DUNEDIN NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2209, 12 October 1907, Page 4

DUNEDIN NOTES.

Press Association. DUNEDIN, Oct. 11. . An inquest on the body of Noil August Johnson, wharf laborer, who was fatally burned While cleaning out .a condenser of tho s.s. Tialunc, was held yesterday. A verdict was returned that death was due to shock caused bv biirnsTaoidentnlly received. The jury regarded .the uso of naked lights in a confined space with inflammable material as a risky practice, and suggested that in future covered lights should he used. Johnson had previously been washing tubes with kerosene, which had saturated his clothes. When deceased’s clothes caught fire lie endeavored to reach tho manhole overhead, hut slipped and fell hack, becoming overpowered bv tho flames, which enveloped his body. Attempts to reach •him proved futile, till Nelson Pritchard, fourth engineer of the Warrimoo, came down arid dashed water over deceased. On arrival of the Fire Brigado a hose was played on Johnson. The Union Company’s port engineer stated he did not think the method adopted in cleaning condensers dangerous if ordinary ea.ro was taken.

Four persons wero proceeded aginst to-day at tho expense of tho Acclimatisation Society for breaches of tho Fisheries Conservation Act in taking trout without a license. Three defendants were fined 40s each and costs. Booth, for polluting tho Water of Leith by allowing shavings and other rofuso from his sawmill at Woodhaugh to he thrown into the stream, was fined 40s and costs on each of two charges.

•One effect of the bottlo trust is that the local spirit firms are emptying the contents of some 400 dozen bottles of English ale, an old consignment, into tho city sewer and selling tho bottles to Thompson and Co. at 2s Od a dozen.