NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1672, 12 February 1913, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

■ (By Association.)

1 . TRIAL OF DR. RUSSELL. t .-i ■ ' • FINDING OF NOT GUILTY. Christchurch, February 11. C. J. Russell, M.1)., was before the Supreme Court this morning on a charge of attempting to procure abortion. Mr. Stringer, K.C., for the Crown, said the principal evidence—that of the girlwould be corroborated by evidence as to a visit by the girl 'to Russell's house, and also'a previous visit by one Stanley Robinson. Robinson himself was absent from tho Dominion, and would not bo called, but his brother would give evidence. Accused was acquitted, the jury finding him not guilty. . . BAKERY DESTROYED. • Blenheim, February 11. Scott and Co.'s bakery and coulectionery factory, in Arthur Street, was totally destroyed by fire last night.. An explosion occurred in a portion of tho building just as the hands left work. It was au eld building, and the fire spread rapidly. There was no hope of saving anything but a motor-van and a few bags of flour. The insurances are: On tho building,' .£IOO in the Standard ofiico and .£2OO in tho Queensland; on .the stable, XlOU.in the Queensland office; on stock and plant, .£IOO in the Standard and .CGOO in the State office. SUSPECTED INCENDIARISM. Westport, February 11. A four-roomed, unoccupied, uninsured house, near the Arawaiti Bridge, on the outskirts of the town, was burnt down last night. It was owned by. Mr. ,S. Anderson. An hour previously a man, not identified, was seen in the house with a lighted candle. Early yesterday morning a cowshed in the vicinity,was mysteriously burnt, and prior to that ■ heaps of light wood, which had been.ignited, were found under a cottage in tho same locality. : ..POLITICAL LEAGUES. , , Westport, February 11. ' Branches of the Progressive Liberal League and Reform League havo tten established. at Westport. -.:'.. ■ ,'(G AO LWARD ER 0 N TRIA L. ■ '■'"'. '■■, Duned'm,-February 11■•Tho Supremo Court is occupied with the case of 'Edward Goodall," a warder at Seacliff, w,ho is charged with assaulting, an'elderly patient by striking him with a stick, kicking him on the-jaw-and ribs, besides'forcing Tiim to work. Goodall wub ' . * ... * WATERSIDERS & A DEATH. Auckland, February 11. -, In consequence of tho death of a waterside worker on the steamer Matntua, tho union has notified tho . shipping companies, that work will cease between midnight to-day and midnight- to-morrow. Shipping will.to seriously inconvenienced. There is a large.. number of vessels in port.. . ■ .•" , ; ■ . FIFTY-NINE YOUTHS FINED. UNDER DEFENCE ACT. Greymouth, February 11. .At the Magistrate's Court, 6i»ieen youths who declared that they had no intention of attending parades- were fined J2 10s. each. Forty others made various excuses, and did not appear. They wero fined £1 each. Three anti-militarist' speakers were fined ss. each for obstructing a thoroughfare,' and causing a. crowd to assemble and block traffic." 1 ' ST; HELENS HOME INQUIRY. >; -■•'■',"'■ '•■'"' Auckland, February 11. ;The..St. Helens Homo inquiry whs resumed to-day,/ when tho Commissioner was occupied all the morning in hearing legal argument on a point that was'first raised yesterday afternoon, viz.—whether tho complainants in tho inquiry should be permitted to inspect certain of the books kept in connection with the administration of the hospital. Tho Coinmis,'sibner. decided.-.to. 6tate_ a. case for -the ; Supremo Court, as to whether of., not there was power to throw the books open for inspection at the inquiry, and, If so, whether it was with discretionary,power, ■V-'i;' !; "-YriE BIG BUSH- FIRES. -" ';' Auckland; For/ruary l\. Extensive bush fires are reported Irom all parts of tho province. In places the fires havo been responsible for much damage. Settlers in certain directions have had hard work to save their homes, and large areas of grass and flax havo been destroyed. Tho presence of fires in the near, vicinity is shown by the heavy haze which has enveloped Auckland dv.ring.the past few,days. Early this morning the smoke was so thick that the lerry boats disappeared as if in a fog.

DREDGE SUNK IN MOLYNEAUX RIVER.

Dunedin, February 11. Earnscleugh No. 3 dredge, situated near Alexandra, sank about 3 a.m. on Monday in about 10ft. of water. The pontoons bad been undergoing repairs for somn time, and it is supposed that tho mishap was caused by a leak in the dredge, which was constructed some eight years ago, and which cost .£23,000.