NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1584, 30 October 1912, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(St T«leeraDh.-Pres3 Association.! * KHYBEFI PASS ACCIDENT. SOME REMARKS OF INTEREST. Auckland, October 29. An inquest was opened beforo tho Coroner (Air. Gresham) at tho Coroner's Court this morning, touching tho death of John Bollard, aged 38, ft quarryman, who was struck by a car anil thrown :c----nealh another tram-ear whilo crossing theKhyber Pass Road at about ten o'clock on Saturday night. P. J. Brings, labourer, stated that deceased boarded at his liouso frequently. Ho would "abstain" for a month or two, and then go out for n Saturday night spree. When witness £.iir him last, hon-crer, lie ehowed no eigns of drink.

In adjourning proceedings until Wednesday, (bo Coroner eaid: "In view of what wo have elicited from the. first witness to the effect that tho man was probably the worse for drink at the time of receiving the injuries which resulted in his death, I may tell the jury distinctly that tho responsibility for running over him is in no way affected. The law distinctly requires that even a. paralytic or drunkard is to be protected in that respect."

DOCTOR'S PREMISES BURNT. Dunedin, October 29. A fire broke out this morning in Dr. Howard's eleven-roomed residence in Forbury Road. Seven rooms, with their contents, were destroyed, this being the entire upstairs portion of the house. Tho insurances are:—Building, in the Canterbury Farmere' Co-operative Office; contents, i'OO in tho Alliance. Probably there is a 75 per cent. loss. It is conjectured that the fire was caused by. fusion of tho electric wires.

THE BAG-SNATCHERS. Auckland, October 29. At the Police Court, William Frederick Murray, aged 19 years, and Sydney Power, aged 21, appeared on sixteen charges of theft, chiefly bag-snatching. Tho magistrate concluded that accused were a couple- of confirmed criminals, and said they had been guilty of thefts of a contemptible character—sneaking about offices and stealing, the property of a poor charwoman. Both were sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. Tho magistrate added that ho did not know what would happen to them after they came out of gaol, but they would have to clear out of this country. THE DRAY & THE CURRENT. Invercargill, October 29. A lad named Dennis Taylor, aged sixteen years, was crossing tho Matnura River on Monday in a. dray, when he got into deep water and svas carried down by the current. Both Taylor and tho horse were drowned. Tho body has baon recovered. RAILWAY OFFICERS. . Napier, October 29. At a meeting of tho local branch of the Railway Officers' Society, a resolution was passed expressing disappointment that tho unanimous findings of the 1911 Parliamentary Commission w-ith regard, to concessions' had not been carried out in their entirety, and deprecating the principle of curtailing concessions to lower paid officers on the score of expense, while at the samo timo granting substantial increases to heads of Departments. BUILDERS' ASSOCIATIONS. Dunedin, October 29. The thirteenth annual conference of the Builders' Association opened to-day. Tho following resolution was, carried:—"That tho Government should make it optional for contractors tendering for Government works to either find bondsmen or make a cash deposit; that all Government works be submitted lo public tender; that the Public Works Department bo asked to receive and accept , tenders for Governmentcontracts without compelling contractors to furnish schedules of quantities at timo of tendering." KINDERGARTENS. . Dunedin, October 29. The Kindergarten Associations' Conference has affirmed that it is most desirable that steps should bo taken immediately to federate, with certain limits,' tho four kindergarten associations of the ■ Do-minion, tho details to be left for con- ' sideration at an adjourned conferenco next j January. ■

TWO WESTPORT FIRES. Wcstport, October 29. At 8 o'clock this morning a fire broke out in the premises' of E. Phelan, grocer. It was quickly subdued by tho brigade, but not before .£2OO worth of damage had been done to the stock by firo,. smoke, and water. Phelan's shop was also complotehr burnt in April last. A four-roomed cottage, owned by the Charitable Aid Board, was burnt to the ground last night. "WHIPPING" THE STREAM. Christchurch, October 29. Fishing has been indifferent so far this season, but one of the biggest takes ever made, in this district was reported to-day. On Sunday and Monday nights thrco local anglers took 00 trout, averaging 4Jlb., from the Halswell River at Motukarara. UNSUSPECTED RIVER ROUTE. Gore, October 29. Messrs. Murroll Bros., after many attempts, have made possible a motor launch trip between Lakes Manapouri and Tβ Anau, by the Ataiaii River, in placo of the previously uninteresting motor ride. Tourists will now be able to journey between tho lakes through some of tho finest river scenery in tho Dominion. ■ FATAL ACCIDENT. Grcymouth, Octoebr 29. Hans Sykes, aged 70, a wharf labourer, was killed on the wharf to-day. Deceased was sitting on a stationary truck when another truck shunting collided with hi's truck. .Deceased was thrown on tho rails and the truck passed over his head. He was picked up dead. KINDERGARTEN ASSOCIATIONS. ~ ' Dunedin, October 29. At a conference of Kindergarten Asco. (nations to-day a letter was received from tho Hon. .1. Allen, who expressed tho opinion that a proposal f 0 come before the conferenco to tho effect that the a"e of children public schools bo raised to six years could not be carried out in entirety. It would mean in country districts where there were no kindergartens, children would be debarred from attending school till they were six The alterations proposed in training children in physical drill and health exercises in public schools would bo an advantage even at five 'years. After discussion "it was decided to expunge the. proposal referred to from tho order paper." A motion was carried to the effect that it was desirable to take immediate steps to federate within certain limits tho four associations in the Dominion. ARRESTED, 'tm ,y< Gisbprne, October 20. Mmond Maryatt, a hairdresser of Pahiatna, who was reported a few days ago as having mrsreriously disappeared,' was arrested at Gisborno to-dov bv SeiwnniHuthm and Detective Mitchell on a charge of wifo desertion. Ho was work ing in a local hamjrps*ing saloon. V remand to Pahiatua will bo asked fo'r to morrow.