DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1928, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Ppr Press Association.), A WOMAN’S LAPSE. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 28. When a young married woman appeared before Mr Mosley, S.M., on a theft charge, Chief Detective Carroll described the case as a most pitiful one. Accused admitted taking a five pound note from the house of a relative. The Chief Detective said accused and her husband have been living and supporting their baby on 'charitable aid. She took it only because she was really up against it. Exercising his powers under the - Offenders Probation Act, the Magistrate dismissed the case, a refund of the money being ordered. - THE CABINET. ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIOS. WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. An announcement affecting the allocation of Ministerial portfolios was made by tile Prime Minister to-day. The Governor-General has accepted the resignations of the Hon Mr Nosworth.v. Minister for External Affairs, and the Hon. Anderson, Minister for Marine, and has appointed Mr Coates Minister for External Affairs and Sir Maui Pomare Minister for Internal Affairs.

Tli-o appointment of the Prime Minister as Minister for External Affairs is in accordance with the announcement made some months ago. Sir Maui Pomare has been acting as Minister for Internal Affairs practically since the death of the Hon Mr Bollard, and the Hon Mr Bollard, and the Hon Sir Francis Bell has been acting Minister for Marine since Mr Anderson’s departure for England last year.

"SINS OF THE CHURCHES." INORDINATE LOVE OF -MONEY. AUCKLAND, August 27. “In many cases the churches are’ worshipping Mammon, and if you have £IO,OOO a year you can have any church office you like so long as your life has not been startlingly un-Christian,” said the Rev. J. F. .Tones, of the United Evangelical Church, in an address last evening on “Some Sins of Auckland Churches.”

The speaker prefaced his remarks with the intimation that he intended neither to pour -vitriol on the ministry nor to belittle the work of the churches in grappling with sin. The sins of the city were only too obvious, but he said liis indictment would be confined in n constructive sense to the sins of the elm relies.

“The one great sin r.'f the churches is their inordinate love of money,” said Mr Jones. “In some churches wo find n minister receiving £BOO or £IOOO a year, while another man in the same denomination gets £l5O or £2OO, with which to keep a family and help those about him.” 'Phe churches often boasted of the financial success of the year and laid no stress on the spiritual progress. “It is a disgrace that we should, when there is money, forget to consider character,” he said.

The speaker referred to- the vulgar display in the erection of very expensive churches when the mission field was parsimoniously treated. There was a lack of peal in many church activities. If only the church was loyal and consistent it would have a tremendous power in this sinful generation. “Wo must clean up our own hackdoors before wo commence to talk about the sins of the people,” be declared.

PETROL DUTY. SUBSTANTIAL REFUNDS PAID. WELLINGTON. August 27. When Parliament passed the 4d duty on petrol to provide funds for road improvement spocifie provision was made for exemption from the impost of petrol used for purposes other than as fuel for motor vehicles using the roads. This exempted farming engines, launches, etc., whose owners were required to make application for a refund of duty. The inquiries of the Hon. K. S. Williams show that these refunds have been quite substantial. Tip till August, 15 applications for refunds bad been made by (>517 persons, and refunds hurl been, authorised to 4923, the sums involved being as fol-

-March quarter 1L.318 Juno quarter 8,888 Inquiries are still being pursued regarding 440 claims. The Minister added: “ No doubt the reduced number of claims for refund in tlie June quarter can be accounted for by the fact that a number of pleasure launches and milking machines would not he in use during thnt period.”

MORE PAY FOR POLICE. WELLINGTON, August 26. The Minister of Justice (Hon. F. J. Rolleston) announced that it had been decided by Cabinet to increase tile pay of sergeants and constables in all branches of the Police Force of the Dominion by Is per day. Allowances to all ranks in the detective branch have now been placed on an equal scale of 3s per day. Act-ing-detectives will receive an allowance <>f Is (id per clay and plain clothes constables in the detective office Is per day in lieu of uniform. This increase is necessary to retain in and attract to the force men with the high qualifications necessary for the position and it may also be taken as recognition of the good work done for the community by those now in the service.

An increase will also be made to superintendents, inspectors and subinspectors. The question of amending the law in regard to superannuation as it affects the police force is also under consideration by Cabinet.

THEFT FROM LETTERS. WELLINGTON, August 28. A postman, Henry Edward Roberts, aegd 21, who was arrested yesterday on a charge of having stolen a letter containing £2, the property of the Postmaster-General, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. Chief Detective Ward asked that Roberts he remanded until Friday, saying that “ as far as he knew there would be five charges.” Mr Bell, counsel for defendant, said lie thought Roberts would plead guilty to the allegations. The amount involved in the five charges would not be more than £o. Roberts was remanded on hail to i Friday. Suppression of his name was j refused. F A NEW ASSOCIATION.

WELLINGTON, Auguts 28 The Provisional Committee of the New Zealand’s Association have met regularly since their appointment at a recent meeting of native-horn New Zealanders. At the last meeting, the honorary organiser reported that upwards of 400 men and women born in New Zealand had signified their intention of becoming members. The committee has drawn up a constitu- . tion. The committee has decided to - recommend that each applicant for ( membership must have been born in New Zealand, or on the voyage to New j Zealand of his or her parents, and j £ that the annual subscription be os for j 0 adults and 2s fid for members under 1 p 21 years of age. > 2

The first of the proposed objects of the Association rends as follows:—“To honour and perpetuate the memory of the old pioneers who—in the face of difficulties and hardships that to the present generation seem to have been almost insurmountable—so well and so truly laid the foundation of New Zeaof New Zealand as it is to-day.” The Committee will recommend that the Association do not affiliate with the New Zealand Natives’ Association, owing to the constitution of the latter permitting other than native-born New Zealanders to become members.