DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 24, 25 May 1912, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS.

(Per Press Association:’? A TOTAL LOSS. Invercargill, May 24.

A fire completely destroyed Gardiner and Thomson’s general store at ■Otautau this morning. Insurances: Building £IOO, stock £llsO, furniture £350, all in the South British office. It was a total loss. A LIBEL CLAIM. Napier, May 25. A writ claiming £ISOO damages has been filed by F. E. A. Gordon, poultry expert, against the N.Z. Times, for alleged libel in regard to the efficiency of his system. The case will he heard in Wellington. DEFENCE ACT CASE. Wellington, May 25. The Full Court delivered a lengthy judgment in the Defence Act case heard yesterday. In doing so Sir Robert Stout said it was clear to him that respondent committed the offence of which the Magistrate ought to have convicted him. That offence is that he has in terms of section 51 failed to render the personal service required of him under Part (i ol the Act. A person liable to attend camp is not guilty of any breach of duty until he has had notice to attend a particular camp at a particular time and failed to do so. When ho failed lie should be dealt with as an absentee. Ho was quite satisfied respondent was not subject to he dealt with by a court-martial. Tie was by no means satisfied, if ho were, that it would afford an answer to the information. He agreed that the appeal must ho allowed with costs. A SAFE DYNAMITED. Auckland, 'May 25. The safe in the promises of the To-tal-,a Timber Co. at Newmarket was broken open by means of gelignite last night and about £lO in cash stolen.

THE COST OF LIVING. Wellington, May 25. The following have been appointed : Royal Commission to inquire into am report upon certain questions relating to the cost of living in New Zealand: Messrs Andrew I* airburu (Christchurch), Edwin Hall (Au£kland), George Leadiey (Wakanui), \V. G. Maconaltl (Westport), .InJin Robertson, M.P. (Levin), John Ross (Dunedin), Edward Tregear (Wellington), and \V. A. Veiteh, M.P. (Wanganui), The Commission is ordered to inquire into such questions as: Has the cost of living increased in New Zealand during the past twenty \e:irs; if so lias not the increase been more marked during the last ten than {luring the previous ten ; to what extent is the Increased cost of living, if any, the result of a higher standard of living; in what special direction lias the increase, if any, been most marked; what Inis been the effect on prices of tariff reduction; to what extext, i! any, has the rise in the price of land during the past twenty years contributed to the rise in the price of commodities.