DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1928, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association. CULLING DEER HERDS. WORK IN HIGH COUNTRY. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 17. Mr James Muir, who, with his brother, Mr R. Muir, and Mr L. i McLennan, has been engaged during r the past two months culling the deer herd in the Rakaia Gorge for the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, was in town this week and gave some particulars of the party’s operations. Practically all the inferior animals in the Rakaia Gorge have been killed, and all the animals shot were found in very good condition, an indication that there has been plenty of food. Last year the party shot on an average 90 per day on the snow. The weather being more severe than this year, the deer were forced to the lower levels. The biggest one day’s bag this yeai \ was 93. There being less snow on the higher country , this year, it has been more difficult to get big bags. In fact, one mob got over Whatcom be Pass to the West Coast. Since 1926. when the party started operations, approximately 4000 animals have been till they finished the Rakaia Gorge, killed. The party is now going to spend two months in the Wilberforce country and expects to bring the total up to nearly 4500. ■ Air Muir said that they found the , station managers at'Mount Algidus and Manuka Point very obliging. The members of the party carry with them a week’s supplies and when more stores are required they get them from the stations. trade commissioner.

INVESTIGATIONS IN STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. WELLINGTON. August 16. Advice lias been received from the Department of Overseas Irade, London, that Trade Commissioner Beale, having concluded his official visit to the United Kingdom, will leave on his return journey to New Zealand on August 18. He has been instructed to visit Singapore and Kuala Lumpui (Malaya) en route, with a view to conducting investigations into trade conditions and prospects in the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States. He will probably spend nearly three months in Malaya and reach New Zealand in early January. ‘ Mr Beale’s tour of Great Britain and Northern Ireland lias been most successful. He has been interviewed by some hundreds of manufacturers, lias visited a large number of works addressed numerous chambers of com*C-' - merce and other organisations. Whilst his efforts have been directed primarily towards developing and increasing ■ British export to New Zealand, he has also received a number of inquiries regarding New Zealand produce, and has. lost no opportunity of making known the highly favourable opinion which lie holds of this Dominion, of its economic possibilities, and of the excellence of its staple products.

PROVISION FOR CHILD. AUCKLAND. August-16. “ I’m not going to have this casual way parents have off leaving cliildieu about,” observed Judge Blair to-day. when Stanley David Bead nail, \\ hangarei, petitioned for divorce from Rita Beadnall.

The parties separated in 1925, hut on his return from Australia recently Beadnall was informed by his wife* that a child had been born of. which he was not the father. There was, however, one child of the marriage. “ What has happened to the latter child?” asked tlio Judge.

On being told that it was still wtf its mother, he adjourned the case, > there being an agreement that when the decree was granted provision should he embodied for the support of Beadnail’s child.

SNOW AT HANMER

HANMEIt SPRINGS, Aug. 16

Snow lias fallen to a \ depth of two inches here. It is reported that thex e are eight inches on the flats in the back country. The weather lias not cleared yet.

“MAUI POMARE” MISHAP. WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. News has been received in Wellington that the Government motor ship, .■ “Maui Pomnre,” hound from Niue { Samoa to Dunedin direct, has met with a mishap to her refrigerating plant, and is proceeding to Auckland, where she is expected on Monday. 'Hie vessel will leave her cargo of fruit at Aukland.

It is understood that a considerable quantity of the fruit has already suffered damage.

STORM DAMAGE, WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. Gangs were out in all directions yesterday repairing the damage done bv the storm, restoring electric circuits, clearing slips, fallen trees, etc, To-day everything is fairly normal ex-' cept for connection with the Hutt Valley.

The steam shovel has a- long task ahead in dealing with the big.slip on the Hutt Road, and only one-way traffic is possible. It looks as if there are many tons of loose rock still to come down, the railway deviation work having made a dangerous face to the cliff.

Many of the breaches in the railway were enlarged yesterday by the pounding seas. Estimates as to when the lines will be repaired vary widely. Some kind of service will doubtless be established on the inner set of rails perhaps within a week, but it will be long be--fore the double track is again in use. Private cars and other vehicles are assisting in transporting people l>3ck and forth from work. Trains only come as far as Petone, from whence buses, etc. have to lie used. There Is great lieartburning that holders of season tickets on the railways have to pay bus fares. Curiously enough, many people have failed to realise the extent of the railway dislocation. .They turned uji at Hutt Valley stations as usual, and were quite surprised to find there would he no trains to take them to Wellington.

DAIRY FARMERS TOUR. / WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. Towards the middle of October a party of between forty and fifty dairy > farmers from South Africa will arrive in New Zealand for the purpose of .making a complete tour of the Dominion. * The Department of Agriculture is arranging a suitable itinerary to enable them to see as much of farming in New Zealand as possible. It is expected that the visitors will be able to visit both the Royal Agricultural Show and the Manawatu A. and P. Show, to be held at Palmerston North at the end of October and early in November. . ,

DORPPED DEAD. WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. E. Josephs, a married man with five children, dropped dead to-day while painting a bathroom at the People’s Palace, Cuba Street. A workmate called him, and receiving no reply he tried the door, but found it locked (a Yale lock). Entrance was ultimately obtained through a window,