TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1919, Page 1

TELEGRAMS.

fl'Elt i'IIKSS ASSOCIATION .—COPYHIGHT.}

CHRISTCHURCH’S COAL. CHRISTCHURCH, July 7. The City Council met to-night. A rather heated discussion took place ■ regarding the activities of the Council’s special Coal Committee, which has arranged to get West Coast coal and sell it, and fix profits. Eventually the action of the Mayor and Committee was approved by the majority of tlio Council. One Councillor, Mr Agar, criticised the Council’s purchase of coal A>r the cfi.ty. Ho said 'this coal would he sold at 4s. 7d per bag from the yard. He asserted the same quality of coal, and also some of the better class of coal could be sold by the merchants os. a bag, delivered. Councillor Agar declared that the City Council’s action has resulted in raising the price of coal on the West Coast by three shillings per ton. The Labour Councillors defended - Committee’s action. Councillor Armstrong stated: “The coal combine here must he broken, and it is going to he broken by the City Council.”

N. Z. DELEGATES. WELLINGTON, July 7. A cable lias been received by the Acting Prime Minister stating that Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, and party -were at Montreal on Friday, 4th all being well. Sir Joseph Ward, adds the message, proposed to pay a visit to New York City.

ALLEGED FRAUD. AUCKLAND, July 2. Charged with having obtained £l7 credit, by fraud at Oamaru, in May last, an elderly man named William Robert Hill appeared at the. Police Court today. The chief-detective stated that accused was arrested on a similar charge on Thursday last, and was then admitted to bail in a bond of £3OO. The following day lie was arrested on a warrant issued at Dunedin in 1015, when it was alleged he had committed a similar offence involving the sum of £43. He was then released under the original bond, when he was arrested for the third time yesterday. It was stated that he .had the sum of £204 in his possession. The Magistrate, on the application of the chief-detective, remanded accused until Wednesday week, and increased. the amount of hail to £SOO. Ponding the hearing of the case, accused was ordered to report nightly to the police.

RUGBY RULES. AUCKLAND. July 2. The Auckland Rugby Union at a mo.t ing to-night decided to rescind the former decision and play the rules allowed by the New Zealand Union. That means that the kick into touch and the absolute free-kick will not. be played. Drastic developments are expected in football circles here on the part of players and referees who prefer the Auckland amendments.

IR J. AJJ.EN DEFENDS UNION COY.

WELLINGTON. July 7. Sir J. Allen states lie lias been informed that the Union Coy’s steamer Mnklirn would not get away from Sydney to-day, but :it was hoped she would be able to leave to-morrow. A shortage? of labour, lie said, seemed to have delayed the vessel. Sir ,T. Allen to-day received a message from the New Zealand Government Agent in Sydnev in respect to an appeal made to tub Seamen's Union IpSir J. Allen to remove any obstacles that might prevent tlie Moeraki from sailing. The N.Z. Agent states that the Secretary of the Seamen’s Union blames the Union Coy., for not accepting the Union’s offer to man the vessel) under tile 'conditions. The message concluded: The Secretary considers the Union Company’s efforts are not sincerely meant to repatriate the people.

The Minister says be sent the following further message to the Agent: ‘

don’t consider this an answer to my appeal. T will he glad if the Union will state whether they will respond to my appeal, or whether they refuse. I am sure they have misjudged the attitude of the Union Coy. I am certain the Coy. is sincere in a. desire to repatriate the stranded New Zealanders.’’ Sir J. Allen says he has not yet received a reply to this further appeal.

Sir .Tames Allen also stated that both the Union Company and HtiddartParkcr Company have agreed, when their boats resume running, that, preference will be given to stranded New Zealanders.

A RETIREMENT. WELLINGTON, This Day. Mr Donald Robertson will retire from the position of Public Service Commissioner on the return on Hon. \Y. E. Massey and Sir J. G. Ward.

MACHINE GUNS. WELLINGTON, This Day

A section of the territorial forces arc to be trained in the use of the Lewis gun, as well as the standard machine gun. In the later stages in Prance, there were .‘!2 Lewis guns to every battalion. Sufficient machine gun equipment is to come from I ailed Kingdom and France to New Zealand to equip two divisions of infantry, and one mounted.

CATERERS RAISE MEAL PRICES. WELLINGTON, July 7. The Wellington caterers have formed an employers association. They have, as a first step, decided to increase (lie price of meals by 2o tier cent.

THEFTS FROM STEAMERS

WELLINGTON, July 7

Two persons appeared, in connection with theft from a. steamer, at the Magistrate’s Court to-day. Michael Crowlo, who was charged with theft of a number of articles from the steamer, City of Dunkirk, was sentenced to twelve months, while Nellie Wells on a charge of receiving some of these goods and knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained, was sentenced to on c month.

In passing sentence, Mr Fraser, S.M. said that one part of the evidence struck him with particular force. It was a statement that there was a gang of thieves amongst the watersiders, who had some method of dividing the spoils. Mr Fraser added: Very many of the waterside thefts we have had before this court of late, have been in respect of trivial articles, and tbo instances were isolated. This appears to be something of an entirely different kind, and this is the sort of thing it is the duty of the courts to stop, if it is at all possible.

TWO BUSHMEN DROWNED INVER CAR G ILL, July 7. The police have been informed that Geo. Aitkenhead and Thomas Fitzgerald, hushfellers, employed by a farmer, between Hcdgehopc . and Tussock Creek, were drowned in the Makareroa River, which runs through the farmers property, this evening. They were crossing the river which was in flood, hut no further details arc known yet.

WESTMORELAND’S REPAIRS. DUNEDIN, July 7. A tender by Stevenson and Cook for permanent repairs to the steamer "Westmoreland at Port Chalmers has been accepted. It is understood there is a possibility that additional work may he found necessary, in which case the total cost will !>e angmented to over £30.000.

TIMBER RESTRICTIONS. •SOUTHLAND MILLS MAY CLOSE. INVERCARGILL, July 7. Regarding the restricted trains, the Secretary of the Southland Sawmilling Company says that tinless the restrictions arc removed shortly, the mills throughout Southland will have to close. This will idle 600 men. The Chamber of Commerce lias decided to ask the Government what is being done by it to remedy the coal shortage.

OFFICER FOUND DEAD. AUCKLAND, July 4

An inquest into the death of Captain Arthur Duvall, who was found dead in the testing laboratory at the Govern* most ammunition works at /.Mount Eden, was held at the morgue this morning. C. F. Hill, nephew of deceased, gave evidence that Captain Duvall had suffered from an internal | trouble, which som times gave him eon-; siderable pain, but he had lately seem-■ Jed to improve. It. E. Lambert, of the i testing staff of the Ordnance Depart-! I font, stated that deceased was his im- • I mediate superior officer, and Captain Duvall was in the habit of seeing him , every day. lie saw deceased arrive atabout 0.30 a.m., when bis demeanour ' seemed to be as usual. The witness went to the laboratory about 10.10,' and on opening the door found deceased j lying on bis face with a service ride ' across his body. He immediately re- j ported the discovery to Captain L. F. ; .McMair, N.Z.A. Another witness' stated that he examined the rifle, there was only one empty cartridge ease in j the chamber and the cut-off was closed. | Captain Duvall constantly liatl a number of rifles about him for the purpose of testing. The track of the bullet. pointed upwards. The inquest was adjourned in order that a doctor might make a more complete examination of lihe body. Captain Duvall is to -he accorded a military funeral. j