DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 September 1929, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS.

RESERVED DECISION. (By Telegraph—Press Association). WELLINGTON, Sept, 4. The Chief Justice gave judgment to-day in the Chatham islands case, Santas v, Piri Pomare. His Honour said ho had carefully considered each and. every item in the particulars contained in the statement of claim and, also the representation made by both counsel and had come to the conclusion that plaintiff ought to have £510,. it being agreed she should take back the tea and coffee set and diamond ear-rings. In fixing the amount he had taken into consideration. the question of costs, and the judgment was without costs. LONG-DISTANCE TELEPHONE CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, Sep. 2. To mark the great advance which has been made in telephonic communication it is the intention of the Postmaster-General to hold, for the first time -in New Zealand, a long distance telephonic conference, which will be presided over by him in Wellington and which will be attended at the respective centres by mayors and presidents of the Chambers of Commerce of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, This event will be one of considerable interest to business and the private community, and indicates the great ■ strides that are being made in connection with the art of communication. The Postmaster-General will address the gathering, and short speeches will fie exchanged. The conference will Lake place at 11 a.m. on Thursday. ' UNCUSTOMED GOODS. AUCKLAND, September 2. William Henry Brickley, a city greengrocer, charged with being unlawfully in possession of uncustomed goods, was fined £25 and the goods were aonfiscated. He said that he bought the goods from a sailor for £8 and had no knowledge that they were uncustomed. CREW’S STRENUOUS FIGHT. AUCKLAND, Sept. 2. The steamer Pakipaki, which arrived to-day, had an outbreak of fire while loading at New York. The blaze started in the forepeak amongst stores of paint, varnish, etc. The crew worked at some risk owing to the danger of drums of oil stacked against the bulkheads exploding. The drums were got out without misadventure ,and the cv?w fought the fire till it was under control, although water continued to . rise all round them. There was six feet of water Ln. Nos. .1. and; 2 holds .and the fore-, peak was full. The cargo damage was assessed and the goods reloaded. On August 20 the Pakipaki encountered a cyclone and very stormy conditions continued for two weeks. MOTOR CYCLIST AWARDED DAAIAGES. INVER CAR GILL, Sept. 2, Air Justice Kennedy to-day awarded Colin Janies Nicholson, who was injured while motor-cycling, £322 damages against Jabez Lyons, who was towing a disabled car. Kis Honor held that there had been negligence by the driver of the towing c-ar, but no negligence on the part of the driver of the towed ear. OBITUARY. WELLINGTON, September 5Obituary.—P. G. Burgoyne, a wine pioneer. WESTPORT DAMAGE. AIAYOR’S ESTIAIATE. WESTPORT, Sept. 4. The Atayor, Air Hark ness, reporting to the Borough Council this evening on the deputation to AYellington re the earthquake damage, stated that when the deputation met the Prime Minister the amount of the damage given was £2600, but a discovery of further breakages in the sewers, etc., had raised the estimate to £3OOO. Residents of Westport were required to pay increased rates this year and the deputation hoped the Prime Alinister would see his way to grant the amount asked for., WATERSTDER. HEAVILY FINED. NEW PLYATOUTH, Sept. 4. A fine of £SO was imposed on Roy Bttward Hayes, a waterside worker, for being in possession of uncustomed goods, a roll of cloth valued at £22 15s, the property of the New Zealand Shipping Coy. The evidence was that the cloth was part of a consignment pillaged from the steamer Hororata at New Plymouth. A constable and the Customs Collector visited Hayes’ lodgings and discovered the roll under his pillow: ■ In Court Hayes told a 'storv of meeting two travellers in a car and buying the roll from them. ALLEGED BREACH OF GAMING ACT. Sept. 4. In the Police Court this morning, Thomas Harold Brewer, taxi driver, was charged with keeping a common gaming house, and also with carrying on business as a bookmaker. Accused pleaded not guilty to both charges, and on the second charge elected to lie dealt with by a jury. After hearing evidence for the prosecution, the Magistrate said he was satisfied that a prini'a facie case had

been made out, and on the charge of bookmaking lie committed accused for trial at the next session of the Supreme Court. The charge of keeping a common gaming house was adjourned till after the next sitting of the Supreme Court. AI AN ACER’S THEFT. BLENHEIM, Sept. 4. At tho Alagistratc’s 001114;, Frederick ,Harold Warren was charged that at Waipata on the 17th February, 1927, lie received £l2 18s 6d on terms requiring him to account for the same to White and Coy and that he fraudulently failed to so account, and committed theft. Accused pleaded guilty. The evidence showed ho (bought a suit from a traveller, and allowed him to take out the price in a tyre and petrol, accused at the time being manager for White and Coy. He also took an old .Ford cylinder from the scrap heap and sold it. Accused was admitted to probation for two years, and ordered to refund £l2 18s 6d and pay the costs. FAILURE TO AIAKE RETURNS. BLENHEIM, Sept. 4. For failure to make returns of land, George Faiton was finecl £29 and costs, and Thom l’ikc, on a similar charge, was false fined £2, with costs. Both defendants had paid each year the tax assessed by tho Department. THEFT OF RABBIT SKINS. BLENHEIM, Sept. 4. Alexander. Colin Busehle was convicted of theft of 400 rabbit skins, tho property of Clarence Claud Haines, and was admitted to probation for two years, and ordered to make restitution at the rate of £4 a month, and to pay the costs of the prosecution. N.Z. CLAIM RIDICULED. N.Z. AIINE DEPARTMENT VIEWS. WELLINGTON, -Sept. 4. The story of the transmutation of base metals to gold was referred to by' Dr Alarsden, Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and also by Professor Flovance, both of whom take it the reverse of seriously. Dr Marsdcn says that the Alines Department knows nothing about it, so that if the matter has been brought before the Government, as has been stated, it must have been brought through some other channel. Alessrs; Aston and Atack were not known to the Department as research workers. “It might be done,’’ concluded Dr Alarsden, “but it would not be an economic process.” He would be surprised indeed if there weic anything in : tlie/fstory.