VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1921, Page 4

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

TELEGRAMS^

.SUBGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION]

RUN OVER BY MOTOR LORRY, j AUCKLAND, May 29. j A man about sixty, not yet identified was run over by a motor lorry on Saturday afternoon, and died in the hospital ninety minutes later. A GARAGE BURNT. O AMARU, May 30. A garage, with a new plant <rnd stock of modern appliances, owned by G. T. Gillies, was destroyed by fire at 6 a.m. yesterday, as tbe result of an explosion. Four cars and a motor-cycle were burned. Two cars were saved. The owner was in the garage preparatory to a daylight departure for the country, lhe insurances are £3OO on the premises, m the South British; £SOO on the goods stored, in the State office; and an amount which at present cannot he ascertained on the stock in the Insurance Office of Australia Ltd. The wall was burned out of a shed adjoining.

“ADOLESCENT INSANITY.”

AUCKLAND, May 28. One of those temporary aberrations incidental to growing youth, and characterised by the Magistrate as “adolescent insanity,” was a feature of a juvenile ease which was before Mr J. MPovnton, S.M., to-day, when a lad, 14 years of age admitted that he set fire to the Napier street school. Of unexceptional home life and previous contact the boy was in Standard TV., and •i sentence lie was set at school to eor root, starting off “Firemen approaching the burning building” appealed so strongly to his imagination that he renarked to a chum, “I’d like to see this school burning,” which was met with a challenge that ho was not game to set the school on fire. In the evening lu was sent a message past the fiie brigade station, and tbe sight of which again set his imagination to work. He went to the school, took Lis own bag and books out, set a pile of papers alight and thrust them inside a cupboard. He then proceeded to give an alarm of fire, but a resident next to the school had anticipated him. The hoy was put on probation for five years, and nis father was ordered io pay £25 damages.

WELLINGTON MILK SCULLY

DAMAGES AGAINST COKLOCATION. WELLINGTON, May 30. A judgment important to municipalities was given by Mr Justice Reed legarding the action taken bv the Wellington Milk Vendors’ Association tor the recovery of £1299 damages from tlu> City Corporation. The action was based on the allegation that the Corporation had not complied with the terms of the agreement with vendors to supply all the milk and cream required in their retail trade, and it was alleged that as it result of the failure they had suffered loss of profits upon the sale of milk short delivered. It was agreed that* the questions the Court should decide were: (1) Does liability attach to the Corporation in respect of its admitted failure to supply all the* milk and cream required by plaintiff in one or more of the months of April. May, June, and July, 1920? (2) If so on what average of requirement of milk and cream should the' calculation of short supply be based? (3) If so during what time was the shortage? Mr Justice Reed held that liability attached to the Corporation, and the plaintiff company was entitled to succeed. In order that the damages might he worked out, the case was adjourned, either party to have the right to apply for leave to appeal. At a rough estimate the damages amount to £IOOO.

THOMPSON-HOTOP ENQIJIRY. WELLINGTON, May 24. The Thompson-Hotop Commission, which has been enquiring into allegations of drunkenness made against the latter while he was stationed at Featherston military camp, lias concluded the taking of evidence. A\ it nesses i-nll-,kl testified that they had known Dr lfotop for some months, and although they had come into frequent contact with him, they had never seen him under the influence of liquor. He was a most capable officer and a eerehro-spinal meningitis expert.