DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1928, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association. j MAN MISSING. WHANG ARE!, Aug. 24. During the voyage of the Claymore from Auckland to Whangarei last night a passenger, It. Clayton, about 00 years of age, mysteriously vanished shortly after midnight. The steward observed Clayton apparently asleep in his bunk at 2.15 a.m. and he noticed a man answering to Clayton’s description standing aft at 0.30 a.m. The steward reported Clayton’s bunk empty and the passenger was nowhere to he found aboard as tile result of a. dose search. His clothes and other belongings, except the suit of pyjamas he was wearing, were all near his bunk. Papers disclosed the missing* man as a florist of Taiiranga.

KAWARAU RIVER MINING. DUNEDIN, Aug. 24. On account of the very low level of the Kawarau River about the beginning of August, special permission was obtained from the Government to close the gates of Kawarau Dam for a short period. Immediately they were dosed, however, heavy rains Idl in the back country, wilh the result that the river did not reach nearly as low a level as was anticipated, and the gates wore reopened on August 11th without the dnim-holders being able to cooperate with any satisfactory results. The Secretary of the Kawarau, Mining Coy. states that there is no likelihood of the gates being closed again this season.

FILM CENSOR’S TASK. MILES OF PICTURES. WELLINGTON, August 23. Who would be a film censor? Last year the Government officer, whose duty it is to see that nothing improper or unpatriotic may he Hashed on the screens of New Zealand’s cinema theatres, watched no fewer than 5,813,840 feet of pictures. Of the 2333 films shown on bis tiny screen only sixtynine were rejected, 254 were passed subject to excisions and torty-lour wore passed for adult audiences only. The remainder were passed unconditionally. Two appeals against censored films were made, one being upheld. This information is contained in the annual report of the Internal Affaiis Department. The total number of British Empire films examined was 585, including features and topicals, and the total length was 718,670 feet. I’ nature films, those over 4000 feet in length, totalled 628, while the remaining 1705 films comprised, topicals, scenios, serials, comedies, cartoons and industrials, seldom exceeding 2000 foot. Of the feature films thirty-five weie produced in the British Empire, 580 in the United States of America, and thirteen originated in Germany, !• ranee. Italy and Sweden.