DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1941, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

FARMER KILLED DUNEDIN, July 18. . Fatal injuries were sustained by Charles Thomson, 48, farmer, Manuka Creek, near Milton, when he tripped and fell under a dray, vzhile engaged in carting turnips. A wheel passed over his chest, death being instantaneous. BABY FATALLY BURNT. CAMBRIDGE, July 17. At 9 o’clock last night Patricia, the 13-months-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hay Nicoll, was burnt to death when a caravan in which she was asleep caught fire and was destroyed at Fencourt. The caravan was outside the house of Mr. R. R. Foster, where Mr. Nicoll, a carpenter, was making alterations. The couple lost £4O in notes. Efforts to reach the child were unsuccessful.

HOME GUARD DISPUTE. WELLINGTON, July 17. In the House to-day, an intimation that steps were being taken to have the matter dealt with promptly, was given by the Minister of National S’ervice, Mr. Semple, in reply to an urgent question by Mr. J. A. Roy (Nat., Clutha) who asked if his attention had been drawn to a statement that a unit of the Home Guard in the South Island had refused to parade owing to a member not receiving compensation for an injury while on parade. He asked if the Minister would take immediate steps to have The matter attended to, thus preventing a ser-„ ions break in the training of the Home' Guard. SECOND DIVISION. WELLINGTON, July 18. The completion of the big task of preparing, checking and issuing certificates for the enrolment of Second Division reservists is now in sight, said Mr Semple to-day. More than 80,000 have been sent out by the end of last week, and it is expected that before the end of the month, the job will be through, with the possible exception of a few which have been held up for enquiries. Reservists, who have had inquiries addressed to them, should reply without delay, strictly in accordance with regulations, said the Minister. Second Division reservists should have certificates within 28 days of the proclamation on July 14, but some may not be able to produce them for a week or ten days later.— Press Assn.

DEARER TEA. AUCKLAND, July 17. An increase of 4d to 5d per lb. has been made in the price of packet teas. ,The advance, which has been sanctioned by the Price Tribunal, will raise the prices of most packet teas to more than 4/- per lb., the highest for many years. After haying had empty shelves, the tea departments of all firms are now engaged at high pressure, blending and packing a large shipment of more than 10,000 chests which has reached Auckland from overseas. So short had supplies on the local market become that some packers had temporarily ’closed their departments. The arrival of supplies has relieved the shortage. The sharp advance which has taken place in the local price is a reflection of the steep rise that has occurred m the Colombo market in recent months, together with the higher costs of freight, insurance, etc. ' “INFORMATION” LEAFLET. AUCKLAND, July 13.

A summons charge of publishing information which would, or might, be useful to enemy States, was brought in the Police Court against Leonard Walter Scott Reid, fitter, employed at the Otahuhu railway workshops. He pleaded not guilty. The Police Prosecutor said that Reid approached a printer with a request to print a thousand leaflets. The leaflet was not printed. The prosecution contended that had the leaflets been printed, some might have fallen into the hands of persons on neutral ships, and been carried abroad. , Defending counsel (Mr Haigh),submitted’ there was no legal offencx and that the copy lots the leaflets did not come, under the censorship ana publicity emergency regulations. Defendant composed the copy lor the leaflets from a well-known book, and had. no idea it might be valuable to the enemy. , The Magistrate (Mr Hunt) said he was satisfied that what was done was done innocently. He fined Reid t-z. Counsel’s application io increase the fine to £5/1/-, to permit of an appeal, was refused.