DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 June 1921, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) | RUAHINE REGIMENT. I MASTERTON, June 26. IGeneral Chaytor who was a visitor to Masterton during the week end, attended a dinner on Saturday as a mark of the disbandment of the Ruahine regiment. On Sunday he was present at the consecration of the regimental flags at St. Matthews, when Archdeacon Watson officiated. The flags were placed in safe keeping m the Church, and many old officers of the regiment were present. KILLED BY TRAMCAR. AUCKLAND, June 26. A visitor from Wanganui, Air. Armstrong Newburn, of the boot-import-ing firm of Newburn and Crichton, Waimanui, was knocked down by a tram 3 car in Queen Street about 5 30’ yesternight, dying a few minutes later. He was a married man, aged 59, with no children. Death was the result of internal hemorrhage. Deceased was one of prominent members of the IMuidb lod<m in New Zealand, and a few years ago occupied the positron of Past Grand President. RELIEF WORKS PAY. WELLLINGTON, June 24.—Air G. Mitchell, ALP., recently wrote to the Acting Prime Minister suggesting that instead''of the present flat rate on relief works of 10s per day for single and 12> for married men, all tho wives of married men should be paid 2s per day for the maintenance of themselves and Is per day for each child under sixteen years. To this ' Sir Francis Bell has replied that he will submit the question to Cabinet at an early date, but in anticipation, “may point out that we could hardly pay £1 2s per day to a man with 10 children under sixteen. If any scale were provided of increased pay per child where there are children dependant, the increase must cease at a certain number.”

BARQUE ON ROCKS. AV ELLINGTON, This Day.—The wellknown barque Rona went on the rocks of the Steeples, a jagged rock inside Pencarrow Heads, just under Fort Dorset, about 11 o’clock last night. The Rona, which was under the command of Captain Airey, was apparently in trouble before entering the Heads, and was seen to become almost unmanageable. She was yawing about on a heavy sea that was making up, caused by the heavy southerly that came up suddenly. The barque appeared to be sailing a zig-zag course when outside the Heads, and came through the entrance safely. After apparently drifting in the channel, she struck the Steeples, bow on. Soon after the vessel struck, tugs proceeded from the port, one of them holding the barque firmly by a line,- preventing her grounding. Early this morning the tugs reported that they were still holding the vessel safely. X\ hen the vessel struck, there was some trouble about signalling. Every effort was made to get into communication with those on board, but apparently the latter, aimed only with a small electric torch, could not make the signals clear to the earnest watchers. An officer on the Komata stated that when abreast of Pencarrow lighthouse, those on board noticed a dim light from the Rona. They believed it to be some sort of distress signal. The Komata was very close but failed to* get a satisfactory answer from those on the Rona. It was thought possible that the steering gear had got temporarily out of order, for in passing the Komata nearly collided with the barque.

Efforts proving futile, the Komata continued her voyage to Wellington. The principal light-keeper at Pencarrow got into communication with the signal station and the harbour authorities as soon as he saw the Rona was in trouble. He also communicated with the officer in charge at Fort Dorset. Alen were turned out immediately and had a searchlight sweeping the vicinity round about the fort. Shortly after twelve they located the b.'U’que, and the tug Pelican arrived, made a. cable fast to the floundering vessel’s stern, and was then able to hold the ship from drifting round. The barque was about three hundred yards from the shore and had an anchor out. It was ascertained that she is held fast by the jagged rock at tho stern, and libs begun to list towards tho shore. The Rona ha<4 eleven hundred tons of coal aboard, and was proceeding from Newcastle to Wellington.