DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1928, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) ; FOUND SHOT. INVERCARGILL, Aug. 23. Shortly after noon to-day, a young man, Cleave Gerard, a farmer, single, aged 23, was found lying unconscious in a stable on his farm at Southhillend with a bullet wound in his head. Lying beside him was a .22 repeating rifle containing a spent cartridge. He was brought to the Southland Hospital, where lie lies in a serious condition. BANKRUPT SOLICITOR. CHRISTCHURCH, August 24. A petition to declare J. B. Batchelor, a solicitor, bankrupt was lodged in the Supremo Court yesterday. FLASHLIGHT ACCIDENT. CHRISTCHURCH, August 24. William McKaskell, photographer, when taking a flashlight photograph at the Winter Show last night, was burnt 011 the face owing to the premature explosion of the apparatus. He was hospi tailed but it is not serious. POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE. WELLINGTON. August 24. The New Zealand Political Reform League has been holding a conference this week at which Mr Coates and most of the Ministers delivered addresses. A number of remits were considered, some of which were sent on to the Dominion executive for consideration and action. Members affirmed their continued confidence in Mr Coates and his government, and expressed the conviction that they would win through at tho coming election. SU F FER ED E LECTR TC S FIOCK. CHRISTCHURCH. August 21. It is reported that a shock ol 33,009 volts was received by Balfour Marshall, an employee, of the Public Works Department, when he was working at the switch station at Taitapu. Marshall is a member of tho Christchurch football chili and it is believed that his physical fitness enabled him to fight successfully against the effects of the shock. He is making very satisfactory progress. LAUNCH DISASTER AT WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, Aug. 23.

A search for the missing men, Harry Brown, aged 53, married, with no children, aiVd Alexander Brown, aged 18 years, married with four children—continued until dark. No trace of the men was seen, hut much wreckage of the launch and a battered hulk were d is cove red. The cause of the disaster seems to have been the stoppage of the engine. The boat, capsized in heavy seas. The two men were farmers, who did fishing in winter. CYCLONE AT NEW PLYMOUTH NEW PLYMOUTH, Aug. 23. A cyclone, said to have been accompanied by lightning, was responsible for a startling disturbance in town tonight A shed was blown bodily across 3 foies worth Street and scattered about the residence of Mr Bocock. A mass of about 50 light wires was blown down in front of Rocock’s house, which was damaged,.windows being blown in, and glnlss scattered across the room in which the family sat. No one was seriously hurt though they were greatly startled. The disturbance was purely local, though there was an electrical storm over the town, with a heavy downpour of rain. STORM DAMAGE. NEW PLYMOUTH, August 24. In addition to the damage already recorded; last night’s storm unroofed four out of eight shops in course ol erection in Devon Street for Mr Muir, of Feilding. The iron covering seems to have been sucked off by the wind, and the wooden rafters were smashed into matchwood. Other shops escaped, but a double chimney of an adjoining boardinghouse was blown off, and the roof damaged. CUSTOMS REVENUE. WELLINGTON, Aug. 22.

The Customs and Excise Duty returns for New Zealand during the quarter ended June 39th, 1928, and piuWished in to-night’s Gazette. The total customs returns for the four main centres, with the figures in parentheses for corresponding period of 1927, are: Auckland £444,334 (£603,360); Wellington £568,582 (£684,584); Lyttelton £230,760 (£315,216); Dunedin £162,£351 (£225,053). The total customs revenue for the whole of the Dominion was £1,610,493, compared with £2.138,9(2 in the pieced ing year. The excise duty totals, with the figures for the .corresponding period of 1927 in parentheses are: —Auckland £40,707 (£36.919) ; Wellington £23,791 (£20,827); Lyttelton £24,599 (£26,547); Dunedin £45,636 (£36,277). The total excises revenue for the Dominion was £195,966, compared "ith £177,436 in the same quarter in the previous year.

NEWSPAPER OFFICE BURNT. DUNEDIN, Aug. 24

The County Press newspaper office at AtTowtown was destroyed by fire last night.

A DOCTOR’S VIEWS. DUNEDIN, August 24

At a meeting of the Hospital Board, Doctor Lyth (Medical Director of Tuberculosis Institutions) commenting on the Inquiry Committee’s report, stated that the policy of retaining patients longer than the period originally intended was forced on superintendents by the unsatisfactory results of brief educational treatment. The average stay of patients at Pleasant Valiev was more than double that in 1812, and the result had been gratifying in reducing relapses. The Committee, in his opinion, was too optimistic about the possibilties of home treatment.

TECHNICAL COLLEGES. . WELLINGTON, August 24. A clear assurance that Technical College Boards need have no far and regard to the future of the Government Fn relation to post-primary education, was given by the .Minister of Education (Hon. R. A. Wright) in replying to a deputation from the technical Schools Association Conference to-day. He said a report on the subject was being prepared. He showed how suggested changes could he made but he had no idea of the contents. me Minister was quite satisfied that large technical schools had nothing to tear. The Government would not dream o scrapping of large buildings and equipment. He thought some districts might he served better bv technical schools for post-primary education. ESCAPE FROM FIRE. GISBORNE, August 24. .Mr and Mrs L. Wyllie, escaped from their house in Cohden Street m their flight, attire, when the building uas discovered in flames early this mornintT. Nothing has been saved. INCOME TAX RETURNS. WELLINGTON, Aug. 24. Eric Albert * Algar. a builder was fined £5 to-day for failing to make an income tax return. Warncs and Stephenson, printers, were fined £lO for not furnishing a return in 1926 and £5 for 1927. Reginald John Foss, schoolmaster of Levin, was fined the minimum, £2, for not furnishing a return for 1928.