DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1930, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

CUSTOM'S ACT. (By ’Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 31. A iSuppfiementary Gazette isnued this afternoon announces 'that the uoiCi'uor-Uciueral by Order-in-Coun-cil, acting with the advice and consent of the Executive Council has suspended the existing tariff (being the first schedule of the Customs Amendment Act, 1927), in sq- far as it relates to bran and pollard and in lieu’thereof exempts bran and pollard from duty under the British preferential tariff and general tariff. Nothing -in the |above Orciier-in-Council affects the provision of the Customs Act with respect to primage dti. v.

The Oder-in-Council comes into operation forthwith.

CHEMISTS INST IT UTE. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 31. The New Zealand branch of the Institute of Chemists, held the annual meeting to-day. Professor T. H. Easterfield, of the Uawthorn Institute, presiding, (dealt with the need of closer co-operation between manufacturer, agriculturalist and chemist. “If secondary' industries arc to be developed,” he said, “we must have a wider view and see thin s not only, from the chemical standpoint but from that of finance, and get the so-called business’ men of New Zeai Jand to understand that if he neglecL chemist principles, lie is going, to los-' thousands of [pounds annually. I have found surprising ignorance oi scientific facts among business men.” ARRESTED BANKRUPT’S CASE. WELLINGTON, January 30. At a further meeting of the creditors to-day of Bitters, the Lower Hutfc builder who was arrested recently at New Plymouth, where he was running a cabaret, Bitters was present .and made certain statements, but he refused to answer some of the questions asked. The meeting afterwards adjourned sine die, to enable the Official Assignee to obtain the bankrupt’s books, and prepare a statement of his position. TWO MAORI CHILDREN DROWNED HAWERA, January 30. While playing with "a. wooden trough in a dammed creek at Taiporoiicnui, about half a mile back from the road, two Maori children were drowned about noon to-day, when the trough capsized, and precipitated them into eight feet of muddy reed covered water. The children were both aged about 10 years. With others, the children were playing on the bank of a creek, when the two commenced to push a six' foot wooden i trough around the edge of the water. Howard Pokau got into the trough, and his companion gave it a push Timati reached out to pull the trough back, it. Both went headlong into- the water, with the clumsy craft on top of them. One of the Maori boys on the bank saw the pair in difficulties, and he raced down to the edge of the dam. Finding he could do nothin", the boy ran over to a farm about half a mile away, for assistance. The two children had disappeared by this time. The bodies were not found until nearly two hours later.

SHIP’S CAPTAIN ILL. NEW PLYMOUTH, Jan. 31. The illness of Captain A. T. Forsyth, of the Roosevelt Line steamer, “West Loquassuek,” 5.644 tons, caused a wireless to lie sent to Auckland stating the ship would put in there. The wireless informed the ship’s officers that the vessel could not cross tiie Manakau bar, so the West Loquassuek changed her course to New Plymouth, and arrived to-night. The Port Doctor found Captain Forsythe witli a high temperature and sent him to the hospital. His complaint is not yet made known, but his condition is apparently fairly serious.

A FIRE, NEW PLYMOUTH, Jan. 31. Fire caused heavy damage to seeds and other goods and 140 rolls of newsprint, the latter stored by the “Daily NL’nvs,” in a three-fitoried ' wooden building of the Farmers’ Co-operative Organisation Society to-night. The blaze was chiefly in the ton floor, and hurst through the roof. It was soon suppressed, hut the combined damage by fire, smoke and water is expected to be heavy. It is understood that tlie damage is to some extent covered by insurance. VITAL STATISTICS. DUNEDIN, Jan. 21. The following figures show the Dunedin vital statistics for the month ended to-day, the figures for the corresnonding period of last year being given in parenthesis: Births 147 (150), deaths 72 (74), marriages do (do). YACHTSMEN’S CON FEB ENCE. AUCKLAND, Jan. 31. The Dominion Conference of Yachtsmen to-night agreed to a remit, on the casting vote of the Chairman, that all boats taking part in the Sanders Cup contest he measured with outside steel moulds immediately prior to the contest It was agreed to approve the principle of the formation of a Dominion hod vto control all New Zealand Championships for sailing and power boat events.