrested as the result of a raid on tliel’remier Club on the night of April 9. One of the keepers. Francis Law. who had a previous conviction, was fined £IOO, and the other keeper. Thomas Dwyer, was fined £lO. All hut one of the defendants reversed their pleas ol not guilty made at the first hearing, and admitted the offence. Only one charge was dismissed. on . technical point. Of the forty-five men. found on the promises, six did not appear in Court at the first hearing, and were fined £3. Another was dealt with yesterday. The remainder were fined in sums ranging from £2 to £5. A charge against Isaac Kutner, of assisting in the conduct of a common gaming house was dismissed.