DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1927, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) MAORI MARRIAGE. INTERPRETATION OF PENSIONS LAW. AVIOI.I.T.Xi iTOXT Xov. 1(1. The attention of the .Minister of Pensions was called hy Air Burnett (Temuka) to an interpretation ol the law relating to widows’ pensions which, he said, had caused a difficulty in securing an allowance to a Alnori widow in his district. Because the applicant had been married at Chatham Island accoutring to Maori custom the magistrate would not grant her the. pension. Mr Burnett suggested that the hearing might he taken in another magistrate’s district. The lion 0. .1. Anderson stated that the ease had been considered several t imes. According to clause 2(1 of the Act before the Minister could approve a pension he must receive from a magistrate a certificate that the applicant was fit to look alter her children. He understood rhat the Magistrate ruled that because flic woman had not been 'married according to European rites he could not grant the application. A clause was inserted to deal with such difficulties in cases where the parties bad lived together and the limn died leaving a family. The. Pensions Department bad drawn tile attention of the magistrate to this clause and its object, but not reply bad been received.

I. MET Till .VMS DON!

AUCKLAND. Xov. Hi. “If li don’t hour from you within the next lew days that ibis school is being erected in the very near future I intend placing the full lads ol the case before the Prime Al mister, and I might tell yon that, being ail ixX.C.0.. of the IbtTi North Auckland Company, when I write to Mr Coates f get tilings done. So it behoves you to shake tilings along, as the mailer is nothing more or less than an absolute disgrace to your Depart men 1’ The unusual tone of this letter, written by “T. Alaxwell. Alaraum run. Pokcno.’’ caused the members oi the Education Board this morning to sit up and take notice, hut it was evident. from the smiles which passed around the room that the general reaction was merely one of amused stir-

TTie letter was a (ompbiinl at the cancelling of the instructions to erect a new school in Kopeko. Alaramarua. district, as decided upon two years

The chairman, Mr A. Burns, said: If the writer can get il done, as lie says he can, 1 am sure (lie hoard will be pleased, for we have not been able to do so. It is a matter for the Department. Air 11. S. AV. King suggested that the letter be returned In the writer, and that he be informed that Hie board was unable to receive a Idler dim bi'il in such term-. 1 1 was decided to do I bis. DISPUTE OVER BA I!LEY. 81-ENIIEIAI. Nov. Hi. The dispute between certain .Marlborough barley-growers and Xew Zealand Breweries. Ltd., in regard to the rejection of a percentage of Inst season’s barley has been referred to .arbitration, and will he placed bet ore tho arbitrators in Blenheim to-mor-row. Air A. AY i lien Inis been appointed arbitrator on beliall ol the growers. while AH' C. 11. Hewlett, of Christchurch, will act cm beliall <d Xew Zealand Breweries, IJd. Air 11. Y. AYiddowsou, formerly Stipendiary Magistrate at Christchurch will be the ti in pi re.

LLOYD'S INSURANT’!'

GUEST lON OK DEPOSIT

WELLINGTON. Nov. 11l

Insurance companies have not abandoned hope that the Government will take action to compel Lloyd's to put up a deposit, as insurance corporations generally are compelled to do. Ho fore the session closes the Prime Minister will he approached by the Council of T nderwriters and asked to amend the Insurance Companies Act so as to make it applicable to Lloyds, which is not a

company within the meaning of the Act, but a collection of individuals. “ ll is not justifiable that Lloyd’s should be enabled to compete with New Zealand insurance companies under more favourable conditions and without placing the deposit which we other companies are compelled Lo lodge and which i.s intended by the Government as a guarantee of public safety and an assurance that the liabilities of the company will be met,” said a member ol the Council to-day. “ A policy ol cutting rates can he to nobody’s benefit. especially at a time like the present when fire losses are unduly high. All the Xew Zealand companies contribute to tho State taxation and in large amounts, but Lloyd's, by virtue oi its curious status, is exempted I rout this and while entering into roinpo-tiLion with other companies in practically overv field of insurance sends all its profits out of the Dominion. At the same time it does not give its clients even the protection of a deposit. We hope to convince the Government that, oven if the concern cannot be taxed, il should at least lodge a deposit in the interest of public welfare.”

SIGHT INJURED. ARROW FINDS TARGET IN BOY’S EYE. AVI lAXGABET, Xov. Hi. While engaged in a juvenile archery practice with some companions on Tuesday .tile 12-year-old son of Mrs A. Brown, of Hikiirangi. met with a serious accident to an eye. Tile ho.v put his eye to a hole in the target, ant: an arrow shot, by another child passed through it- and pierced the eyeball, lie was brought to the A\ hangarei Hospital. and it. was feared he. would have to be sent lo Auckland for tile attention of a specialist. but Ihe boy's condition had improved so much to-day Hull, the medical superintendent now believes the sight can be saved.

Al A X S'. LA IN 11 ITER Cl IA IK lE. VERDICT OF NOT 0 I'l I.TAT AY ANR A X UI. Xov. Hi. Alfred Darncs, a competitor in the cycle mail race in August, was charged al the Supreme Court to-day with manslaughter, the charge arising from (he death of an elderly woman, who was knocked down during the race. Air Justice Ostler said there did not sociil to be evidence of criminal negligence, and the jury found Barnes not guilty. MALAJTA MURDERS. A XIAY VERSION. AUCKLAND. Xov. Hi. A new version of (he murder ol District Commissioner Bell is given in a letter received by Air J. O'Neill, of Bayswater. from bis nephew, Air Charles A. Cowan, in the 1 Solomon Islands. It. appears that Air Bell and his parly were not murdered while collecting taxes in a village, as previously slated. The District Commissioner, and his Inivs. says Mr Cowan, were anchored out in the Bay of Alalaita in a big launch. The sentry must have been asleep, as Alalaita natives came oil' in war Minors, surprised the parly, and managed to get way without losing a single man. Air Bell and his assistant were killed outright. Of the escort of lo unlive police-boys, live managed lo escape wounded. As the murderers were armed with Sniders and Winchesters, and. in addition, bad captured 20 of the latest rillcs and two revolvers, it was considered that their capture would ho no easy matter. This same crowd caused three previous murders, says AD' Cowan. -They are members ol the only tribe on Alalaiia which will not give up headhunting. They had no grudge agamsf Mr Bell. He always took the part of natives against whites, so they hate no sense of gratitude. Several attempts had previously lioon made, lie adds, to take the District. Commissioner's life.

MAN SKVKRKLY INJT’HKD. M'IIANGARKT, Nov. Lb. Fred Smith, aged HI. a single man

residing at Wl'nnsm'i', ami working in the I’ortlnnd (‘eiiiont Company's works, was caught in n eouveyer this morning mill severely crushed iiliout the chest mul the abdomen. fie was removed to Whangarei Hospital in a critical eon(litinn. A (.'ED MAX’S DEMISE. riinisTciiriun, Xov. lr. The dead body. of Walter Oldham, need 70. was found in a lavatory at the Windsor Private* I loiel this moraine;. Oldham was a hoarder til the hotel. A Pi’.Crr.l Al! Ah'FAIR. CHRISTCHURCH. Xov. 17. Assault causing at Dial bodily harm and robbing with violence were charges against Alariorie (tliver and Anker Jakoh Clmrles .Jensen. The Crown witnoses stated that the two accused arrived from Wellington on October fi. After partaking freely of li<pinr, they went to the house of one Wilson in St. Albans. There Jensen thought ho had been robbed of ninety pounds and he attacked Wilson and his wife, robbing Wilson of £3 IDs. Actually .fensen had not lost his money, ft had been carried in his sock, and owing to too mncli liquor, lie had forgotten where it was. Oliver was alleged to he Jensen’s accomplice. She was acquitted and Jensen was louiul gniltv of common assault.

IXSI'UAXCIO jMAXAOFITS TIIKFT. Christchurch, xov. 17. Will. Kov MacDonald, formerly manager of the Cluardian Insnianc,.' Company at Christchurch was to-day found guilty in the Supreme Court o! theft of C2lo. He had been charged with theft of -Clio-1. MacDonald will he sentemed to-morrow. CITY RATES. WKIYLTXGTOX. Xov. IS. The Mayor of Wellington, dealing with the question of rates, said the city was losing from C2J.000 to £IO,OOO yearly by having to pay for the upkeep of streets round Government property, on which no rates were paid. All they got was £-100 per annum on account of some properties run for business purposes. There was far more governmental property in Wellington that in other towns. After the new valuation was completed, the Council would take the matter up and demand some readjustment.