CLUTHA NEWS ITEMS.

Bruce Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 67, 27 August 1917, Page 4

CLUTHA NEWS ITEMS.

(Prom Clutha Leader. The annual examination of the Balclutha District High School by ■ the Otago Education Board's inspectors -will take place in the course of a week or so. Magistrate Acheson, in imposing a fine-"of 50s against a defendant at the Magistrate's Court, 'Balclutha, on Wednesday for exposing lice-infested sheep for sale, stated that he intimated, ou the previous'court day that he considered the offence a serious one and intended to increase the fines. He intended to go on increasing the fines until -the maximum was reached. . Miss May Bishop (Balclutha), when .playing in a hockey match at Dunediu recently, was unfortunate enough to ■have one of her knees rather severely injured. The extent of the injury is not yet definitely known, but Miss Bishop will be confined to her bed for about another fortnight. A troopship conveying SSI returned New Zealand soldiers arrived at Auckland on Wednesday, the following district men being aboard: —David Jones, gardener, Balclutha; Lanee-eorporal "Robert Clarence McLeod, blacksmith, Lawrence; Corporal James Miller, bushman, Catllns; Percy Walker, gardener, Stirling; and James Williamson, cheesemaker, Ratanui. Private Jones was wounded recently in the buttock during an engagement in France. The men came south "by steamer on Wednesday evening. The latest authoritative information from Sydney shows that industrial affairs are 'chaotic (states the Star's Wellington correspondent). Nearly all of, the principal industries and associated activities have been thrown into idleness. There is no truth whatever in Numerous rumours as to martial law, the. .use of machine guns and violence. I-am informed on dependable authority •that so far there has been no sanguinary conflict between the strikers and the administrative authorities, but the. industries of the Commonwealth are practically paralysed. At the conclusion of the opossum'case at "the Balclutha Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, counsel for defendant (Mr' W.. Hay, 'Dunedin)' asked the magistrate (Mr Acheson) if the skins would be returned to defendant. Mr Cooke (informant's counsel) said that an application for. the return of the skins should be made in proper form and it would'.'"be considered by the Govemor-in-Council. His Worship unofficially gave it as his opinion that "the skins must be returned, stating; that it was the duty of the police to put the skins in the place they. took, them from. The magistrate jocularly remarked that, the skins could hardly, however, be returned to -defendant, as the evidence showed that they belonged to his children." •Mr Isitt (member for Christchurch North),, when criticising the Financial Statement, severely censured the drink .traffic, and the abolition of Hvhich," he claimed. would ' save £2,000,000 per annum to the Dominion. . At the close of his speech Mr Isitt, claiming a desire to aid the National Government by augmenting the funds at its disposal, moved an amendment in the direction that increased duties' be imposed on beer and spirits. Mr ' 'Craagie seconded the .'amendment. The mdving of Mr Isitt's amendment was like a bolt from the blue to both the Government and the House, the member, for Christchurch North having carefully kept his secret. The Prime Minister'implored members to leave the amendment to the voices, and if a division was called for to reject it, as it would place the Finance Minister in a very awiward-position when he introduced- his Taxation Bill. In moving his amendment Mr Isitt pointed out that •he was not animated by a desire to place the Government in an unpleasant position, but to impress upon it. the necessity-for. taxation in the direction indicated.- When; the amendment was put the voting appeared to be about equal, the voices of its supporters being a trifle stronger in' volume. . There was a state of tension in the air for a moment, but Mr Isitt indicated that he did not desire to call for a division, and the Speaker declared the amendment lost oa the voices.