DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1925, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

(Per Press Association.) TIMARU HARBOUR.. v . TBIA.RU,,August 28. Thb Harbour Board decidetl to-day to ask R. W. Holmes and Son, Wydlingtoiq to report as to the best method of further improving Timaru harbour. DRATH ■; Christchurch,, iAugust 28. ' A married woman, Anne J ane V idulich, of 'Jackson’s Road, Lyttelton, aged 60, was attending the Farmers’ Co-op. saleyards in St. Asaph Street, when she collapsed Snortly after midday. She apparently died instantly. CANTERBURY’S RAINFALL. CHRISTCHURCH ,August 28. Broken weather continues. So far this month the rainfall represents a total of 5.785 inches, and the figures for the portion of the year from January shoiV a correspondingly great over-abundance. For that period- the rainfall was 25.024 inches, which is 10.869 inches -above what fell in the corresponding period lase year. RATANA’S CHURCH. WELLINGTON, Aug. 29. It is rumoured that power of officiating as ministers ot religion has been granted to fourteen apostles of Ratana’s'. church. The Registrar General, in reply to queries on the subject which gives power to these ministers to perform the marriage service and officiate at funerals, stated that there was nothing under the law to prevent it. HOSPITAL LEVIES. OAMARU, August 28. After a heated discussion at the meeting of the Waitaki County Council to-day, on hospital expenditure, it was resolved, on the motion of the Chairman, that steps be taken to have the existing Act amended to provide that, in the event of a Council being dissatisfied with the proposed capital expenditure, a poll of the ratepayers shall bi made compulsory.

SUPREME COURT. CHRISTCHURCH, August 28. At the Supreme Court to-day, Walter Ernest Richards was acquitted on a charge of unlawful carnal knowledge, and Francis Harper on a charge of wilful exposure. George Edward Wilkins and John Evans were admitted to probation on a charge of breaking and entering, and an accomplice, Horace Hartman, was remanded for sentence. Alfred James Lambert was remanded for sentence on a theft charge. ART UNION FRAUD. WELLINGTON, Aug. 29. Speaking to a deputation re art unions, Hon. Mr Bollard said that the privilege had been abused and gave some instances. In one case, a man got a permit to hold ah art union for the benefit of a person dying of

cancer at Island Bay, Wellington. This person actually received £74, but the secretary disappeared, and the authorities were looking for him. He got away with a considerable sum of money and the model of a ship that was being raffled. MAN DROWNED. TE AWAMUTU, August 29. • A drowning fatality occurred yesterday afternoon, Henry Thom, aged about forty, an inmate of the Mental Hospital at Tokanui, losing his life in the Punui River. Thom was working in the hospital grounds, with members of a gang cle iring the banks of the stream of scrub and noxious weeds, when a splash was heard and Thom was missed.' The river runs very strongly there, and the bank is covered with heavy growth. Search was made, but there was-no sign of r |’hom. Warder Churchfield dived in, but had to abandon the search owing to cramp. The bank was patrolled till nightfall, and dragging operations commenced this morning, so far without result. CABLEGRAMS CRITICISED. DUNEDIN, August 28. The Executive of the Otago Wo-

JL ILv UU. vz Ui UilC? v men’s Club to-day passed a resolution drawing the attention of the Empire Press Union to the general dissatisfaction that is felt with the nature of a large proportion of the news cabled to Australasia, the major portion of which consists of reports of murders, suicides, divorces and crimes of every kind committed in all parts of the world. These matters are given at great length, and in objectionable detail, to the exclusion of news of real interest- and value. The Chib earnestly "request an alteration in this state of affairs. This resolution was endorsed by the W.C-T.U. It will be forwarded to Sir George Fenwick. PRESS UNION. WELLINGTON, August 28. The following wireless message has been received by the Governor-Gen-eral from Viscount Burnham, Presi-

dent of the Empire Press Union: — ‘‘Tlie Imperial Press delegates request me to express to your Excellencies our grateful recognition of the great courtesy and hospitality that you have extended to us, ami the splendid welcome given us by the people 01 New Zealand.” His Excellency has replied: “I thank you for your kind message from the delegates of the E.P.U., which will be much appreciated by the Government and people of New Zealand. Your visit has been most helpful and encouraging to the Dominion, and we are grateful for the interest shown in our aspirations and needs- We wish all a pleasanLvoiagc, and hope to see many d"you here again.” In addition to the wireless messages by E.P.U. delegates to and from the Governor General, Lord Burnham sent a message of thanks to Mr. Coates for the welcome and hospitality shown by the Government and citizens of the Dominion. In reply, Mr. Coates said that it had been a real pleasure to receive Ithe visitors, and “New Zealand cordially extends to you all an open invitation to come again.”