DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 March 1934, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[PEB PBEBS ASSOCIATION,] DREDGE SALE. GISBORNE, March 16. The Gisborne Harbour Board has sold to the Auckland Harbour Board two steel barges used for dredging, with the option of repurchase in the event of the dredge Korua being sold. PETROL FATALITY. WAIROA, March 16. Mrs Lucy Rewiti died in the hospital this morning as the result of burns received from a petrol explosion, whilst her husband was filling a cigarette lighter on the Mahia Peninsula, last week. SHOT IN THROAT. GISBORNE, March 15. While employed shooting birds in a vineyard at Kaiteratahi, a Maori, named James Rere,_aged 18 years, received a pea-rifle bullet in the thioat, he having apparently accidentally stumbled. He was removed to the hospital. His condition is considered satisfactory. MENTAL PATIENT. WELLINGTON, March 16. Ordered deportation yesterday by Mr Page, S.M., Joseph Seddon was placed aboard the Rangitiki to-day. Seddon arrived from San Francisco in December on the Maunganui and attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself overboard. ’He had been in a mental hospital since then, and the medical opinion was that he was not of sound mind when he arrived in New Zealand.

W.C.T.U.

WELLINGTON, March 15. The Women’s Temperance Union Conference is being held here. The President, Mrs T. E. Taylor, said the outstanding event this year was the election to Parliament of the first woman representative, Mrs McCombs, to whom they tendered the heartiest congratulations and wishes for long years of health and service. It was the opening of a new era for New Zealand women if they would but realise it, and use the opportunity to elect other women when it came. MOTORIST FINED. CHRISTCHURCH, March 16. A sequel to the fatality at Kaikoura, on New Year’s Day, when James Gibson, 61, was killed, was heard at the Kaikoura Court, when Francis Hendry, a baker, was convicted of negligently driving a motor-car, and 1 fined £5O. The police stated that defendant’s car travelled 50 feet along the grass at the roadside, and struck a post with such force that the post was dislodged four inches, and split 12 feet up from the ground. The post was of hardwood. Gibson, who was in the car, was thrown out, hit the post, and was killed. *

CHURCH ROBBED.' AUCKLAND, March 15

On Wednesday night, the Roman Catholic Church of the Assumption, at Onehunga, was broken into, and two sacred vessels, valued at £3O were stolen. It was found that the back door ot the church had been forced open. A further investigation disclosed that the lock of an inner door leading to the Sacristy had been forced. There were five chalices in.' the room, three being of silver, and two gilded. The two latter chalices are missing, the thief, obviously, having mistaken them for solid gold.

PAINTERS’ .AWARD

CHRISTCHURCH, March 15

In the painters case before the Arbitration Court, the employers offered a 44-hour week. The employees asked for a five day week of 40 hours. The court was asked to fix the rate of wages. The employers offered 1/11 an hour. The Union asked 2/3. The employers offered time and a quarter for overtime. The Union asked time and a-half, with double time after the first five hours overtime. On behalf of the Union, it was urged that, by the reduction of the hours, more men might be re-absorbed into the industry. The hearing of the dispute will be continued to-morrow.

CAR CONVERTER. HAMILTON, March 15

A plea of guilty was entered by Kenneth Hugh Gough, a farm hand, aged 27, at the Morrinsville Court on two charges of stealing a. pair of motor gaunttets. Accused admitted taking a car from outside a picture theatre and driving to a country dance on Saturday night, and also stated that on February 24, he took a car from the yard of an hotel and again drove to a country dance, the vehicle being abandoned when it ran out of petrol. Accused took a pair of gloves which were in the car. A previous list of seven charges of conversion was known against accused, and his previous convictions, it was stated, had had no deterrent effect. Accused was sentenced to three months’ reformative detention on each charge of conversion, to be concurrent, and on the charge of theft, was convicted and discharged.

CONGREGATIONAL UNION. PALMERSTON NORTH, March 14. The following officers were elected at the annual assembly of the Congregational Union: —Chairman for 1935, the Rev. Albert Mead; preacher for 1935 Assembly. the Rev. J. Milburn Stewart; moderator and secretary, Rev. Harry Johnson; treasurer, Mr. T. Forsyth; registrar, Mr. R. P. Stewart; j'oung people’s department secretary, the Rev. H. W. Newell; college warden, the Rev. J. S. Shaw. A resolution was carried protesting against the indiscriminate sale of art union tickets on the public streets. Another motion carried stated: ‘‘While viewing with the gravest concern the present situation of unemployment, and while recognising the general desire to help those in distress, the Assembly feels that the present method is inadequate, because of the dangerous tendency towards the moral and physical deterioration of the unemployed, and also because it cannot lead to a permanent solution of the porblem. We would urge our churches to do their share towards rousing the moral conscience of the people in order that they will be eager to make anv sacrifice and try any method which can lead id the re-absorption of the unemployed.” A protest was also made against Sunday railway excursions.