Page 7 Advertisements Column 1

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 6, 2 October 1920, Page 7

DROWNING ACCIDENT IN WAIRAU RIVER j Tho police have received advice from Blenheim that James Frederick Victor Holmes, aged 13 years, was recentlv accideniitlly drowned in the Wairan River, near the bar. The boy ventured out on tho river in a. canoe which unset, and he was observed struggling in. the water by members of flit crew of the s.s. Wairau, which was lying several hundred vnrds olf the scene of the, accident. Thc.v at once put out to rescue him, but on arriving at the canoe tlie.v could find no trace of the 'unfortunate Intl. The Blenheim police spent several days in <lm?. King tlie river and searching the beach, but the body was not recovered. Canterbury were in an exceedingly difficult position with respect to the coal shortage, and the Canterbury Association requested the Prime Minister's special attention to the matter as it was of vital importance to the whole Dominion. The ■ following reply was received from the Prinio Minister to-day:— "JReplyiug v to your telegram of yesterday, every possiblo effort is being .made tn obtain increased coal supplies, but with tho continued stoppage of work in the Now Zealand collieries aild till* conscnuent cessation of shipments fvom Australia, I regret there is little prospect of increased supplies to your district in tbio meantime. I can assure you that Canterbury district is in no worse, a, posi-1 tioli Ilian other parte of tho Dominion, and is receiving a liberal share of available supplies." Mr. .Tenkin informed a importer to-night that so far as he had gathered tho position with regard to the coal shortage was acute in Christclmrch. factories, and there were only sufficient supplies in hand to allow the local factories to carry on for a week or tcji days. An elephant, which before tho war sold for 1200. cost? JE4OO now. A 235. monkey fetches .St and a hippopotamus ,■£3oo to ifi-100. against or .£6O in 1914. Giraffes «rn unprocurable, while . parrots have trebled and quadrupled in value, chiefy bcca,uso tho shipping compiraiee nO longer permit Bailors to bring tiwm homo from the trojios.