DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1930, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS.

AN IMPOSING BUILDING. ,By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, December 11. Plans for the new Dunedin Central post office are being completed by the architects of the Public Works Department, and it is expected that tenders will be called for the election of the building either this month or early in January. When completed the building will be one of the most outstanding of its kind in New Zealand. Facing Bond Street, the new post office will be nine storeys high on that frontage, and will run through to Princes Street, where it will be eight storeys high. It will occupy the whole block bounded by these streets and Liverpool and Tater Streets. SOLICITOR’S THEFTS. WANGANUI, December 15. Seven charges of theft, involving misappropriations totalling over eighteen hundred sterling, were admitted by Frank Rabian Wills, solicitor, of Wanganui, doing business unuer the name of Slipper and Wills, when the accused appeared before Mr J. H. Salman, SAL, at the Magistrate’s Oouit to-day. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence on Thursday, bail being granted in accused’s recognisance of £SOO and two securities each of £250. An examination of the’ accused’s books revealed that the principal methods adopted were to credit a “dummy” account. In addition, several receipts . were issued and omitted from the books. COUNTY RETRENCHMENT. TE AR-OHA, December 15. Piako County Council which lias already reduced its staff and administrative costs well below those of neighbouring counties, decided on further economies when the wages and salaries were reduced all Hound. The casual workers’ rates were reduced from 14s fid to 14s; those of the foremen and. others (getting 17s 2d per day) to 16s; and the engineering and clerical staff were reduced 10 per cent. The Chairman foregoes the honorarium, and the their travelling expenses for three months. ...

RAILWAY CONCESSIONS. WORKERS; OBJECT. DU N EDIN; December 15. The following resolution was carried at a meeting '.of the Hilside branch of the A.S.R’.S. : “That this meeting emphatically’ ‘protests against the action of the Government in again granting to the fanners free railage on lime, and unpayable rates on fertilizers ancl farm produce. We are of opinion that this phlnpered ’class has been spoon fed too long at the expense of the general taxpayers, and that, all concessions. farmers should be withdrawn until a higher standard of living is received by the wage earners.

; THE RADIO-PHONE. WELLINGTON, December 15. In reference to the opening of-the New Zenland-London radio telephone service, the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department (Mr McNamara) stated that the cabled date was only tentative.. At the. present time, transmission at Sydeny was causing some trouble, and although they had been able to get through jpnee or twice, no definite date could bo fixed until the service had given complete satisfaction. With a little luck, , they might be able to open the service on December -19.

SIX MONTHS’ FOR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN. - : - •■■■ CHRISTCHURCH, December 14. John Petlev, a bush mortgaged fortythree years, was sentenced' to . six months’ imprisonment with hard labour by Mr E. ,D. Mosley, S.M.,- in the Magistrate’! Court, on a ebarke of failure to maintain his five children under ait order made at Auckland in 1925. On. a further charge of being in a .state of helpless drunkenness in Holy Street. Cheviot, be was ordered to pay medical expenses, in default seven day’s imprisonment.

NOTED MAN’S DEATH. GISBORNE, December 15. Obituary.—Cecil Albert Delautoui, aged 85, one of Gisborne’s earliest citizens and lor a time Mayor oi the town. Delautour arrived in Auckland in 1863 and went to Central Otago where he engaged in pastoral pursuits and jouinsilism, becoming editor and part proprietor of the “Mount Ida Chionkle. He was elected to the Provincial Council in 1847, which sat till the abolition of the provinces from 1867 till 1884. He represented Mount Ida in the House of Representatives, subsequently removing to the North Island and open” jng a legal practice at Gisborne, which he maintained for many years. He occupied many public offices, including the presidency of the North Island Freezing Works Association.