DOMINION ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS

[by telegraph— per chess association.] A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. BLENHEIM, Jan. 29. A serious accident happened at Carr’s Mill, Tinline Valley yesterday. A mill Rand named Jas. Harwood was replacing a licit on a large pulley, turning the pulley by hand, when the engine unaccountably .started and the unfortunate' man mas whirled round the shafting under the roof and fell to tho floor unconscious. Both legs were broken and he had severe abrasions to the head and holly. Harwood is 28 years of age, single, and a unlive of Australia. TIMBER LEAGUE. OTTAKUNE. .Jan. 29. The New /calami timber industry advancement league was formed at Raetihi last night with the object of securing a high protection tariff on foreign timber. A Dominion organiser was appointed to further the interests of the timber industry. The general opinion was tho position was getting desperate. LAND VALUES. WELLINGTON. Jan. 28. In the opinion of Charles Bunion Boston, farmer, of Wellington, explaining to his creditors the eau.se oi his bankruptcy, there is no reason Mile possibility of country land values for many years getting back to a point, where properties in the estate would realise more than outstanding li.ibiliies. “It was useless, lie said. “to shut one’s eyes to facts, and it was a fact that these securities, in common with many hundred farm properties to-day, were not worth the amount of first mortgage lent ten or twelve years ago. and which at that time showed at least -10 tier cent margin on the v limit io 11 made hy the most prudent trustee available, mid 90 per cent o( the farmers of the Dominion were bankrupt if they only knew it.”

INQUEST ADJOURNED. INVERCARGILL. Jan. “JS

An inquest on Er.mcis Horatio Hall, dispenser at the Public Hospital, found dead in an outhouse on Saturday, "as opened before Mr ( ruicksliank. (manor. and was adjourned to permit mi explanation of the stomach contents by a public analyst. RAILWAY" FREIGHT ON TIMBER. WELLINGTON, Jan. 23. Recently the Dominion Executive of the New /eal.’uiil Farmers’ Union decided to ask the Minister of Railways to bring freights on imported timbers into line with rates on local products. The Acting-Minister *'f Railways (Hon F. J. Rolleston). in a statement io-dav. sirs that the lower rate_ charged on New Zealand timber is in pursuance of the general policy to give < mmirageiiienl to local products m preference to those imported Iroin other countries. This policy bail been of considerable benefit, not only i° load industries, but to the *i’ community, Mud it was not at all clear that anv departure from it would bo in the best interests of the comiumyt.v generally. The -present rates charged on New Zealand timber were such that should any altev.ition be made it wou.i. be in the way of increasing lower rates, and at the present time this "'ouhl bo stronglv opposed by the timber trade in the Dominion. Another aspect ot the question was that the giwilcr portion of imported timber used by burners was Australian hardwood, and as this class of timber was appreciably heavier than ordinary New Zealand timbers, tho higher charge merely compensated the Department for the extra weight li,a ml led.

At: RORA A USTRALTS. iCHRISTHTTRiCH, Jan. JO.

The Aurora Australis lit up the south-western sky on Saturday morning earlv for several hours with brilliant white lights, like that of a distant flickering searchlight. A display of the lights was again visible on Saturday night, hut it was much less brilliant and less constant.

On Thursday evening, moreover, the Christchurch Observatory record of the permanent Aurora Australis, which is not visible to tbe naked eye, was one ot the strongest ever recorded at the Canterbury College Observatory.

BLENHEIM EIRE. At an early hour this morning, a fire broke out in the mercery shop of H. G. Mclntosh, in the centre of a large block of wooden business promises, extending from the Express Office in High Street, to the National Bank, Market Square. The brigade were promptly on the scene, and effected a wonderful save. The fire spread to Mosley’s pork butchery, next door. Mclntosh's place, was more or less gutted. Mosley’s suffered damage to a lesser extent, and the solicitor’s office of Mr C. T. Smith, was damaged by water and smoke. The insurances are not available. I i \ MASTERTON OUTBREAK. MASTER-TON, Jan. JO. A six-roomed house owned and occupied by Mr G. AM. Alorice, master at the Wairarapa High School, was totally destroyed by fire this morning. It is fvelieved the fire was started by ifjimes from a rubbish fire in an adjoining section. The. fire brigade were attending a grass fire in the extreme opposite end of the borough at the time of the outbreak, and consequently were faced with a hopeless task when they arrived. The house and contents were both insured. hut the amounts are unknown. ELDERLY MAN’S ILLNESS. CHRISTCHURCH, January 30. Found on Hoon Hay road in the outer suburbs. Inst night, Alexander AfeClintoek, aged fi", of Timaru. had £77 in notes in his pockets. AloClintock was charged at the police court to-day with being found in enclosed premises without lawful excuse. Defendant, an old age pensioner, was said by the prosecuting sergeant to be not quite rational. He possibly was suffering from sunstroke. He was placed in the care of the. Salvation Army for a week.

DOBSON MINE. DELAY IN DEWATERING. WELLINGTON, January 30. Replying to the criticism that the Dobson Mine is not being dewatered as rapidly as possible, the Minister ol Mines'(Hon G. J. Anderson) yesterday outlined tilie steps taken in contradiction of the charge. As. after discussion with the agents of British manufacturers, it was discovered that it would take many months to import the necessary plant for the defloating, it had been decided to borrow plant. After a thorough examination of plant and tests as to its efficiency, steps were promptly taken to dismantle and transport it to Dobson. It will take several weeks, said the Minister, for concrete foundations to be put in and to set before the plant can be erected and worked. Mr Anderson added: A careful icview of the Whole of the steps taken shows that those entrusted with the duty of procuring the required equipment have carried out their duties expeditiously. The Minister is advisee that the dewatering of the mine slionh commence within about a month. Op (■rations will he continued until the mine is dewatered and the bodies rc covered. CHILD FALLS OVER- WHAltr . RONTON, Jan. 20. The six-year old son of Mr and Mr: Geo. Mounsev, of Watson Street. Foxton, when playing on the wliart, tel over and struck his head on a launcl and was drowned. The body "as rc covered half an hour later; arUlicia respiration being unsuccess!ul. .MILL HAND BADLY HURT. BLENHEIM, Jan. 20. A serious accident happened at Carr's mill, Tin line Valley, yesterday. A mill hand named James llorgooil was replacing the licit oil a large pulley ami was turning the pulley round by hand when the engine unaccountably started. The unfortunate mail' was whirled round the shafting under the roof and fell to the floor unconscious. Both his legs were broken and lie received abrasions to the head and body. Horwood is 23 years of age and single, and a native of Australia. TIMBER TRADE. OHAKUNE, Jan. 20. The New Zealand Timber Industry Advancement League was lornicd at Raetihi last night. Tts object is a high protection tariff on foreign timber. A Dominion organiser was appointed to further the interests of the timber industry. The general (million was that the position of the industry is getting desperate. MORE OIL BORES. GISBORNE. Jan. 20. The Taranaki Oilfields Coy have commenced sinking a second well near Tokoniaru liny. The drilling is now well advanced. Investigations are now proceeding preparatory to commencing a third bore. .Messrs Wyllic- and Bolin, the AngloPersian Company’s experts, arc now in the district for an investigation. of areas held bv the Taranaki Oilfields.