DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 April 1941, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WOMAN’S FATAL COLLAPSE INVERCARGIL, April 29. At 12.30 o’clock this morning, the launch Manurewa arrived at Bluff with the body of Mrs. George Fife. She had been one of a party of mut-ton-birders on Big Island, on the East Coast of Stewart Island. She collapsed and died yesterday morning. Smoke signals were seen, by a strange coincidence, by the dead woman’s nephew, George Fife, on the Manurewa, at one o’clock. The boat left Big Island at four o’clock for Bluff, which it reached just after midnight. WOMAN KILLED. WAIHI, April 28. Annie Ryan, single, aged 38, of Waihou, lost her life when the motorcar which she was driving towards Waihi struck a bank on the road between Waikino and Waihi and plunged 25 feet into the Ohinemuri river late yesterday afternoon. Miss Ryan was accompanied by Mr. Thomas John Mannix, a beekeeper, also of Waihou, who managed to burst open a door and escape. He made desperate efforts to release Miss Ryan, who had apparently been thrown forward between the steering wheel and the door, but without success. Whether death was due to injuries or to drowning will not be known until a post-mortem examination is held. Both Miss Ryan’s parents are dead. A sister, Mrs. Alexander Graham, resides at Maramarua.

FAILURE TO ENROL. NEW PLYMOUTH, z April 28. Charles Berie Oliver, married, was convicted and discharged, and George Steller, single, aged 36, was convicted and' sentenced to three days imprisoment, by Mr W. H. Woodward, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to-day for failing to enrol in the First Division of the General Reserve. Referring to Oliver’s case, the Magistrate said it seemed that there was no intention to shirk; but he pointed out that there was a heavy penalty for failing to enrol—£loo fine or 12 months’ imprisonment. Sergeant Mackie said it was not until seen by the police that Steller enrolled on March 5. He deliberately evaded his obligations, and took no steps whatever.

COAL MINE IDLE. HAMILTON, April 28

Men employed by Glen Afton Collieries at the Macdonald coal mine did no work to-day, and have decided to remain idle until a demand they have made on the management is met. It is understood that the men did not go to the mine to start work; but a meeting was held in Huntly to discuss a demand on the management for an increase of 3d a ton for machine-cut places. This was to include holes bored free, or 6d a ton increase if they were not bored free. At present the lowest rate under the agreement, which has about 12 months to run is 2/9’ a ton. At the meeting the decision reached was that the Macdonald mine would remain idle until the management agreed to the demand. Delegates from each of the Glen Afton collieries were present at the meeting.

DEMOCRATIC LABOUR.

WELLINGTON, April 28

The executive officers of the Petone branch' of the Democratic Labour Party have resigned from the party. They are the president (Mr. L. Abraham), the vice-president (Mr. J. V. Lucas), and the secretary (Mr. F. Mcr Cornish). In a statement they express concern over the trend'of the Democratic Labour Party's policy, which they describe as becoming “National Socialist, with just a sufficient tinge of Labour politics to make it seem acceptable to unwary persons who have found cause for dissatisfaction in the rapidly changing nature of the New Zealand Labour Party.”

WELLINGTON, April 29.

Mr. F. M. Earle, hon. secretary of the Democratic Labour Party, made the following statement: The executive of the Petone branch resigned because we refused to sponsor what we considered to be only a war meeting, at which outside speakers intended to take part. The Democratic Labour Party, under the leadership of distinguished returned soldiers, and including a larger percentage of returned soldiers in its ranks than any other political party, again reaffirms its determination to see that the war against Fascism is fought and won.