DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1928, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association. £9,108 CLAIM. WELLINGTON, June 20. A claim is proceeding before Judge Reed in the Supreme Court, in which’ Millar’s West Australian Hardwoods Coy, Ltd. is seeking £9IOB compensation for approximately six acres of land taken by the Wellingtolf City Corporation for a. children’s play- 1 , ground at Miramar. T.B. COMMISSION'S REPORT. AUCKLAND, June 20. The Tuberculosis Commission has concluded its inquiry.. The Chairman, Dr Fitchett, stated that it had been decided to prepare the report in Auckland and he anticipated that it would he completed and sent to the Minister of Health by next Monday. MAN FOUND POISONED. INVER CAR G H7L, June 20. . When the employer of James Connor, a single farm labourer, aged 38 years, called at tho latter’s hut at Aparima, on Tuesday, to ascertain why ho had -not continued his work, lie found tlie door locked from the inside. As there was no response to his knock, he broke open the door and found O’Connor lying dead on his bed, with a mug containing strychnine and water alongside. It is stated that mix Monday last Connor called at the farmhouse of E. J. Dickson, and complained of the prevalence of mice in his hut, and asked for some strychnine to poison the pests, he’was given a ibottle in a powdered form and

was warned to be careful. An inquest opened to-day, and adjourned for further inquiries to be made.

LABOURERS’ UNION ELECTION, j . CHRISTCHURCH, June 20.

■■' Keen interest was taken by the members of tlie Canterbury General Labourers’ Union in the annual meeting held, in tlie Trades Hall. For the first time since Air H. Worrall was appointed secretary of the union in succession to Air E. J. Howard, M.P., there lias been a contest for the position, Air S. Fournier, the recognised leader of the Communist i Party in Christchurch, having been nominated. A postal ballot of all the members of tlie union has been conducted for the election.

There were over a hundred members present, hut many members did not vote in the postal ballot. Air Worrall was re-elected by 634 votes to 70 polled by Air Fournier. There were no recognised Communists nominated for positions on the executive. Five of the six members of the executive were re-elected as well as P. Gordon, wo, with W. Rush worth, was nominated for the sixth position on the executive rendered vacant by the appointment of J. Shankland as President of the Union, in place of J. S. Walker, who resigned after eight years’ continuous service in that position. Tlie Union increased its shares in tlie “New Zealand Worker” from £ll7 to £3OO.

UNION S.S. COY. INVERCARGILL, June 19, *. The action of the Union Company in carrying on the service between Melbourne and the South Island ports by cargo steamers during the overhaul of the Afanuka was referred to by Air AV. Hinehey, relieving President of the Southland League, in his address at the annual meeting to-day. “ AVhy it should happen 1 do not know,” he said. “It is very hard to : understand-just what is at the back of ? the move, but my own personal opinion is that the Government is going tq be squeezed for a subsidy. Representations were made some time ago for a subsidy, if necessary, and it looks as if the service has now been altered as a means of squeezing this subsidy from the Government. If anything like that is the case, and if a subsidy has to he paid, it should be paid to some company that will give us the service we want. I have heard that there are some men in the South Island who contemplate putting on a service between the Australian and South Island ports. If there are men enterprising enough i they should get the subsidy. The com- V"Y pany that is. now controlling the shipping in New Zealand' knows that a direct sen-ice with the biggest cities pays the- best. They do not want to develop a trade lietween this part of New Zealand and Australia, because they consider that they will get all the passengers and all the cargo by running between Australia and Wellington or Auckland.” It was decided to protest against the action of the Union Company in replacing the Manuka with a cargo boat while the former was undergoing an overhaul, and also to lend support to the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce in its protest. ' i -