DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1928, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—P°r Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 21. Obituary—Stanley Wilkinson, aged 32, while on a visit to New South Wales, and after a serious illness. He was director of Rattray and Son, Ltd., and President of the Canterbury Employers’ Association. JUTE WOOL PACKS. SUCCESSFUL INVENTION. DUNEDIN, July 20. Private advice has been received from the Bradford Special Wool Pack Committee that Mr R. Coghill’s patented treatment of jute wool packs, which were placed under practical trial sever*! 1 months ago by a local firm of stock agents, is a great improvement on anything that has yet been submitted for either Australia, or New Zealand. The members of the committee were unanimous in their opinion that one drawback has now hoon remedied. This refers to the “splitting” of jute when the hooks have hoon used. This trouble has been encountered also when a bale has been cut. Anticipating some such difficulty, the inventor improved his patents, and the latest plan, when applied under practical working conditions, should Completely remove the nuisance of loose jute fibres in wool. It is hoped that the inventions will be applied to wool packs and to sacking made from our native fibre, thus making the finished article far superior to anything obtainable elsewhere.

A COURT SCENE. AUCKLAND, July 20. A slight breeze took place in the Police Court to-day between tlio new-ly-appointed Magistrate, ■Mr J. H. I.uxford, and Sub-Inspector M’Carthy when the Magistrate refused to allow the police to call a. certain witness. Tho ia so was one in which Olaf Srromso was charged with being found unlawfully on hotel premises after hours. After Stroms©' had gone into the box and denied making a statement to the constable that lie had peine in for a drink, Sub-Inspecov M’’Cur thy proposed to call the constable to produce the statement by Stroms©. The Magistrate: You cannot do that. By putting defendant in the box you have closed your case ami cannot now reopen it. Sub-Inspector M’Cartbv, taken bysurprise, sail! that lie was entitled to c-nil evidence in rebuttal and that lie had asked defendant to enter the box merely to shorten the proceedings. Mr Luxford, however, refused to allow the police witness to be called, remarking, “You have closed your case. Perhaps it’s fortunate for Stromso hut the charge against him must bo dismissed.

BEEKEEPER’S INDIGNATION. AUCKLAND, July 20. Very far from honeyed phrases made up a letter from the National Beekeepers’ Association which was read to members of the Council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. The letter, the text of which had been approved by the Beekeepers’ Conference at Hawern. on June SOtli, protested agairfst the Chamber’s' action in urging the Government to initiate no lonoiiiry into tlio operations of the Honey Control Board. Tlio Council, after making some caustic comments, resolved that the communication bo not received.

A portion of the letter rend: “The National Beekeepers’ Association of New Zealand wish to intimate to your Chamber that your unwelcome and uninvited interference in the domestic affairs Of those engaged in the honey industry is widely resented and has created an impression, that tho body of sane opinion in your Chamber is in the habit of being stampeded by vested interests whose desire is to secure disunion and weakness* among producers for reasons very well known to all business men.’’

The president of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr Merritt) said the letter was perfectly silly, and the decision not to accept it was carried unanimously.

A FARMER’S FAILURE. ACTIONS SEVERELY CRITICISED. AUCKLAND; July 20. Indebtedness amounting to about £II,OOO with the only asset £2O for furniture, formed the chief feature of the ihalnkruptcy statement of Alexander Dunlop McCardle, formerly a farmer at Glen Murray, whose creditors met to-day.

e In reply to the Official Assignee, , bankrupt said lie considered lie was ■ justified in leaving many thousand pounds’ worth of stock for some months in charge of a Maori. ■ . Bankrupt was ‘cross-examined by the representative of the Bank of New Ij Zealand regarding about 2500 head of sheep and 214 head of cattle alleged to be missing from the farm when it was taken over by the" bank. Bankrupt had stated there were 38G cattle on the place, hut only 142 were found after ho left. He had no idea in the world where they had gone. He adP mitted he had left a steam engine on t the road and a sawmill plant scattered about generally on the farm and road. “There is only one serious matter, and that is a serious matter ” said the Official Assignee. “I do not consider bankrupt was justified in going off and leaving valuable stock without making any arrangements when he knew the fences were not good.” Bankrupt said lie had gone to his boy who was very dangerously ill. The Official Assignee said all bankrupt had to do was to send a telegram to the bank telling it of the position. When lie returned to the farm there was a big shortage. What was going to happen to him was more for the Bank of New Zealand, the chief creditor. SOUP KITCHEN. INVERCARGILL, July 22. Saturday morning saw great activity at the Labour Hall, where preparations were being made for the opening of Invercargill’s first soup kitchen, in ! order to give some relief to those feel- j ing the pinch through unemployment, i One room presented the appearance of a large drapery store, the floor and walls being covered with clothing of every description, while in the kitchen _ at the rear of the hall, piles of bread, [ both in loaves and in slices, pots of j jam, cases of apples, and sundry other goods, were piled. > ' Two large copper boilers were filled with about sixteen gallons of soup, . which was ladled out to about seventy persons, some forty of whom were . children.

The establishment of the soup kitchen was brought about by the officials of tl.e Labour Hall. According to the Secretary of the Southland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, there is no need whatever for it. He says he hardly believes that there is one instance of a family in Invercargill having to go hungry, and states that any genuine cases of distress are relieved by the Board when application is made. He considers that the action of those responsible for- the establishment of the soup kitchen Was quite unwarranted. A prominent Invercargill business man stated that the establishment of the kitchen was purely n Labour Party gesture,

BISHOP : CLEARY HURT. AUCKLAND, July 22. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, Right Rev Dr Cleary and the Rev Father Martindale, the eminent English Jesuist, who is visiting New Zealand, both suffered injuries in a motor collision, while on their way from Taupo to Hamilton to-day, and they' are now in "Waikato Hospital. Dr Cleary sustained a cut on the chin and one on the leg, while his chest was bruised, and he is suffering considerably from shock. Rev. Father Martindale sustained cuts on the face which bled profusely. Their car reached a corner leading to a declivity at Tamaliere, between Cambridge and Hamilton, Dr Cleary driving, when it collided with another ear driven by a farmer named A. E. Diseombo. Both of the vehicles were badly damaged. Diseombo and a passenger with him, Miss Hulme, also suffered cuts and abrasions. Dr Cleary and Father Martindale were attended by- a local doctor before their removal to hospital. The full effect of the accident on Dr Cleary will not bo known for some days.

FIRE AT ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE. WELLINGTON, July 22. Just before 3 a.m. on Sunday, the Fire Brigade were called to attend to a blaze in a two-floored seven-roomed wooden building in the-grounds of St. Patrick’s College, Cambridge Terrace. The building was used as a science laboratory,, a gymnsium, and a recreation hall. The science room, ,on the ground floor, and its contents, were severely damaged by fire and water, and the rest of tlio building and contents were damaged by heat and smoke. No insurances are available.

BOY THIEVES. CHRISTCHURCH, July 21. Three boys, aged 13), 14, and 15, years, entered into a series of escapades which brought them before the Children’s Court to-day. Tho charges wero of breaking and entering, and theft, involving £2l. Tho two elder boys in all were charged with six thefts, and the three of them with three. The two elder boys were committed to the care of the State, and. ordered to refund £2 8s 6d each as soon as possible after their release on license. The youngest boy was placed under the supervision of the Child "Welfare Officer for two years. Failure to control her son led to a .mother being robbed of a considerable portion of some money left her by her mother. The amount stolen was not disclosed, hut the evidence given in the Children’s Court to-day was that the hoy had taken all but £35. The hoy, who did not attend the 'Court as lie had promised, was committed to the care of tho State and a warrant was issued for his apprehension.