DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1930, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS.

AfUNICIPAL FINANCE

POSITION AT DUNEDIN

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

DUNEDIN September 18. Discussing the Town Clerk’s annual report, tlie chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee, whilst stating u.nt the finances of the city were sound, referred to the enormous growth on the expenditure side, and the great increase in the amount of the debt. The speaker urged a cessation of borrowing for some years, and stated that lie believed a reduction could be made in the rates. In consideration of the financial position of the community, the council should reduce the rates next year and bring them to the level of ten years ago.

PRISONER ESCAPES. NAPIER, September 18. A prisoner at the Tokaanu prison camp named Thomas Douglas Forsyth, aged twenty-three years, escaped on Wednesday night and set off in the direction of Nanier on a stolen motorcycle. Forsyth was traced as far as Taiipo, where the machine was found broken down. Up to to-night the police had not found the escapee. DENTAL ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Dental Association elected the following central executive:— President, Air D. V. Donaldson (Christchurch) . vice-president and president-elect, Dr Morpeth (Wellington) ; chairman of the executive council, Air AL Paulin (Wellington) ; treasurer, Air At. D. McGoun (Wellington); secretary, Air At. 15. Denniston). The next conference will he held at Dunedin. MEDICAL CON KEREN OE. VISITORS FRO AT ABROAD. GISBORNE, Sept. 10. Among the distinguished visitors, who will attend the annual conference of the British Aledical Association in New Zealand, to he held in February in Gisborne, will he Dr JBright Bannister, M.D., F.R.C.S., ■ ot London, and Dr Swift, of Seattle. Air Bannister, who will he the official representative (of the 8.M.A., England, is an eminent gynaecologist attached to Queen Charlotte’s Hospital. London. At the recent Congress of the 8.A1.A. held at AVinnipeg he was chosen to lead the discussion on .gynaecology. Dr Swift, of Seattle, is a noted -brain surgeon, who has made important contributions to the study of his principal subject.

EARTHQUAKE

WELLINGTON, September 20. At 4.52 this morning, an earthquake was felt which lasted several seconds, but it was hot of sufficient intensity to cause any damage. Seismological records at the Observatory show the origin approximately 90 miles north or north-west, and that there was distinct tilt in the ground to the north-east. MASKED MAN ARRESTED. AUCKLAND, September 19. Shortly before midnight, a masked man was arrested in the doorway of a, shop in Karangahape Road. A, night watchman making his rounds, disoov,o v o'i that a window in the front door "iyas smashed. He called the police, and while searching for the telephone, lie ; saw a man in the doorwav. Later, in the morning, Patrick Gunn, 35,. was charged with,., attempting to break and enter an office with intent to commit a crime. He was remanded, bail being refused, the chief detective saying that accused was an habitual criminal out on license. GISBORNE, SENTENCES. GISIWWNE, September 29. At the Police Court, Ernest Paul Crombie, who pleaded guilty to an attempt to victimise shop-keepers by false presences, was sentenced to two years’ reformative detention. 'William Frank Perfect, who pleaded guilty to two charges of issuing valueless cheques, was sentenced to two Years’ reformative detention.

PETONE MOTOR COLLISION. WELLINGTON, September 20. The victim of the Petone motor collision last night was Marco Humphrey. The accident was a head-on collision between a motor-cycle and a five-seat-er car and occurred near the Petone railway crossing, seven miles from "the city shortly before 11 p.m. on Friday. A young woman, who was injured, having been riding on the pillion was his sister-in-law, Mrs Humphrey. The car driver, named Orr, is a railway porter and his two companions were railway porters. A report that Orr was arrested was not correct.

FISHERMAN DROWNED GISBORNE, Sept. 21. When returning to shore after laying fishing lines off Kait-i beach this morning, a dinghy containing three men capsized in the breakers. One of the occupants, Roy Pearson, seventeen years of age, single was drowned. I