DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1929, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

FINGER. PRINT EVIDENCE. MAN CHARGED WITH FALSE PRETENCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association). INVERCARGILL, July 22. Finger prints formed an important part of the evidence against Henry Miller who came before the Court on charges of false pretences. Detective Hewitt stated that if it could be established that Miller was identical with Ellis, a man who was wanted, he would he sent to Auckland where, about one hundred charges of false pretences would be preferred against him. A Borstal officer gave evidence that lie took Miller’s finger prints and forwarded them to Wellington. Claude Francis, a finger print expert from headquarters, said that he identified finger prints signed “ Miller ” as identical with those of Percy Henry Ellis, whose finger prints had been previously taken on three occasions when he was in goal. There were also blue dots on the left wrist. At the request of Detective Hewitt, who said there were complaints against the man , all over ,the country, a remand was granted until Wednesday.

CANCELLATION OF WAR DEBTS. FIRST STEPS TOWARDS. -WORLD PEACE.; AUCKLAND, July ,22. “ Indebtedness to America is one of the greatest stumbling .blocks to world peace,” said the Hon IT. A. Atmore in a. speech at the annual dinner at the Commercial Travellers’ and Warehousemen’s Club. “Many nations olf Europe are rankling under the feeling that America has not played fair.” America lent ten billion dollars to the Allies, and was asking for it hack with ten millions dollars interest added from the nations which bore the heaviest burdens of the war. Even American writers had recently questioned the' wisdom of their own country’s attitude towards her debtors, and the moral principles involved in demanding payment in full. For 'fifteep months' after -America entered the war there was not a single American soldier in Europe. • During- that time she copL tinned to sell her goods to the combatants, 'and so piled up her profits l at !their expense. . •••' " 1

The Minister expressed tlife opinion' that general cancellation of inter-Allied! war debts would he the first real stop' towards world peace/ .' •- '

BOAT UPSET. MAN DROWNED IN MANAWATU • ' RIVER. PALMERSTON NORTH, July 22. A drowning accident occurred in. the Manawatu River to-day, Ronald Drummond, a married man with three children, losing his life. Drummond arid a mate, Walter Hosking, had been across the river in' a boat to attend to hawsers swinging across the river and used to haul a bucket for gravel to and fro. Drummond reached up to catch hold of the rope, upsetting the boat. Both men fell into the water, but managed to grasp the.swinging cable. HoslHng found he could touch the bottom, so walked out, Drummond who was a good swimmer, set out after the boat. He kept in sight for 150 yards, hut was not seen again.