DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1929, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS.

NEW FISH HATCHERY' FOR OTAGO. (By Telegraph—Press Association). DUNEDIN, Jan. 29. After doing good service tor over 40 years, the Otago Acclimatisation Society’s fish hatcheries at Clinton are not now in a suitable condition to cope with the demands which the Society is forced to place upon it on account of the shortage of water in summer, and it has been found necessary to acquire new ground to work on. \\ ith this end in view the Society has purchased about 50 acres oi land at Waitati, about- two miles and a half up the valley from the station, and there a new lmtehery is to be built. Ibe contract has been let and at present the men are engaged in excavating the site of the building, it is hoped to have the hatchery working by the end of April and shortly after that it is probable that the Clinton department will he abandoned altogether. NO DISTILLERY. AUCKLAND, Jan. 29. Mr G. A. R. Cornish, the representative of a distillery firm at Leith, arrived hv the .Maungaiiui on his twentyfirst visit to the Dominion. He expressed surprise that New Zealand had not established distilleries fur the manufacture of whisky. He said that Australia was distilling 1,500,090 gallons annually and was approaching the. point whore she produced more than was imported. He said that the conditions were exceptionally favourable, almost rivalling those or New Zealand, where the climate "as cooler. SHI P’S ENG IXKER DROWNED AUCKLAND, Jan. 30. John Wheeler, aged about 56. married, employed as engineer on the steamer Kaipatiki, was found drowned at Rivorhead early this morning. The- Kaipatiki was lying at Rivorhead wharf, and when Wheeler was discovered to be missing, dragging operations were commenced, the hotly being recovered almost immediately. BOARDING HOUSE FIRE. DUNEDIN, Jan. 30. At 3.45 this morning, Mrs Kyle’s hoarding house at Brighton was totally destroyed by fire, and all the personal belongings of the occupants were lost. Yesterday morning some lighted paper fell from- the range, setting fire to the mat and floor. It was thought tin was put out, hut it must have smouldered, blazing up again during the night. No hoarders were in the house at the time, and the occupants win were sleeping on the top lloor had to escape by the fire escape. The building and contents were covered by a policy of £I4OO with the Northern Office and there was £65 on a piano.

•WOMEN UNIVERSITY OFFICERS. CHRISTCHURCH. January 31. At the conference of the New Zealand Federation of University Women, the following officers were elected:— President, Miss M. E. Sims; vice-presi-dents, Dr Hilda Xurthcrol't and Miss A. F. M. Candy; secretary. Miss A. F. Ironside; treasurer, Mrs B. C. Penney; Chairman of the Committee of International Relations, Miss Candy. ATTEMPT TO-MORROW. BLENHEIM, January 31. Miss Copplestoiie is going down the Sound to-day, preparatory if the opportunity offers, of making an ofiort to swim Cook Strait to-morrow morning. A LIFT ACCIDENT. AUCKLAND. January 31.

A lift at tho warehouse of Brown Barrett Ltd. in Customs street fell the height of 'three floors this morning. Five people were in the lift going to the top floor. A lad named Dalmain got out at the second floor to get his apron. He walked to the third floor and was horrified to see the lift rushing down the lift well. The lilt crashed to the basement where the occupants were released. All four were taken to the hospital. H. Plank, of Onehunga, an elderly man. had both ankles broken and hack injured. Of three girls in the lift Miss D. Scott and .Miss \\ . Keller both had their right ankle broken. Miss Godde.s sustained sprained ankle. Ail inspection of the lilt showed that the rope had not broken. Apparently u pin holding a vertical rack against the cogwheel had broken or come out, with the result that the drum upon which the wire rope is wound, revolved at a great pace.

MOTOR ACCIDENT

PALMERSTON N.. Jan. 31

Thomas O’Donnel, aged 35, who was seriously injured in a motor accident on the evening ot January 23rd, died at the hospital this morning. A car driven by deceased’s brother met another on the roadway near Shannon and a collision occurred. O’Donnell’s car falling down a hank thirty feet. Deceased was the only one ol four occupants to be injured.